Adele recorded a rap on an unreleased version of Tinie Tempah’s Labrinth collaboration Earthquake.
The Pass Out rapper – who has returned with his first album in nine years, The Night’s Not Dead – has revealed that the Hello songstress recorded a surprise rap for the 2011 hit, in the vein of Nicki Minaj, but it ultimately got shelved.
Tinie told The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre column: “She [Adele] was actually in the studio when I made Earthquake with Labrinth. We were having a little muck around on the mic.
“At the time, she really liked Nicki Minaj and had Nicki Minaj-type raps and stuff like that.”
Asked if the Adele version could see the light of day given the song turns 15 next week, he casted serious doubt, replying: “Oh my goodness, let’s see if she clears it. Let’s see.”
Rather than dropping the record in one go, Tinie rolled it out as a three-part experience – 9PM, 12AM and 3AM – each capturing a different emotional beat of a night out.
The project was shaped by the stark state of the nightlife industry, with “14 night-time economy businesses are disappearing from Britain’s operating stock every week”, according to the NTIA.
He said: “With times being as they are and division at an all-time high, I became more interested in creating an inclusive world that people can relate to and feel part of. The Night’s Not Dead is my way of telling the story… the power and fun of a night out.”
He added that real-world connection is becoming rare: “The venues that gave so many artists, including me, a place to grow are disappearing and this project is a celebration of those spaces and the people who keep them alive.”
That message runs through the campaign. Tinie has been working with Music Venue Trust and Save Our Scene to spotlight the crisis facing independent venues across the UK, taking the album to intimate shows and underplay performances to reconnect fans with the grassroots spaces that shaped British music.
He’ll also take the project on the road later this year, kicking off a UK/EU tour in Stockholm on November 16, before heading to London’s Roundhouse on December 3.
Stream The Night’s Not Dead now on all major streaming platforms.
