JAY-Z turned down an offer to guest on one of Ed Sheeran’s biggest hits.
The pop superstar revealed that he asked the billionaire rapper to feature on 2017’s “Shape of You,” but Hov politely passed.
“We were in touch,” Sheeran told Rolling Stone. “I sent him the song, and he said, ‘I don’t think the song needs a rap verse.’”
In hindsight, he realizes that the decision was for the best and the song didn’t need a feature. “He was probably right. He’s got a very, very good ear,” added Ed. “He usually gets things right. It was a very natural, respectful pass.”
The song from Sheeran’s album Divide turned out to be a hit without JAY-Z, spending 12 non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
While Ed has never collaborated with JAY-Z, he did team up with his wife Beyoncé on a 2017 remix to “Perfect.”
JAY-Z previously opened up about how he choses his collaborations. “Pretty much every song that I’m on, I’m asked to be on. I don’t ask people to be on their songs,” he told Kevin Hart on Peacock’s “Hart to Heart.”
He admits that he turns down most requests (“Way more no’s than yes’s”), but if you’re one of the lucky few to get a JAY-Z feature, it won’t cost you anything. “I never charge,” he revealed.
As for Ed, he is gearing up to release his feature-less sixth studio album – (pronounced Subtract) on May 5 featuring the lead single “Eyes Closed.”
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