Shaggy Denies Turning Down Rihanna's Offer To Collab

BY Erika Marie 4.5K Views
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Rihanna, Shaggy
Over two years ago, Shaggy went viral after an outlet reported he said he rejected Rihanna's offer after he was asked to audition.

After going viral years ago over a remark made during an interview, Shaggy is laying some rumors to rest. It was back in January 2020 when Metro UK reported that during Shaggy's interview with the Daily Star, he suggested that he turned down an opportunity to work on Rihanna's phantom forthcoming album. The singer's fans have been waiting on a new record for years so Shaggy's mention caused a stir.

"They approached me for the Rihanna project, yeah. There’s a lot of great people involved, but for me, I didn’t need to audition to be on the record. I’ll leave that to younger guys," he reportedly said at the time. "But from what I hear, it should be good.”

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In a recent chat with VladTV, he was asked about the controversy.

"That wasn't the case. That was a big propaganda. Her management Omar and them kindly reached out to me to see if I would consider doing some songs," said Shaggy. "And they wanted me to kinda like, write a bunch of songs and send in. I said, 'For us to get the best, it would be best if we could be in the studio together and vibe.'"

However, Shaggy said he was told that Rihanna's schedule couldn't fit that in, so in the end, he opted not to participate. However, a report from 2020 added that an alleged rep for Rih stated that Shaggy requested to be on the record, but was told it was already finished. According to the rep, it was suggested that Shaggy submit material just in case, but he decided not to.

Check out more from Shaggy about his friendship with Rihanna below. 


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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