Rihanna, Nobody’s Business | Controversial Songs

In the sixth edition of Controversial Songs (2024), we explore the controversy behind “Nobody’s Business” by Rihanna featuring Chris Brown.

Bring on the controversy! Controversial Songs is a column that provides background information and insight into songs that raised eyebrows, stirred the pot, or were banned. The more censorship censor$hit, the better! The records that grace Controversial Songs are old and new alike, with all genres of music welcome.  In the sixth edition of Controversial Songs (2025), we explore the controversy behind “Nobody’s Business” by Rihanna featuring Chris Brown.

“You’ll always be mine / Sing it to the world / Always be my boy / I’ll always be your girl / Ain’t nobody’s business.” Rihanna has a point.  She has the right to like or love whoever she’d like.  However, “Nobody’s Business” is the 10^th track from her seventh studio album, Unapologetic, which finds her collaborating with a controversial, polarizing artist, Chris Brown. Brown is her infamous ex-boyfriend.  This song arrived three years after Brown physically assaulted Rihanna. It may not be nobody’s business, but there is a degree of skepticism given the existence of this collaboration and the ‘overly forgiving’ lyrics. How easy is it to forgive assault, particularly when that assault is committed against a woman? Rihanna, Brown, The-Dream (Terius Nash), Los Da Mystro (Carlos McKinney), and Michael Jackson wrote “Nobody’s Business.”  Notably, it samples the Michael Jackson classic, “The Way You Make Me Feel”, hence why Jackson is credited as a writer. The-Dream, Los Da Mystro, and Kuk Harrell produced it.

There are lots of pros regarding “Nobody’s Business.” The vocal performances by Rihanna and Chris Brown are top-notch. Both performer’s bring ample attitude and fierceness to this duet.  Furthermore, the production and overall sound are marvelous.  The beat is stellar.  Where the controversy enters the mix are the lyrics. For us outsiders looking in, it is hard to accept that Rihanna would ever collaborate with Brown.  It is hard to fathom that she’d still have love for him after he put his hands on her.  But, that seems to be the case, and, per both performers, “Ain’t nobody’s business.” “I love to, love to, love you, baby,” Brown asserts in the post-chorus.  Wow… In their respective verses,  Rihanna first, then Chris, the infatuation is lit: “Your love is perfection /… Every touch becomes infectious / Let’s make out in this Lexus /… I wonder, can we become love’s persona.”  That’s about the size of it.  “Nobody’s Business” is a fabulous moment from Unapologetic – an enjoyable duet.  If Rihanna and Brown hadn’t had a bad history, we probably wouldn’t bat an eye at this song.  Still, it feels, suspect…

Rihanna // Unapologetic // The Island Def Jam Music Group // 2012

Rihanna, Nobody’s Business: Controversial Songs No. 6 (2024) [: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; The Island Def Jam Music Group; Andrea Mosti from Pexels; AcatXlo, OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay; christian buehner on Unsplash]