Opposites Attract

Here’s why Reneé Rapp went with Ed Sheeran to an NBA game

Reneé Rapp has collaborated with the likes of Megan Thee Stallion and Coco Jones — but her latest interaction with another musician took everyone by surprise.

On Thursday night, Rapp was spotted courtside with Ed Sheeran at the NBA Eastern Conference Finals in Boston, where the Boston Celtics were facing off against the Indiana Pacers.

Not only did the two sit together, but in a viral clip posted by ESPN, Rapp appeared to be explaining aspects of the game to Sheeran. To be fair, the sport’s much more popular in America than in Sheeran’s homeland of the UK, so Rapp was likely more than happy to share her expertise.

Despite the wholesome energy of the moment, fans were still confused exactly why Rapp and Sheeran would be out on the town together. The two are both pop stars, yes, but Rapp’s fanbase is largely sapphic, while Sheeran’s music is so infamously straight, it’s a common punchline for jokes about heterosexuality.

“This is the most random thing I’ve ever seen? But I love it?” wrote one commenter on TikTok. 

“Never in a million years would I have thought Ed Sheeran and Reneé Rapp would be watching basketball together but I’m obsessed,” commented another.

The crossover may be unexpected, but it makes sense considering what Rapp and Sheeran are getting up to this weekend. On Friday night, both are performing at Boston Calling, a music festival in the city, and they seem to have decided to catch the basketball game on their night off.

Boston’s an ironic city for Rapp to hang out in, considering she hates the city enough to name a whole song after it. The track “I Hate Boston” off her debut album Snow Angel is all about how an ex-lover ruined the city for her, with Rapp singing, “As far as I’m concerned, they should just burn the whole city down.” Thankfully, she seems to have changed her mind, and made a new friend in the process. Could we expect an Ed Sheeran feature on her next album?

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