British rapper Stormzy's 2018 social media review of Dolly Parton's hit song Jolene has gone viral following the American country icon's death at age 80.
Parton died at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Centre in Nashville, Tennessee, surrounded by loved ones on Tuesday following a short battle with cancer.
The 33-year-old musician took to Twitter in 2018 to share his thoughts on the 1973 hit song, which chronicles Parton's pleas with a beautiful woman named Jolene not to take her man.
Sharing his take on the track, Stormzy wrote: "Nah Dolly Parton was spitting some real pain on Jolene... And Jolene sounds like she's the baddest b to ever walk this planet... She is BEGGING Jolene not to take her man you know..."
He continued: "Kinda sad actually, wish Dolly had more self-love and confidence or the strength to just leave my man cah it ain't really Jolene's fault... But then again Jolene knows exactly what she's doing the lil jezzy".
Urban Dictionary defines "bad b" as a confident, independent, and attractive woman who owns her self-worth and controls her own life, while "jezzy" is listed as a vulgar term for a sexually promiscuous woman derived from the biblical name Jezebel.
Stormzy, born Michael Ebenezer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr., is an acclaimed British rapper and grime artist known for helping bring the genre into mainstream popular culture.
Posthumous chart success for country music legend
Following news of Parton's death, her music soared back into the charts, with the singer on course for her first ever UK number one single as her 1980 hit song 9 To 5 climbs the charts days after her passing.
Her classic 1973 track Jolene is currently sitting at number two in the UK charts.
Parton spent much of her career being asked about the real-life story behind Jolene and whether the track was about a woman attempting to lure her husband Carl Dean, who died last year.
She previously revealed that the tune was inspired by a bank teller who frequently flirted with her husband while they were married.
Parton recalled: "Carl was spending a little too much time with this woman, I noticed it, I put a stop to it, and then I turned the whole thing into a song..."
She explained further: "I wasn't actually begging a woman named Jolene to leave my husband alone. A real woman flirted with my husband and made me jealous enough to write the story..."
She added: "Then I happened to meet a little girl named Jolene, loved the name, and put that name on the character."
Global music icons pay tribute to Parton
In a career that spanned six decades and earned her 11 Grammy Awards, Parton never topped the charts in the United Kingdom during her lifetime.
Her hit 9 To 5 was written and recorded to accompany the comedy film of the same name, in which she made her movie acting debut alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. The role cemented her star status in Hollywood, and the song earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song as well as three Grammy nominations, including Song of the Year.
Her impact on the music world was evident last week as industry heavyweights paid tribute to her legacy. Taylor Swift stated that "a world without Dolly doesn't feel possible, real, or right" and described her as having "true grace and true grit, all in one dazzling person."
Beyonce called Parton "the barometer" and "the north star," describing her as "Bold and brilliant. Talented and tenacious."
Parton's goddaughter Miley Cyrus described her as an "angel by my side" and said she would "always love her and want to make her proud."
Other major music stars who publicly declared the impact the singer had on their lives included Katy Perry, Sabrina Carpenter, Sir Mick Jagger, Sir Paul McCartney, and Kylie Minogue.
