Jay-Z couldn't believe Stormzy didn't want to collaborate with him

Cape Town - If case you haven't heard it yet Stormzy and Ed Sheeran's song Take Me Back to London is a love letter of sorts to the city.

It features both artists (and some cameos) talking about where they're from and coming back home, but it almost sounded a lot different, after Stormzy revealed that he had to turn down Jay-Z from appearing on the track, in an interview with Jonathan Ross on BBC radio.

The artist – who is headlining Rocking the Daisies 2020 – explained that after a studio session during the song's early stages, Jay Z wanted to be included on the song and asked Stormzy for stories and experiences about London for inspiration for his own verse. He explained: "Before that, I loved Take Me Back to London because I thought it was just going to be me and Ed."

He added: "Then Ed was like, 'Jay is getting on it'."

He went on: "We got into the studio, and we were writing for this song, and then he just stops the music, and he said, 'Tell me about London, I need some inspiration'."

He then said: "It was the greatest conversation of my life."

He remembered: "I was like, 'I know how it goes, Mr Z. You are the most brilliant busy man and I will probably never get this opportunity ever again but hand on my heart, I don't think this is the right song for us.' I felt proper bad because I was like, 'You're saying no to Jay-Z!'" he said.

Jay agreed, and Stormzy ended off by saying: "He fully understood, [but] he couldn't believe that I did it."

WATCH THE INTERVIEW HERE:

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR TAKE ME BACK TO LONDON HERE:

Compiled by Alex Isaacs.

(Photo: Getty Images)