Shut Up—The Next Rihanna Album Is ‘Cooking’

R9 may no longer be a figment of our collective imagination, according to A$AP Rocky.

It’s been 10 years—10 miserable, destructive, long Rihanna-less years since the singer last put out an album, and since then I had made peace with the fact that she was done. She had her makeup and lingerie empire, three children, a role in a Smurf movie, and a plethora of Bravo shows to binge. Her 8th record, ANTI, released in 2016, was a certified no-skip album. So, in a way, it felt right that she was going out with a bang.

However, on Wednesday, Rihanna’s partner and father of said three children, A$AP Rocky, confirmed that her ninth album is actually, truly, finally on its way during an appearance on The Jason Lee Show. The subject came up after Lee suggested that Rihanna had been out of the studio for so long because of their relationship, starting a family, and whatnot, which Rocky rejected.

“She in the studio right now,” he said. “Yeah, I said it. Sorry, babe.” (“Yeah, I said it”—There’s another great Rihanna song.) But please don’t be a prank…

“She working. She cooking, no funny shit,” he added. “Damn, I’m going to get in trouble for this.” No. Thank you.

A$AP Rocky says Rihanna is working on a new album 👀

“Nah […] She in the studio right now. She cooking, bro. I’mma get in trouble for this.”pic.twitter.com/Tlnd7GoWdH

— Complex Music (@ComplexMusic) August 5, 2026

I’ve been naive before, like when I assumed she was working on the album after she was paparazzi’d leaving the studio, but all that came of it was a damn Smurf song. But how long exactly has Rihanna been “cooking” this album? In February, she hinted that she was in the studio in a “Day in the Life” vlog, but was that R9? Or just another damn Smurf song? I was also shocked to see her make a return to the stage in July—her first public performance since the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show—at Jay-Z’s Extra Innings event, where she surprised Yankee Stadium with “Run This Town” and “Bitch Better Have My Money.” Maybe it’s a sign. 

The couple is currently having fun on a cruise in Barbados, according to Rihanna’s Instagram story, which doesn’t look like the studio to me, but then again she can do whatever the hell she wants. I just can’t wait another 10 years.

Keep scrolling for more great stories.