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Looking at the pantheon of hip-hop greats, it is hard not to see Jay-Z sitting at the head of the table. The New York giant has long been considered one of the most complete artists of his generation, and with a career spanning nearly three decades without so much as a major misstep, the magnetic pull he has for other artists is mightier than most. However, one artist would do the unthinkable and down the chance to work with Hov.

Sade Adu, the enigmatic queen of smooth jazz and R&B, is known for her selective collaborations. However, it was still a surprise that she turned down a chance to work with Jay-Z.

When Jay approached her for a feature, those in the know held their breath, imagining the fusion of Hov’s sharp lyricism with Sade’s velvety vocals. But Sade’s refusal was largely typical—unmoved by trends; she stayed true to her artistry. But there was another reason, too.

It’s fair to say that Sade isn’t the first name that comes to mind when you think of a classic hip-hophead. However, the soul singer is certainly a fan of rap. “I like songs with sort of more heavy rap,” she told The Tom Joyner Show. “I like Raekwon’s album, you know from the Wu-Tang Clan. I listen to just about anything that speaks to me, and anything that’s sort of got a bit of soul and a bit of real feeling in it.”

With such a love for rap, it is surprising that Sade has turned down rappers who have asked to work with her. When Snoop Dogg approached the singer, he was quickly rebuffed. “I went to her concert; I went to see her perform on time,” he once said to TMZ. “I went with Heavy D and LL Cool J. She had all these visual effects where she disappeared and she was in the top of the sky. She was [amazing].” However, the rapper couldn’t make the deal because he was |”too nervous”.

Even Jay-Z has been rejected by Sade simply because she’s sacred. “I’m too scared,” she explained Los Angeles Times. “They’ll find me out. It’s like The Wizard of Oz. They’ll find out there’s nothing there. As for collaborations, I’m collaborating with the band and do what we do. I see myself as a member of this band who does these songs that we write.”

Of course, to imagine the singer as anything close to “nothing” is beyond the pale. Sade’s voice is as rich and golden as the sunrise, but perhaps her appreciation of the rap genre has left her feeling as though she is unable to compete in the studio. She is, however, always willing to allow rap artists to sample her work: “When it comes to sample clearances, I’m probably the cheapest chick in the west,” she said.

Sade’s attitude has left her with one regret: not working with Jay-Z. “If I could turn back time? I would have asked Jay-Z to rap on ‘Soldier of Love’ in 2010. There’s not much else I would change—the mistakes I’ve made have made me grow braver,” she said.