Rihanna

Lore & Background

The song features a reverse sample of Bruno Mars' "24K Magic," produced by Shampoo Press & Curl and The Stereotypes, alongside a replay of Jay-Z's "Get Your Mind Right Mami" audible at the 40-second mark. Complex described the track as a standout and one of Damn's most radio-friendly cuts. Jason Parham of The Fader characterized it as "anxious, berserk, and beautifully intransigent," noting its blend of pop, funk, and brooding rap. Frank Guan of Vulture highlighted Rihanna's contribution specifically, stating that "though only eight bars, Rihanna's sung rap is as fluent as it is brief, a swift and casual tour of her accomplishments." Rap-Up noted the track allows both artists to address allegiance from various angles.

In Their Own Story

The music video for "Loyalty." was released on Lamar's Vevo channel on YouTube on July 28, 2017. Directed by Dave Meyers and The Little Homies, it includes an appearance from Rihanna. Jordan Darville of The Fader reviewed the visuals positively, praising the imagery and describing the adventure between Lamar and Rihanna as "carefully crafted [and] suitably amorous." On the track, her vocal performance is concise yet impactful, providing a distinct counterpoint to Lamar's verses while maintaining the song's thematic focus on loyalty.

Reader's Guide

Rihanna contributes vocals and co-writing credits to the project. The credits list Dacoury Natche (DJ Dahi) as songwriter, producer, and provider of additional vocals; Mark Spears (Sounwave) as songwriter and producer; Terrace Martin as songwriter and producer; and Anthony "Topdawg" Tiffith as songwriter and producer. Additional songwriting credits for the track include Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence, Christopher Brody Brown, Ol' Dirty Bastard, RZA, Jay-Z, Memphis Bleek, Snoop Dogg, and Rick Rock. Bēkon provided additional production and vocals, while Kid Capri added vocals. The audio was mixed by Derek Ali with Tyler Page as mix assistant, and Jamal Owens served as the master mixer.

Did You Know?

• Rihanna's vocal contribution on the track consists of exactly eight bars.
• The song contains a reverse sample of Bruno Mars' "24K Magic" and a replay of Jay-Z's "Get Your Mind Right Mami" at the 40-second mark.
• Loyalty. was released as the second single from Damn, hitting urban and rhythmic radio on June 20, 2017.
• The music video was directed by Dave Meyers and The Little Homies and premiered on July 28, 2017.
• The track won the Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Performance.