The song was originally written with Britney Spears in mind, but her label rejected it.
"Umbrella" is a pop and R&B song with hip-hop and rock touches referring to a romantic and platonic relationship and the strength of that relationship.
Entertainment Weekly ranked the song number one on the 10 Best Singles of 2007.
In 2007, the song won two awards at the MTV Video Music Awards, when it was nominated for four.
At the 2008 Grammy Awards, "Umbrella" also earned Rihanna and Jay Z a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration in addition to receiving nominations for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.