Benny Blanco Talks How Rihanna’s “Diamonds” Almost Went to Eminem and Kanye West

The history of pop music is often defined by “sliding doors” moments, but few are as star-studded as the origin story of Rihanna’s 2012 anthem, “Diamonds.” During a recent appearance on the Friends Keep Secrets podcast, super-producer Benny Blanco revealed that the track—co-written with Sia and the production duo Stargate—was nearly claimed by two of hip-hop’s most formidable titans: Eminem and Kanye West. Before the song became a diamond-certified pillar of Rihanna’s career, Blanco found himself caught in a high-stakes logistical “predicament.”

The first close call involved Eminem, who actually had the instrumental in his possession for months before Rihanna ever heard it. Blanco detailed the awkward realization that hit him when Eminem’s team finally decided to move forward with the track, only to find they were too late. “I was in a predicament one time. Me, Sia and Stargate had written a song. I gave the beat to Eminem like 6 months before and I get a call and they said ‘Em needs the files for the beat.’ And I said, I already gave the song to Rihanna. It’s ‘Diamonds‘ song,” Blanco shared.

As if turning down one legend wasn’t enough, Kanye West entered the mix shortly after, expressing his own desire to use the beat for his own project. This intense demand from multiple heavyweights explains why Ye eventually appeared on the song’s official remix; it was essentially a way to satisfy his interest after the solo rights had been signed away. Blanco explained the chaos: “And then we get another call that Kanye wants the beat now. That’s why Kanye is on the remix to ‘Diamonds.’ Because he originally wanted it for himself. And I was trying to figure it all out and then we gave it to Rihanna and then it all worked out.”

Ultimately, the decision to stick with Rihanna proved to be a masterstroke, as the song went on to top the charts in over 20 countries and became one of the best-selling singles of all time. While it is fascinating to imagine Eminem’s intensity or Kanye’s bravado over those shimmering, ethereal synths, the track’s eventual home with the Barbadian singer turned it into a timeless pop standard. As Blanco noted, despite the stress of juggling three of the biggest names in the industry, the stars aligned exactly as they were meant to.

Beyond his work on global pop hits, Blanco has continued to foster significant hip-hop collaborations, most notably reuniting with Eminem for the 2023 Juice WRLD single, “Lace It.” This track served as a poignant, cautionary reflection on the cycle of addiction, bridging the gap between two generations of artists who were deeply influenced by one another. In his verse, Juice WRLD captures the physical toll of dependency, rapping: “The Devil told me: Good show, break a leg / All these painkillers like I got a pair of broken legs / All these Percs I pop, you probably thought I was plannin’ to break my neck.” Eminem responds with a sobering message of survival and loss, addressing the drug directly: “I was lucky, my escape was narrow and due / Now think I take it for granted / That I’m still here, synthetic heroin you tried to kill me, then you murdered Jarad, didn’t you?” The collaboration underscored Blanco’s ability to move from high-energy pop anthems like “Diamonds” to the raw, somber realities of modern rap.