Rihanna teams up with fellow superstars to record tribute song to Fatman Scoop after his shock death
THE sad death of the legendary Fatman Scoop last month aged just 56 shocked the music industry, when he collapsed on stage during a concert in Connecticut.
And now, I have been told a number of his famous pals, including Rihanna and her boyfriend Asap Rocky have come together to pay tribute to Scoop on a song.
Last month Rocky revealed he had recorded a new track, Happy Hood, with Scoop as well as Slick Rick, Busta Rhymes, Flavor Flav and Morrissey.
And insiders told me Ri-Ri has now added some vocals..
She has been holed up in the Red Bus Recording Studios in London earlier this week where she recorded vocals.
A source said: “Rihanna and Scoop knew each other well.
“They had collaborated before and more recently Scoop had recorded a song, Happy Hood, on Rocky’s upcoming album Don’t Be Dumb.
“After his death, Rihanna was offered the chance to put some vocals on it.
“She spent the start of this week holed up in Red Bus Recording Studios in London.
“It was a super low key visit and she was there for a day or two until the early hours.”
Rocky revealed he had recorded Hood Happy with Scoop during a chat with Zane Lowe on Apple 1 Music.
He said: “I literally tried to figure out how to get my favourite rappers.
“So I got a track with Fatman Scoop, Flavour Flav, Slick Rick, Morrissey, and Busta Rhymes all on one.
It’s kind of nuts. We call that one Hood Happy. That’s coming soon.”
Rocky ended up pushing back the release date of Don’t Be Dumb, which was supposed to come out on August 30 – telling his fans he wanted to make the “best album ever,” meaning the track still hasn’t been heard.
The updated version is expected to be put out on Don’t Be Dumb when it drops later this year.
Last month, we revealed how Rihanna had started work on her much anticipated new record.
Insiders told us the singer had gone back to the studio to continue working on her ninth album, which is the follow up to her 2016 record Anti.
It’s been a long time coming but I have no doubt Rihanna’s record, and Rocky’s, will both be worth the wait.
As for Scoop’s song, I am sure releasing that will be a priority.
BROTHERS GET BUSTED
BUSTED and McFly teamed up for McBusted in 2013 and now it looks like they have formed another supergroup – with The Jonas Brothers.
Sadly The Busted Brothers doesn’t have the same ring to it.
The British trio joined Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas on stage for their two shows at London’s O2 Arena this week to perform Year 3000.
It was a No2 hit in the UK for Busted in 2003, then was covered by the American siblings in 2007, with that version selling more than a million copies in the States.
Following the show, they posed backstage for this photo, left, which will make women of a certain age very happy.
They’re looking better now than they did in the Noughties.
She’s a Mindy doll
EMILY In Paris star Ashley Park looks like she has borrowed her racy outfit from the show’s costume department.
In the Netflix series, her character Mindy is known for her edgy fashion choices.
And I love this sequinned hot pants and blazer combo on Ashley, who was enjoying a night out in New York with her co-star Lily Collins.
The show has now been handed a fifth series by Netflix, which will follow Lily’s character Emily in her new life in Rome.
She better take Mindy with her – even if it is just for her outrageous outfit choices.
SYDNIE: KING SO CUDDLY
SHE will perform for King Charles at the Royal Variety Show on November 22 – but the only thing Sydnie Christmas is worried about is keeping her hands to herself.
“They are going to have to tell me to behave, because I’d want to hug him,” said Sydnie, in an exclusive chat.
“I’d want to hug them all, but you’ve got to just curtsy.”
The BGT winner’s new covers album, My Way, is out on October 4, and when she comes off her accompanying nationwide tour, Sydnie wants to focus on writing her own songs.
She said: “I would love to do originals. But on my new album, we didn’t have time. It was crazy.
“I hope I get another opportunity to write songs again, because I haven’t written one in about three years.”
DAVID BECKHAM must be running out of room for tattoos now he’s added another inking.
The footie legend has a pair of praying hands etched on his leg, bringing his tattoos total to 70.
Back in the day we used to note his new ones but we’ve totally lost track now.
MIAMI NICE FOR 1D LIAM
A YEAR on from being hospitalised due to kidney issues, Liam Payne says he is finally in a good place.
The One Direction singer has ditched the UK for Miami, Florida.
Speaking on Snapchat, Liam said: “I’ve wanted to live in Florida since I was little as we used to go to Disneyland all the time.
