Critics at Pitchfork felt the track was a bit "watered-down" and "autopilot" for artists of this caliber, though it was an undeniable commercial success and cultural staple. Perspectives from the Community
Rihanna’s hook was praised for its anthemic quality, marking her high-profile return to the spotlight at the time. Kanye West was widely considered to have stolen the show , with his verse outshining Jay-Z’s more relaxed performance.
It’s an ambitious debut from writer-director Ricky Tollman that attempts to mix Aaron Sorkin-style dialogue with 1970s thriller aesthetics, but it ultimately struggles to find a coherent point of view . The Song: "Run This Town" (2009) Run This Town
Critics largely panned the film's scattered focus. While the performances from Platt, Dobrev, and Massoud were seen as solid, many found the script's focus on "millennial malaise" a distraction from the far more interesting real-life corruption story.
“I never for a second forgot that I watching an actor under piles of makeup.” Fandango Critics at Pitchfork felt the track was a
“This is a story about somebody who is not good at their job and thinks they deserve everything, thinks that just because they are there they should be awarded something.” CBC · 6 years ago
Jay-Z’s lead single from The Blueprint 3 , featuring Rihanna and Kanye West, remains a monumental hip-hop track but was met with some technical criticism upon release. It’s an ambitious debut from writer-director Ricky Tollman
It follows an ambitious, insecure young reporter (Ben Platt) and City Hall staffers (Mena Massoud, Nina Dobrev) navigating the fallout of a mayor’s (Damian Lewis) drug scandal.