“Now That’s Legendary!” Ishawna Reacts After Ed Sheeran Bows To Her Saucy ‘Shape Of You’ Remix

Ed Sheeran sent tongues wagging when he showed out for the raunchiest remix to his chart banger Shape of You, Ishawna’s sex-positive single, Equal Rights.

In a recent interview with Qmusic Nederland, the pop star touched on the track’s viral quality, stating that of all the versions he’d heard, Ishawna’s cheeky demands were certainly the most entertaining.

“What I like about Shape of You is that anywhere I go in the world, people know that song and there’s so many remixes of it,” Ed began.

Team Jamaica turned out some flashy remakes at the time, like the Shape of You (Major Lazer Remix) featuring Nyla and Kranium. For Ed though, Ishawna thinking out loud on the taboo topic (in Jamaica) of cunnilingus was the one that had the wow factor.

“I was in the Caribbean and I heard, like, a totally different song,” he told host Domien Verschuuren. “It’s really, really filthy, but she’s just singing about her man going down on her, but it was all over the Caribbean.”

When Ed requested that Verschuuren play the track, within seconds the host agreed that the track was in fact “very filthy”.

“How can you sing to it?” he asked Ed, who seemed delighted by the saucy bars, a few of which he sang line for line.

“I’ve listened to it so many times,” Sheeran admitted before quoting the ‘Legendary’ queen. “Even when she says, ‘If you want head, my yute yuh haffi suck this’, it’s so good.”

Ishwana Reacts

Ishawna was, of course, excited to learn that the Grammy-winning singer/songwriter was a fan of hers. She took to Instagram in her usual “festive” mood, and shared the song’s tongue-in-cheek origins plus a lesson in perseverance with her 800K fans.

“When I recorded Equal Rights it was never meant to be a “real” song. I was just so in love with Ed Shereen’s song and the riddim just moved me in a way I couldn’t explain. I’ve always wanted to touch on the topic and I just knew it was time. The song went viral immediately, yet it wasn’t on any streaming platforms,” her caption read.

Ishawna explained that at the time, she didn’t have clearance to use the island-tinged beat that helped make her single the most controversial dancehall song of 2017.

As an independent artist with no major label behind her to make arrangements, the Mood singjay also assumed she’d never get the go-ahead. The version heard on streaming platforms was released on a brand new riddim to avoid any legal issues, but Ishawna remains proud of the initial results she achieved with “#NO big budget” and “#NO fake views/streams.”

“Just authentic love💕 Now that’s Legendary😉👑,” she added.

Tagging Sheeran and the radio station in her emoji-filled thank you’s, the singer (who recently wiped her Instagram account) shared a message on pushing through difficult times.

“Fast forward 4 years later Ed Shereen is singing my song Equal Rights word for word saying it’s his favorite,” Ishawna continued.

“I say that to say this, NEVER ever let FEAR stop you from pursuing your dreams. I remember all that I went through and is STILL going through because I simply express MYSELF doing what I love…music! Just authentic love.. Now that’s Legendary.”

At the time of Equal Rights’ release, many took issue with Ishawna’s defiant views in the male-dominated Dancehall space. Though it’s one of the most explicit genres, oral sex remains largely taboo in Dancehall, and Ishawna’s calls for bedroom equity received major backlash.

While the track may have been bumped from mainstream radio, its shelf life was, however, extended thanks to reactive counteractions, among them dancehall veteran Kiprich (No Eating Rights), social media sensation Prince Pine and even fellow female deejay, Macka Diamond (Nuh Tongue).

In 2017, Dancehall star Bounty Killer threatened to ‘rush’ (interrupt) Ishawna if she sang Equal Rights at a concert where they were both billed to perform. Ishawna responded, telling Bounty Killer to ‘bring it on’, seemingly unmoved by his threat.

“This festive bad,” she said. “Mi never know me and Killa a guh war dung a Portland next week? Bring it on Rodney! #equalrights.”

She went on to perform the song in Killer’s presence at the event in Portland, Jamaica to massive approval from the crowd.  After refusing to use the same microphone that Ishawna had used, Bounty then launched into his misogynistic hits from the 90s.

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