Rihanna, Affleck and Tatum star in GQ Men of the Year issue

It’s that magical time of year again: when GQ magazine celebrates a few good men — and one woman — from Hollywood and beyond.

The Ministry is happy to bring you a first look at the annual issue, honoring Ben Affleck, Channing Tatum, Quentin Tarantino, Usain Bolt and Rihanna to name a few.

Affleck and Tatum scrub up handsomely for their cover turns, and you can check out Rihanna’s très steamy shot here. Dubbed the “obsession” of the year, Rihanna’s interview is predictably driven by sex appeal and drama.

She touches on the ugly nightclub fight between her exes Drake and Chris Brown, which was reportedly sparked by the “S&M;” songstress.

“There’s no proof of that being for my love. That’s my answer to that question,” she said of the scuffle.

Never shy, Riri even reflected on her prolific career — her forthcoming album “Unapologetic” is her seventh in seven years.

“Sometimes a person looks at me and sees dollars. They see numbers and they see a product, ” she said. “I look at me and see art. If I didn’t like what I was doing, then I would say I was committing slavery. ”

Stay tuned for more content from the year’s best gents, including Jamie Foxx and Samuel L. Jackson for their efforts in the forthcoming “Django Unchained” and the NASA Mars Rover team.

Also check back with the Ministry on Wednesday for a full dispatch from GQ”s 2012 Men of the Year party, going down Tuesday night at Los Angeles’ Chateau Marmont.

MEN OF THE YEAR REWIND:

Justin Timberlake, Jessica Biel cozy up at GQ Men of the YearTalk about where the boys are -- they’re all hitting the 2010 GQ Men of the Year party

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