S. Samuel
Days after reports of music legend Paul Anka being at his wits' end with rap mogul Jay-Z over a simple request, he has stepped forward to dismiss the beef speculation.
Despite Jay allegedly not returning his request to work together, Anka said it is nothing personal.
Mega music producer Paul Anka was a little peeved Jay-Z blew off his offer to collaborate on a song, but is adamant there is no bad blood between the two, telling TMZ that he think Jay is a great guy. When we bumped into Paul earlier this week, he told us he reached out to Jay to do a track on his upcoming album “Duets,” but the rapper never called him back … which left him a little ticked off. But when we ran into Paul in Beverly Hills last night, he downplayed the whole ordeal and told our photog he doesn’t feel Jay-Z has to apologize for anything. Anka’s album, which features Dolly Parton, Celine Dion, Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson and not Jay-Z is due out next month. (TMZ)
Last week, reports of the perceived Anka and Jay feud surfaced online.
“I called up Jay-Z because he did a track of ‘My Way’ where I loaned him the track,” Anka explained about his plans for an upcoming “Duets” album. “I wanted to put him in on a rap with Michael Jackson in the middle. I called him up, but Jay-Z has totally blown me off. He won’t answer my calls, he’s inappropriate in his behavior. I love his wife, I think she’s great, but Jay-Z wouldn’t return the call.” Anka mentioned that the album does include collaborations with both Michael Jackson and Dolly Parton, before adding, “He’s too busy with his clothing line, who knows?” (Huffington Post)
The music legend allowed Jay to sample his “My Way” anthem for 2002’s The Blueprint 2 LP.
Anka says he feels completely disrespected — and says Jay acted “inappropriately” towards him … especially since Jay once sampled Anka’s biggest hit “My Way” on a rap song. Now, Anka is escalating his anger into a full on war of the music titans — and even took a shot back at Jay-Z. Not many people in the music biz would have the stones to go after Hova … then again, not many people would have the stones to disrespect Anka either. (TMZ)
Last fall, tensions reportedly flared when Hollywood icon Robert De Niro ran up on Mr. Carter for not returning a call.
Sources add that Jay tried to joke his way out of the situation, and even his wife, Beyoncé, tried to intervene, but De Niro wouldn’t back down. “Bob was sitting at a table, and when Jay-Z went over to say hello, De Niro told Jay that he never called him back,” a source says. A spy then overheard De Niro complaining to the rapper, a fellow TriBeCa resident, about a song Jay-Z agreed to record for the Tribeca Film Festival. De Niro had reached out to discuss further details, but Jay never returned his calls. “Bob wasn’t in any mood to make polite conversation,” the spy says. “He told Jay that if somebody calls you six times, you call them back. It doesn’t matter who you are, that is just rude.” (New York Post)
Check out Paul Anka’s interview:
