The title track of R&B/Pop singer Rihanna's sixth studio album finds the Barbadian singer teaming up with rapper Jay-Z. The two stars go back a long way as Ri-Ri originally was signed by Def Jam Recordings after she was auditioned by the Brooklyn Hip-Hop mogul, when he was their label head. They have subsequently collaborated on a number of recordings, including Rihanna's hit single "Umbrella" and Jay-Z's collaboration with her and Kanye West, "Run This Town."

Stargate produced the song. Erik Hermansen, one-half of the Norwegian production duo, told 730 the song is a, "mid-tempo banger with hard drums, dirty synths, and Rihanna and Jay at their best. This is the first time we do a song with Jay-Z and Rihanna together," he added. "Actually it's the first time Jay does anything on our beats. It was about time."

The song samples The Notorious B.I.G.'s "I Got A Story To Tell" from the rapper's 1997 final album, Life After Death.

Talk That Talk returned to the top spot on the UK album chart on August 12, 2012. However, its sales figure was the lowest sales for a UK #1 album since fully accurate statistics became available back in 1994.

Girls' Music Supervisor Manish Raval asked Rihanna if they could use the song during a scene in which the show's character Hannah dances in slow-motion whilst on a cocaine binge. The Bajan singer declined, so instead they turned to Icona Pop's "I Love It" and brought the Swedish duo's song to the attention of millions in the process.