Rihanna Surpasses Eminem As Artist With The Second-Most Certified Singles

BYGabriel Bras Nevares4.0K Views
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2014 MTV Movie Awards - Show
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 13: Rapper Eminem (L) and singer Rihanna perform onstage at the 2014 MTV Movie Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on April 13, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Lester Cohen/WireImage/Getty Images)
RiRi continues to etch her name in musical history books despite it being seven years since her last full-length project.

Given that these two artists' collaborations resulted in smash hits, it's no surprise that they share a lot of similar accolades. Moreover, Rihanna just surpassed Eminem as the artist with the second-most certified singles by the Recording Industry Association of America. Even though it's been a long time since her last album, RiRi keeps besting herself with milestone after milestone. Most recently, she earned her first diamond-certified record with her Calvin Harris collab "We Found Love," in addition to many other platinum hits. If anything, it just goes to show that her influence can't be erased by time.

Furthermore, Rihanna has 166.5 million certified units according to the association, inching ahead of Eminem. On the other hand, the Detroit rap legend boasts 166 million certified units, whose numbers are similarly incredible no matter what. But you must be wondering: if they're number two and three on that list, who's number one? Well, it's none other than Drake, who the Barbadian singer has also collaborated with often. The Canadian superstar has 184 million certified units, and much like his fellow top three artists, he built that across a long and illustrious career.

Rihanna Has The Second-Largest Collection Of RIAA-Certified Singles

Of course, it would be downright inaccurate to box Rihanna in to just her musical endeavors, as she's made incredible strides in film, fashion, and much more. Still, a lot of conversation around the "Lift Me Up" star these days revolves around her growing family with A$AP Rocky. On their son's first birthday on Saturday (May 13), the New York rapper confirmed the child's name: RZA Athelston Mayers. It's not just an homage to the legendary Wu-Tang Clan member, but the little one also shared Rocky's middle name. The "Same Problems?" MC's real name, Rakim, also honors a New York hip-hop icon.

Meanwhile, the Super Bowl Halftime Show performer recently celebrated five years of Savage X Fenty. While it was with a photo dump on Instagram, it's still quite the remarkable achievement to maintain a business presence for so long. What's more is that there's only more RiRi on the way, whether in music or in pop culture. On that note, keep checking in with HNHH for the latest news and updates on Rihanna and Eminem.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
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