“It is a beautiful place and I have good friends who take care of me. I’m the happiest I’ve been in a long time.”
Liam appears to have put his second solo album on hold despite quietly working away on new music for over a year.
In March, he released Teardrops, a track we all thought would be the lead single, but so far we’ve heard nothing else from him.
But he is back on track, so us fans will just wait until he is good and ready.
FEST BOSS BACKS OASIS
ISLE of Wight Festival boss John Giddings has defended Noel and Liam Gallagher in the wake of Oasis’ reunion gigs ticket debacle.
The brothers put on two more Wembley dates and introduced a new ticketing system after Ticketmaster struggled to cope with the millions of fans desperate to get to a show.
Oasis had come under fire for exorbitant “dynamic pricing”, which saw tickets increase from £148 to over £350, with the band blaming Ticketmaster.
Speaking at the launch of Experience 25 – an exhibition celebrating the 25-year history of the Isle of Wight Festival – at London’s O2 on Wednesday, John, said: “I think that they expected a big demand, I don’t think they expected more than ten million people to apply for over a million tickets.
“What people don’t realise, what the general public don’t appreciate, is that within a ticket price 20 per cent of it goes to the government in VAT before you begin.
“It’s ten times more expensive to put on shows since Covid, since Brexit, since all of that, and artists want to present a show.
“The back screen, the fireworks and everything going off with it.
“That’s what audiences want because we can see by the number of tickets they’re buying. People vote with their feet – if they don’t want to come then we’re all dead in the water.”
John added: “Once upon a time I put three David Bowie shows on sale at Wembley Arena, 24,000 tickets.
“I got a demand of 250,000 tickets but everybody had sent in a stamped and addressed envelope with a cheque, so what I did was I sent them all back a ticket for Milton Keynes and sold out three nights at Milton Keynes.”
Now that’s a clever move.
Kind Tom’s home truth
TOM GRENNAN is back with a new single – and it’s another belter.
The song, Higher, is out today and he gave me an exclusive look at the artwork that goes with it.
Tom is one of my favourite British singers and since I last saw him perform at Glastonbury, I’ve been championing everything he does.
And he has been sharing the fruits of his success, revealing that he helped to pay off the mortgage on his parents’ home.
Former footballer Tom, who used to play for Luton Town, said: “To be able to do that for my parents – they’ve always been those parents who’ll do anything for me and my brother.
“To give them something back was such a lovely feeling. But I didn’t think about it. It was like, ‘Oh I’ve got that money, sweet, I’ll do that’.”
What a legend.
BOXERS Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois are facing off at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night – but the only thing I am going to be tuning in for is Liam Gallagher.
The Oasis rocker will perform before the bout in what will be his first solo concert following the news of the Britpop legends’ reunion.
You can listen live to the performance on Virgin Radio with my pal Ben Jones from 9pm.
Get it on the Virgin Radio UK app, DAB digital radio or, if you’re a sofa slob like me, just ask your smart speaker to play Virgin Radio UK.
CHART BATTLER KATY AIMS TO GET 143 TO 1
THE tussle for top album kicks off today with a raft of releases.
Katy Perry has dropped her new record 143, but she faces tough competition from rock band Blossoms, who have released their fifth album Gary.
Also out today is Jamie XX’s collection In Waves, which I have already had a sneaky listen to and is one of the best dance records of the year.
As well as collaborations with Robyn and Honey Dijon, it features his new single Waited All Night, on which he teams up with his The XX bandmates Romy and Oliver Sim.
Rising star ST Lundi has released his debut album The Island, which includes an amazing song about divorce called Different Houses. You can catch him on his UK tour in November.
And for a slice of pop fun, Ava Max has returned with her single Spot A Fake.
SCOTT MILLS should be charging the BBC double time. The DJ, covering for Zoe Ball on her Breakfast Show slot yesterday, popped up on Vernon Kay‘s show minutes later.
Scott played listeners a voice message from Vern where he said: “Hi Scott, it’s Vernon.
“I never thought this would happen. I’m still stood at the platform, miles from Central London, and miles from the studio.”
Scott joked: “Me and Vernon get the same train, but this is a first.”
Vernon made it in after 80 minutes, but Scott still ribbed him.
Joking about his stint on BBC show, Race Across The World, Scott said: “I managed to race 12,500 miles across South America, and Vernon can’t even get from the other side of London to the studio!”