My date with a famous rapper ended with his startling dinosaur confession

‘Wait…you ‘believe’ in dinosaurs?’ he said, leaning forward, eyes peeking out over the top of his sunglasses.  

How did I end up on a date with one of the UK’s most well-known rappers (at the time, anyway) discussing the existence of dinosaurs, you ask?  

Well, let me take you back in time.  

The year was 2011. I was working as a vocalist, doing session work and gigging, and signed to a small label myself.

I often socialised and worked with other UK artists, so it wasn’t unusual for famous figures in the industry to slide into my DMs, except back then, it was Facebook Chat.   

My Blackberry pinged (remember those? Remember that sound?) and I opened a message from a rapper. He said we had briefly met a few years back when I was in a girlband performing at the same event, and was I interested in doing some vocals for his new music?

Our chat soon turned into flirty banter, and he asked if I fancied meeting for a drink. Now, I knew that mixing business with pleasure, especially in the music industry, was a bad, bad idea.

But I did really fancy him, and I was single. What was the worst that could happen, right?  

‘Come to The Savoy on Friday, I’m staying here, let’s have some wine, talk about music, it will be fun,’ he messaged. 

My eyes rolled. Ah, a date-in-your-hotel-room kind of vibes. Nice try buddy, but I didn’t just fall off the turnip truck.

I suggested somewhere a bit more communal. He said he didn’t like ‘meeting girls for a date in public’ because the paps would take photos and it always got out of hand, and asked if we could meet somewhere more private, like the hotel bar.  

My heart was saying don’t do it… but I was in my era of running on dreams and bad decisions.  

Friday rolled around. I got to the hotel bar and he was sitting in a booth with sunglasses on at 9pm at night in low lighting. I did wonder if he could actually see me.  

He stood up and pulled out a chair with a beaming smile. He was instantly very likeable, and chatty.  

We talked for a good two hours or so over some wine; he played his new unreleased music for me through headphones, and asked for my thoughts, and he listened to my new stuff, too. 

Then he asked if I wanted a shot of vodka. ‘Sure!’ I thought to myself, ‘let’s carry on making bad decisions!’

There was a TV screen on in the bar, and an advert for a toy Barney the Dinosaur came on. I don’t know why. I’ve tried to remember why this would have been airing at such a time and place, but facts are facts.  

He glanced up at it, and said  

‘I used to love that show as a kid. Made me think they were real, ha!’ 

I giggled. ‘Aww you thought Barney was real? That’s cute!’

‘Nah,’ he said laughing, ‘I mean, the show made me think dinosaurs were real as a kid, so funny, right?’.  

I was so perplexed. Was he trying to tell me they never existed at all?  

‘You know…’ he carried on. ‘like when you used to believe in Father Christmas, I thought dinosaurs actually existed, too’.  

I paused.  

‘But I mean…they…did…?’ I said slowly, nervously giggling, thinking he must be having me on.  

‘You believe in dinosaurs, babe?!’ he said, with a questioning, serious look on his face now.  

I found myself questioning my sanity. Had I had too much to drink? Was I completely out of touch with reality? Was I being Punk’d? It was like one of those dreams where nothing makes sense.  

 ’I don’t “believe” in them…’ I finally said. ‘There’s historical evidence they existed on earth before us. Bones. Fossilised footprints…’ Surely, now, he was going to tell me he was just joking.  

‘You’re SO funny babe!’ he said, rubbing my leg and sighing, like I was a ditzy airhead.   

This was going to be a long night. I was going to need another shot of vodka.

‘So, question…’ OK. OK. This was my last attempt to convince him.  ‘You’ve never been to the Natural History Museum? And seen dinosaur bones and all the evidence?’

‘I mean, yeah,’ he said, waving his hand dramatically ‘but it’s not REAL, is it?!’  

It was time to give up, although I couldn’t stop laughing (to myself, on the inside).   

The rest of the date was lighthearted and fun – he was a really nice guy: Charming, chivalrous, and funny without realising how funny he was. I did fancy him.

But I knew nothing serious would come of this interaction, nor did I presume it would when he had a sea of girls pining after him constantly. But he was harmless, and interesting.   

We did see each other again, quite a few times, and I always enjoyed my time with him.  

But if I ever hear his old songs come on when I’m out in a bar, or on the radio, I always have a little chuckle and remember the night when I was laughed at for ‘believing’ in the existence of dinosaurs. 

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