 " Rockstar 101 " received mixed responses from music critics . Brian Linder for IGN praised the song , writing that it " actually works " despite sounding disjointed at first . Emily Tartanella of PopMatters defined " Rockstar 101 " as a " brilliant bit of bravado " during her review of Rated R , while Ailbhe Malone for NME wrote that Rihanna sings with " swagger " on the track , which was something that she has Hova to thank for . Jon Pareles for The New York Times simply highlighted a line from the song , " I never play the victim " . Neil McCormick for The Daily Telegraph thought that " Rockstar 101 " was one of the few songs on the album to retain the " vaguest leftover hints of her warm Caribbean vocal flavouring " . Ann Powers for the Los Angeles Times was critical of Slash 's inclusion on the song , and she described it as an " afterthought " . Powers wrote " she can definitely get by without that ultimate rock phallic symbol " , a reference to Slash . Pitchfork Media 's Ryan Dombell felt that " Rockstar 101 , alike " Russian Roulette " and " The Last Song " , were " instantly @-@ dated missteps from a bygone era when a Slash feature was cool " . He further wrote that " Rockstar 101 " and " G4L " were " harder to justify considering their mindless boasts and torpid production " . The song was met with a negative review from The Guardian 's Alex Petridis , who wrote " At one extreme , the resemblance of ' Umbrella ' ' s chorus to that of a stadium rock ballad seems to have encouraged Rihanna to cut out the middle @-@ man and just start making stadium rock : cue the awful widdly @-@ woo guitars of ' Rockstar 101 ' and ' Fire Bomb ' " . 
 " Rockstar 101 " received mixed responses from music critics . Brian Linder for IGN praised the song , writing that it " actually <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>works</mark></a> " despite sounding disjointed at first . Emily Tartanella of PopMatters defined " Rockstar 101 " as a " brilliant bit of bravado " during her review of Rated R , while Ailbhe Malone for NME wrote that Rihanna <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>sings</mark></a> with " swagger " on the track , which was something <a href='null_relcl' title='3'><mark>that</mark></a>she <a href='got' title='4'><mark>has</mark></a> Hova to thank for . Jon Pareles for The New York Times simply highlighted a line from the song , " I never play <a href='None' title='5'><mark>the</mark></a><a href='negative_concord' title='6'><mark>victim</mark></a> " . Neil McCormick for The Daily Telegraph thought that " Rockstar 101 " was one of the few songs on the album to retain the " vaguest leftover hints of her warm Caribbean vocal flavouring " . Ann Powers for the Los Angeles Times was critical of Slash <a href='null_genetive' title='7'><mark>'s</mark></a>inclusion on the song , and she described it as an " afterthought " . Powers wrote " she can definitely get by without that ultimate rock phallic symbol " , a reference to Slash . Pitchfork Media <a href='null_genetive' title='8'><mark>'s</mark></a>Ryan Dombell felt that " Rockstar 101 , alike " Russian Roulette " and " The Last Song " , <a href='uninflect' title='9'><mark>were</mark></a> " instantly @-@ dated missteps from a bygone era when a Slash feature was cool " . He further wrote that " Rockstar 101 " and " G4L " <a href='uninflect' title='10'><mark>were</mark></a> " harder to justify considering their mindless boasts and torpid production " . The song was met with a negative review from The Guardian <a href='null_genetive' title='11'><mark>'s</mark></a>Alex Petridis , <a href='null_relcl' title='12'><mark>who</mark></a>wrote " At one extreme , the resemblance of ' Umbrella ' ' s chorus to that of a stadium rock ballad <a href='uninflect' title='13'><mark>seems</mark></a> to <a href='been_done' title='14'><mark>have</mark></a> encouraged Rihanna to cut out the middle @-@ man and just start making stadium rock : cue the awful widdly @-@ woo guitars of ' Rockstar 101 ' and ' Fire Bomb ' " . 
 Rockstar 101  received mixed responses from music critics . Brian Linder for IGN praised da song , writing dat it " actually wrk " despite sounding disjointed at first . Emily Tartanella of PopMatters defined " Rockstar 101 " as a " brilliant bit of bravado " durin her review of Rated R , while Ailbhe Malone fir NME wrote that Rihanna sing witt " swagger " on tdatrack , which was something she got Hova to thank for . Jon Pareles fir The New York Times simply highlighted a line from thdaong , " I never play no victim " . Neil McCormick for The Daily Telegraph thought tdat" Rockstar 101 " was one of the few songs on thedaxtape to retain the " vaguest leftover hints of her warm Caribbean vocal flavouring " . Ann Powers for the Los Angeles Times was critical of Slash  inclusion on the song , and she described it as an " afterthought " . Powers wrote " she can definitely get by without that ultimate rock phallic symbol " , a reference to Slash . Pitchfork Media  Ryan Dombell felt that " Rockstar 101 , alike " Russian Roulette " and " The dat Song " , was " instantly @-@ dated missteps from a bygone era when a Slash feature was cool " . He further wrote that " Rockstar 101 " and " G4L " was " harder to justify considering their mindless boasts and torpid production " . The song was met wid a negative review from The Guardian  Alex Petridis , wrote " At one extreme , the resemblance of ' Umbrella ' ' s chorus to thdatf a stadium rock ballad seem to done encouraged Rihanna to cut out the mdale @-@ man and just start making stadium rock : cue the awful widdly @-@ woo guitars of ' Rockstar 101 ' and ' Fire Bomb ' " .