If you're still unable to get PartyNextDoor's Drake-assisted hit Loyal out of your head you're not alone — in fact, it's part of the Canadian hip-hop star's M.O. Most of us know and love Party as the man behind songs like Loyal, Come And See Me and Not Nice but what you may not know is that he's also the secret sauce behind some of music's catchiest hits.
Born Jahron Anthony Brathwaite, Party started his career at 18 after signing a publishing deal with Warner as a songwriter and his first mixtape, PartyNextDoor garnered attention from all the right people. Though it wasn't long before he was laying down background vocals on Drake's Own It and Come Thru from his third studio album, Nothing Was the Same.
Gifted with the art of the pen, artists like Rihanna, Beyoncé and Kanye West have all flocked to Party to write their song, hoping that his Midas touch will help them strike gold.
Here are 12 of our favourite songs written by PartyNextDoor.
PartyNextDoor - Believe It feat. Rihanna
It had been a while since we'd heard any new music for Rihanna so when Party dropped Believe It, everyone was just excited to have her back. Rih and PND make an incredible team, both have sultry, mellifluous lilts that swirl around one another on top of the glossy beat.
Jay Electronica - The Blinding feat. Travis Scott
This doesn't sound like your typical PND song, but you can hear his signature wit all over the lyrics.
Kanye West - Ghost Town
Kanye has always opted for a supergroup of writers, producers and singers to take his music to the next level. Ye was the rapper's most polarising record yet though one of the few salvagable songs remains to be Ghost Town. Reminiscent of the old Ye, Ghost Town is brings together John Legend, GOOD Music signee 070 Shake and Party who create a joyous and memorable moment.
Christina Aguilera - Maria
This has to be the strangest songwriting credit on Party's resume, though we can't blame Christina for wanting a little of his lyrical magic. It's Christina cosplaying as 2011 Xtina and Party brings it with lyrics like, "So tired of painting all this makeup/ 'Cause it won't hide my deep cuts/Eyes open, but can't see, mouth open/but can't speak I'm facing the mirror."
Calvin Harris - Nuh Ready Nuh Ready
Party takes center stage in this forgotten Calvin Harris track, Nuh Ready Nuh Ready. It's a post EDM track with the Canadian artist singing the hook in patois - which reminds us of another track he wrote for Rihanna...
Drake - Ratchet Happy Birthday
While most of Scorpion was scathing, tough and full of braggadocio, Ratchet Happy Birthday was a fresh cut that brought all Drake fans a little bit of joy. It's a little salty - as all Party lyrics tend to be - but fun enough to request it at the club even when it's not your birthday. "To be, to feel, and fill, that emptiness inside you / petty bullshit shouldn't excite you/on your birthday / It's your brr— It's your fuckin' birthday."
Rihanna - Sex With Me
The day Rihanna released Sex With Me remains to be an auspicious one none of us deserved. A raw, carnal, and seductive R&B hit all in one, it's not a surprise that Party was tapped to create this one.
DJ Khaled - Shining feat Beyoncé and Jay-Z
To write for Beyoncé feels like the pinnacle of success, but we're sure Party took this one in his stride. A song about the joy of parenthood feels like it wouldn't be in the writer's wheelhouse, but he manages to bring his A-game every time.
Ella Mai - Shot Clock
This far into Party's songwriting credits and patterns are beginning to show. He has a way of making word repetition sound melodic and smooth and he does this skillfully on Ella Mai's Shot Clock. Case in point: "Wondering why, why, why (oh why) / Know you ain't shy, shy, shy (oh why) / I'ma say bye, bye, bye, better know I won't think twice (yeah) / Better let go of your pride (do-do)/Do it now (do-do), just do it now (do-do), oh yeah."
DJ Khaled - Wild Thoughts feat. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller
A true classic, Wild Thoughts saw two regular PND collaborators - DJ Khaled and Rihanna - bring the songwriter in for what has to be one of the most fun, horny songs of the century. Lest we forget Bryson Tiller singing: "Now that pipe got her running like she Usain, baby."
Kanye West - Wouldn't Leave
Another highlight on Ye has the PND stamp all over it. "Oh, don't bring that up, that's gon' get me sentimental / You know I'm sensitive, I got a gentle mental / Every time somethin' happen, they want me sent to mental / We had an incident but I cover incidentals."
Rihanna - Work feat. Drake
Remember when Rihanna gave us a double feature for the Work music video? It feels like a lifetime ago, though the lyrics are etched into our memories. In typical PND fashion, he gave us that slick repetition: "Work, work, work, work, work, work / When you ah gon' / Learn, learn, learn, learn, learn? / Me nuh care if him / Hurt, hurt, hurt, hurt, hurting."
The Barbados singer gave us her part of the song in her native patois while Drake's silvery voice carried the rest. It was a match made in heaven, and we aren't talking about Rih and Drizzy.
