▁ 1 7 , ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁while ▁" I r replace able " ▁( 2 0 0 6 ) ▁was ▁serv iced ▁as ▁the ▁album ' s ▁second ▁international ▁and ▁third ▁US ▁single . ▁The ▁song ' s ▁development ▁was ▁motiv ated ▁by ▁Know les ' ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁Broadway ▁musical ▁adaptation ▁Dream g irls ▁( 2 0 0 6 ). ▁The ▁cover ▁art ▁of ▁" R ing ▁the ▁Al arm " ▁proved ▁controvers ial ▁because ▁Know les ▁used ▁all ig ators ▁during ▁the ▁phot ography ▁session . ▁P ET A ▁declared ▁that ▁Know les ' ▁pos ing ▁with ▁a ▁baby ▁all ig ator ▁was ▁arg u ably ▁ab us ive ▁to ▁an ▁animal . ▁ ▁" R ing ▁the ▁Al arm " ▁is ▁a ▁R & B ▁song ▁with ▁punk ▁rock ▁influ ences . ▁Its ▁introduction ▁features ▁a ▁bl aring ▁sir en , ▁which ▁sets ▁an ▁ag gress ive ▁tone . ▁The ▁song ' s ▁lyr ics ▁involve ▁a ▁woman ▁who ▁feels ▁threatened , ▁and ▁is ▁unw illing ▁to ▁allow ▁another ▁woman ▁to ▁profit ▁from ▁the ▁protagon ist ' s ▁efforts ▁to ▁improve ▁her ▁lo ver ' s ▁life . ▁The ▁lyr ics ▁were ▁rum ored ▁to ▁be ▁about ▁Bar bad ian ▁recording ▁artist ▁R ih anna ' s ▁relationship ▁with ▁Jay - Z ; ▁Know les ▁ref uted ▁the ▁alleg ation ▁in ▁an ▁interview ▁with ▁Se vent een ▁magazine . ▁The ▁song ▁was ▁received ▁with ▁mixed ▁reception ▁for ▁contemporary ▁music ▁critics , ▁who ▁noted ▁that ▁it ▁was