Rihanna releases hard-edged new ‘Better Have My Money’ single

Following a bumpy rollout that had fans downloading a lip-syncing app only to access snippets of the song, Rihanna released her new single to pop radio on Thursday, underscoring her relationship with one of the old-fashioned medium’s most powerful brands.

The song, presumed to be a selection from the singer’s upcoming follow-up to 2012’s “Unapologetic” album, is called “Bitch Better Have My Money,” and it’s a dramatic shift from both “FourFiveSeconds,” her comparatively gentle collaboration with Kanye West and Paul McCartney from earlier this year, and her new family-friendly animated film “Home,” which hits theaters Friday.

“Don’t act like you forgot I call the shots,” she sings over a harsh, trap-inspired beat reportedly produced by Deputy.

“Bitch Better Have My Money” appears to be airing now on radio stations in the iHeartMedia chain. According to a tweet from the company, Rihanna will perform the song live for the first time at this weekend’s iHeartRadio Music Awards, set to take place Sunday evening at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium.

Twitter: @mikaelwood

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