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"Tinie Tempah’s Bold Lyric Swap: What He Really Thinks About Russell Brand’s Recent Drama!"

Added on November 10, 2026 inFree Music News

In an unexpected twist of fate, as the cosmos align to challenge our perceptions, Tinie Tempah decided to recalibrate the lyrics of his popular track “Girls Like,” following the recent convictions of the once-beloved comedian, Russell Brand. This revival of a lyric is not merely a cosmetic change; it’s akin to adjusting one’s astrological chart in response to an unexpected planetary alignment. The rapper, aged 37, initially referenced Brand, now 51, in the 2016 song, but during a recent performance, he opted to sidestep Brand’s name entirely, instead spotlighting another figure who shares the same surname—Jo Brand. This lyrical alteration raises questions about the impact of celebrity misdeeds on artistic expression. With Brand currently facing repercussions for serious crimes, should artists walk on eggshells around their past affiliations? The universe seems to be echoing the age-old wisdom: what we say can have far-reaching effects, and perhaps it’s time for a conscious edit. For the full story, delve deeper into this captivating cultural moment: LEARN MORE.

Tinie Tempah has tweaked the lyrics of one of his hit tracks following Russell Brand’s convictions.

The rapper, 37, famously made reference to the disgraced comedian, 51, in his 2016 song ‘Girls Like’ – but refused to cite his full name during his latest performance.

Instead, he swapped the allusion out to mention another famous face who shares the same surname as the shamed 51-year-old, who was jailed for more than a decade on Monday (9 November).

Footage shared on social media by a fan shows how Tinie reworked the opening lines of his rap to get rid of the nod to Brand that it featured.

The Get Him To The Greek actor was described as a ‘sexual predator’ who displayed ‘staggering arrogance’ as he was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court by Mr Justice Bennathan.

The reference to the 51-year-old was removed from 'Girls Like' by Tinie Tempah during a recent gig (Carl Court/Getty Images)

The reference to the 51-year-old was removed from ‘Girls Like’ by Tinie Tempah during a recent gig (Carl Court/Getty Images)

Brand was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison after a jury of eight men and four women found him guilty of rape and three counts of sexual assault. The incidents took place between 2004 and 2009.

He is expected to serve at least two-thirds of this behind bars and will be on the sex offenders’ register for life.

A former prison governor has warned that Brand’s ‘notoriety might paint a target on him‘ and that it will be a ‘very difficult challenge’ for prison guards to protect him.

In wake of his the verdict and his subsequent sentencing, a number of stars who have previously worked alongside the shamed father-of-three have spoken out against him.

Comedian Katherine Ryan applauded the ‘brave witnesses’ who offered testimony in court during the four-week trial, while Bear Grylls distanced himself from their former friendship and said ‘justice has now been served’.

And Tinie Tempah is also apparently keen to get rid of any affiliation he might have had to Brand due to the lyrics of his song that features Zara Larsson.

The rapper instead gave a shoutout to comedian Jo Brand (Hugh R Hastings/Getty Images)

The rapper instead gave a shoutout to comedian Jo Brand (Hugh R Hastings/Getty Images)

The ‘Pass Out’ musician opened up the first verse of the 2016 track ‘Girls Like’ with some wordplay, as he said: “Tell J.K. that I’m still rollin’ / Yeah, tell Russell I’m a brand.”

But while he was on stage recently, Tinie got rid of Brand’s first name and instead switched it out so he instead mentioned comedian and presenter Jo Brand, 69.

The subtle move was applauded by music fans who spotted video of his performance on social media.

One person said: “Not really a Jo Brand fan but that’s class.”

Another wrote: “Mad respect for this.”

Grammy-nominated singer Kesha famously changed the lyrics of her hit ‘TiK ToK’ after allegations about Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs offending came to light in 2024.

LADbible has contacted Tinie’s representatives for comment.

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