At the end of 2018, when asked when her next record was due, Rihanna simply wrote “2019” in an Instagram comment.

Since then, fans have bombarded the singer on social media with extensive pressure and one question: When is R9 coming? Even the Fenty Beauty mogul herself poked fun of the delay last July with a hilarious Instagram video featuring a scene from VH1's Love & Hip-Hop: Atlanta.

In the caption, Rihanna quotes herself revealing the album was coming out in 2019 with her fanbase, the Navy, replying, “It was all a lie. Guys, it was all a lie. She lied.”

January 28 marks 4-years since Riri dropped her last album, Anti, and if she thinks the Navy will subside the pressure anytime soon, she is clearly mistaken. The anticipation for her forthcoming album is at an all-time high, and there are a few reasons why Rihanna’s 9th studio effort is worth the wait.

Her Breakup May Inspire New Music

Last week, Us Weekly reported Rihanna ended her 3-year relationship with billionaire boyfriend, Hassan Jameel. It’s possible the songstress may take the reins from Taylor Swift & Adele and create works inspired by her breakup with the 31-year-old Saudi-Arabian businessman. In that case, A Rihanna ballad like her hit song “Stay” is worth waiting

Related: Rihanna Splits With Billionaire Boyfriend...Drake And A$AP Rocky Inch Closer

Possible Collabs with Drake & A$AP Rocky?

Following her split from Jameel, Rihanna was spotted reuniting with exes Drake and A$AP Rocky at the annual Yams Day Benefit concert on January 18 in NYC, where she paid tribute to the late A$AP Yams. A fan captured video of Rihanna and Drake standing near each other and Rihanna was also seen laughing and hanging out backstage with A$AP Rocky.

Rihanna and Drake famously dated on and off from 2009 to 2016. In that time, the two have created countless hits like “Take Care,” “Too Good,” and the No. 1 hits “What’s My Name,” and “Work.”

The singer shared in a candid interview with playwright Jeremy O. Harries in T Magazine that she would not be collaborating with Drake “anytime soon,” but only one can hope.

“I don’t see it happening,” she said. “Not on this album, that’s for sure.”

Let’s hope Rihanna and Drake had a conversation about it during their reunion.

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky were rumored to have dated back in 2015, and have remained friends since then. Whether Rihanna reunites with one of her old flames is not important here. What’s important is, will the rappers appear on R9?

All The Tracks Are “Reggae-Inspired Or Reggae-Infused”

We may not know when R9 will be dropping, but Rihanna revealed to Vogue in October 2019 that there will be elements of reggae in all the tracks. That's no surprise since the Caribbean singer hails from Barbados.

“Reggae always feels right to me,” she said. “It’s in my blood. It doesn’t matter how far or long removed I am from that culture, or my environment that I grew up in; it never leaves. It’s always the same high. Even though I’ve explored other genres of music, it was time to go back to something that I haven’t really homed in on completely for a body of work.”

Rihanna has implemented reggae in countless songs like "Man Down", but to create an entire album containing elements of the genre would bring something fresh and different to the music scene.

For all we know, R9 could be completed and ready to go. If that’s the case, then Rihanna isn’t ready for us to listen to it just yet. From what we know, Rihanna’s upcoming album is an extension of her and where she comes from. So who can blame her if she wants the project to be as good as possible?  If we've learned anything from her last studio effort, Anti, R9 may be worth the wait.

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