Pet Rock: The Pop Culture Blog

(T.I., Getty Images; Rihanna, AP Photo)

In music, as it is in near-miss car accidents, timing is everything.

Driving home in that awful rain from that awful Jets game Sunday night, life took an interesting turn. OK, more like an interesting, uncontrollable, life-threatening spin-out.

What began as a routine exit from the Southern State Parkway quickly turned into a "Wow, hey, look at that, I'm no longer in control of my vehicle, and oh joy, that's a metal pole coming right at me, and oh look, I'm facing the wrong way now and here come four cars in my direction, sweet!"

But Pet Rock must throw props to the Power 105.1 FM programming director who has "Live Your Live" by T.I. and Rihanna in heavy rotation. See, when your life flashes before your eyes, you somehow remember every exact detail about that moment.

And just as I nearly found a starring role in the Long Island car accident photo gallery, "Live Your Life" was playing on my car radio. Never before had I fully felt the power of the hook for that song, no matter how hot the tune is.

But as I sat in my car, inches away from that metal pole and facing the highway I supposedly just exited with headlights zipping passed me, all I could hear was "So live your life, ay ay ay. / You Steady Chasin that paper. / Just live your life (Oh! ), ay ay ay."

Yes, indeed, I'm just living my life, thanks to some nifty accident avoidance. Last night, Rihanna and T.I. saved my life.

You may think I'm crazy for claiming that a song called "Live Your Life" made me stay alive. Well, do you think any divine intervention came from the way the Jets played in the monsoon? Um, heck to the no!

But wait, there's more.

Once I restarted my car, and all the other cars had passed me by on the very narrow two-lane exit ramp (thanks for stopping to check on me, people!), I swear to the deity of your choosing that the next song on the radio was "Bust Your Windows" by Jazmine Sullivan!

I really wish I could make up that irony. But if those songs were reversed, this story wouldn't exist. Nor would my car. Nor me. As if I needed another reason to love Rihanna!

Give the two songs a listen below and then someone please find me a "Free T.I." T-shirt online. I'll wear it proudly! Heck, I'd even rock one of those Rihanna dominatrix outfits she performs in. (Sure, that wouldn't be all that attractive on me, but she saved my life, so I owe her one.)