Hard (song)

"Hard"
A woman with short blonde hair wearing only a black top, with the word "Hard" imprinted in red across the middle of the artwork.
Single by Rihanna featuring Jeezy
from the album Rated R
ReleasedNovember 10, 2009 (2009-11-10)
Recorded2009
StudioStudios Devout (Paris, France); The Boom Boom Room (Burbank, California); Legacy Recording Studios (New York City, New York); Triangle Sound Studios (Atlanta, Georgia)
GenreHip hop
Length4:10
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Rihanna singles chronology
"Russian Roulette"
(2009)
"Hard"
(2009)
"Wait Your Turn"
(2009)
Young Jeezy singles chronology
"Fed Up"
(2009)
"Hard"
(2009)
"Put Your Hands Up"
(2010)
Music video
"Hard" on YouTube

"Hard" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna from her fourth studio album, Rated R (2009). The song features a guest verse from American rapper Young Jeezy, credited only as "Jeezy" on the album (and who is now officially known as such). The artists co-wrote the song with its producers, The-Dream and Tricky Stewart. "Hard" was sent to radio by Def Jam Recordings on November 10, 2009, as the second United States single from Rated R. It is a hip hop song and features military horns, hissing synthesizers, sharp beats and piano chords.

The song became Rihanna's thirteenth top ten single on the US Billboard Hot 100, matching Beyoncé as the female artist with the most US top ten songs since 2000. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. An accompanying music video, directed by Melina Matsoukas, was filmed in Los Angeles in December 2009. In the video, Rihanna commands an army while clothed in stylized military costumes. After the video premiere, the song charted in Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Rihanna performed "Hard" at Jay-Z's concert at UCLA Pauley Pavilion and at the 2009 American Music Awards. The song was also included on the set lists of the Last Girl on Earth Tour (2010–11) and the Loud Tour (2011).