On one level, Eminem and Rihanna’s “The Monster” might seem like another pop-rap song for the radio. However, Eminem seemed to say the track was partly inspired by Rihanna’s public image. The track definitely wasn’t the duo’s most personal collaboration.

‘The Monster’ was a response to Eminem’s public image and Rihanna’s

While Eminem is considered one of the most important rappers of all time, he has repeatedly worked with pop stars such as Bruno Mars, Pink, and Beyoncé. Rihanna had a bigger impact on Eminem’s career than any of those stars combined. After scoring a big hit together in 2010 with “Love the Way You Lie,” the two stars collaborated on the album tracks “Love the Way You Lie (Part II)” and “Numb.” In 2013, they repeated the formula with a song about the perils of fame called “The Monster.”

During a 2013 interview with MTV News, Slim Shady explained why he felt it was a good idea to work with the “Take a Bow” singer. “The perception of the record, what it’s saying, I thought it would be a good idea to have her on it because I think people look at us like we’re both a little nuts,” he said. “That’s one of the things that I was telling her in making the record: I think that people look at us a little crazy.”

It’s an understatement that Eminem’s public image has been “a little nuts” from time to time. Eminem has definitely recorded some bizarre music in his day. His Slim Shady persona isn’t the sort of fellow one would want to meet alone in a back alley. Rihanna, on the other hand, has made some surreal music videos but she’ll never be as aggressively weird as Marshall Mathers.

Eminem didn’t get in the studio with Rihanna for the song

Eminem discussed how the track came together. “As soon as I got the beat I just heard her on it,” Eminem said. “I wanted to make sure that I had it finished first to be able to present to her, but once I had the rhymes done, I sent it to her.”

Eminem explained why he wasn’t in the studio with Rihanna. “I had to send it to her because schedules were conflicting and s*** like that,” he recalled. “Plus, the record it was kinda pulled together at the last minute. I sent it to her, she laid the hook, sent it back. She smashed it like she does always. It’s pretty incredible.”

Critics weren’t in love with ‘The Monster’

“The Monster” received decent reviews but critics didn’t lionize it the way they lionized “Love the Way You Lie.” In 2015, Uproxx ranked “The Monster” No. 27 on their list of Rihanna’s best songs. That’s not particularly impressive.

Perhaps critics were lukewarm about “The Monster” because it was easy to see it as a cash-in on the success of “Love the Way You Lie.” Perhaps “The Monster” didn’t seem as revealing as its predecessor. “The Monster” charted at the same time as “Holy Grail,” a Jay Z/Justin Timberlake collaboration that is also about the perils of fame. Since both tracks were popular simultaneously, neither could appear too original.

“The Monster” might not be a career highlight for Eminem or Rihanna — but Eminem was proud of it.