Check The Credits: Rock City Speak on Writing for Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, & More

“I Been On” – Beyoncé

Timothy: Ah man… I wish you could hear the original version of “I Been On.” It was so ratchet [laughs]. The version that Beyoncé did is so cleaned up. If people heard the original they’d be shocked that we even played it for Beyoncé, because it was so crazy. We were working with Polow Da Don in Miami. I told him that I wanted to do an entire song chopped & screwed, but with a singer singing on it.” I basically wanted to do a chopped and screwed rap song, but with a singer on it. He thought it was a dope idea, but wanted to know how it would sound. I had the “I been on, I been on, I been on. Tell me who’s going to take me off, take me off,” part already. I could just see me in the club going, “Yo dog, who’s going to take me off this couch?!” He loved it.

Theron: We had the demo on repeat and kept trying to figure out who could we hear on the song. Polow suggested Beyoncé. I asked him if he thought she’d actually do the record and he said “She’s from Houston!” At that point we realized it was the best idea ever [laughs].