Dizzee Rascal Says Beyoncé’s ‘Partition’ Beat Was His First But He Drew A Blank
Dizzee Rascal apparently had the beat for what went on to become Beyoncé‘s smash hit “Partition” years before she had it — but he couldn’t figure out what to write to it.
In the premiere episode of GRM Daily‘s new interview series shared on Wednesday (February 21), the UK rapper reflected on what could have been.
“This time I was around in L.A. — it was 2011, 2012 or something,” he began. “I was working with these different producers and some of them gave me little beat packs. In one of them there was this beat; it was wicked. I was like, [mimics being hyped]. I just couldn’t come up with nothing for it.
“And then maybe like a year later or something like that, I heard Beyoncé on it! … I had ‘Partition.’ I just didn’t write to it.”
Released in late 2013, Beyoncé’s “Partition” spent a total of 21 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 where it peaked at No. 23. It also became her 10th No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart and her 12th No. 1 on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart – making her the third artist with the most No. 1s on the chart, behind Madonna and Rihanna.
The song was certified 4×platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2022.
As for Dizzee Rascal, the UK native is considered to be one of grime’s founding fathers. He released his debut Boy In Da Corner in 2003, which went on to win a Mercury Prize and is now considered a classic of the grime subgenre. His follow-up projects include Showtime, Maths + English and Tongue n’ Cheek, the latter of which was eventually certified platinum in the UK.
To date, his biggest hit is 2008’s “Dance Wiv Me” with Calvin Harris. The song hit No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart and and spent four consecutive weeks there, becoming both his and Harris’ first No. 1 in the UK.
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In 2022, Dizzee was convicted of headbutting and assaulting his ex-fiancée Cassandra Jones at her south London home. He was sentenced to wearing an electronic tag for 24-weeks with a nightly curfew, and was also the recipient of a 12-month restraining order to keep him away from Jones.