It’s been a long time coming but Rihanna may finally be releasing new music (Picture: Neil Mockford/GC Images)
Rihanna might be making her long-awaited return to music eight years after the release of her last album, Anti.
The multitalented star has eight studio albums to her name and countless awards, including nine Grammy wins. However, despite her popularity in the music scene, she hasn’t released an album since 2016 and her last single was part of the soundtrack for the 2022 blockbuster Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
But it seems all that is set to change with claims that she and her long-time partner, A$AP Rocky, have been attending secret sessions at the Red Bus Recording Studio in London.
The couple, who were friends before dating in 2020, share two sons, RZA, two, and Riot, 13 months, and are said to be collaborating on a tribute song for their late friend Fatman Scoop.
Born Isaac Freeman III, the American rapper, hype man and radio personality tragically died last month after collapsing on stage mid-way through a performance in Hamden Town Center Park, Connecticut.
Footage of the disturbing medical event circulated online, showing the star climbing onto a stage platform before falling over. Emergency staff then rushed over to perform CPR as fans watched on in horror.
The couple are reportedly collaborating (Picture: Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)
Scoop tragically died last month (Picture: WireImage)
Devastatingly, the 53-year-old star, who was friends with Rihanna and Rocky, could not be saved and was pronounced later that day.
His cause of death has not yet been revealed to the public.
Now a source has claimed that the musicians are teaming up with other friends of the late star to pay tribute to him.
Speaking to The Sun, a source said the Umbrella singer was close with the rapper as they had collaborated throughout their careers.
Their most recent interaction reportedly occurred when Scoop recorded the unreleased single, Happy Hood, for Rocky’s album, Don’t Be Dumb.
The popstar released her last album in 2016 and last single in 2022 (Picture: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
The song will reportedly be released as a tribute for Scoop on Rocky’s new album (Picture: Christopher Polk/NBC via Getty Images)
‘After his death, Rihanna was offered the chance to put some vocals on it,’ the source said.
‘She spent the start of this week holed up in Red Bus Recording Studios in London.’ They added: ‘It was a super low-key visit, and she was there for a day or two until the early hours.’
Rocky previously told Zane Lowe on his Apple 1 Music show, The Zane Lowe Show, that it’s a single featuring some very special guests.
‘I literally tried to figure out how to get my favourite rappers,’ he said.
Scoop’s cause of death has not yet been revealed (Picture: Matt Jelonek/Getty Images)
The song is expected to be released later this year (Picture: Jackson Lee/GC Images)
‘So I got a track with Fatman Scoop, Flavour Flav, Slick Rick, Morrissey, and Busta Rhymes all on one.’ He added: ‘It’s kind of nuts. We call that one Hood Happy. That’s coming soon.’
The track was initially meant to be released on August 30, the same day Scoop died.
It has since been postponed until later this year so the rapper can reproduce it with new vocals, reportedly from Rihanna and other stars.
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