Jay-Z turns down Ed Sheeran's request to rap on "Shape Of You" (& his reasoning makes perfect sense)

 Although Ed Sheeran is perfectly capable of selling records without any assistance, he is not averse to working with other artists and musicians. Throughout his career, Sheeran has collaborated with numerous talented peers, such as Elton John, Rita Ora, and Taylor Swift. In 2019, the four-time Grammy-winning singer released "No. 6 Collaborations Project," an album that focused entirely on his collaborations with artists like Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars, Chris Stapleton, and H.E.R. Before its release, Sheeran revealed on Instagram that he had always wanted to do another collaborative project after making an EP called "No. 5 Collaborations Project" before signing in 2011.

Despite having a vast network of musical connections, Sheeran has yet to team up with rap legend Jay-Z, despite his efforts. Sheeran had hoped to include Jay-Z in "Shape of You" in 2017, but the hip-hop icon declined respectfully.

Oh, what a missed opportunity! However, truthfully, Sheeran's rendition of the song doesn't seem to require a rap verse. Nevertheless, it would be great for Sheeran and Jay-Z to give collaborating another shot. Despite this, Sheeran himself has expressed doubts about the possibility of an official collaboration. In a 2014 interview with the Independent, Sheeran admitted, "The individuals I would love to collaborate with aren't typically open to it...If I were to suddenly decide that I wanted to create a track with Jay-Z, it wouldn't be as easy as that. I believe he must have the concept...It's the same with me."