Ed Sheeran asked Jay-Z to record a verse on his massive 2017 hit, “Shape of You” and he turned it down. He said, he didn’t think the song needed a rap verse. Sheeran told Rolling Stone, "He was probably right. He's got a very, very good ear. It was a very natural, respectful pass."
"Shape of You" went on to win a Grammy for best pop solo performance and spent 12 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
TL;DR:
- Ed Sheeran asked Jay-Z to record a verse on his massive 2017 hit, “Shape of You” and he turned it down.
- He said, he didn’t think the song needed a rap verse.