Blog

The cultural riches of Paris can conjure up all sorts of dilemmas. Where to begin? The Louvre or the Musee d’Orsay? The Eiffel Tower or the Arc de Triomphe?

Yet when Jay Electronica visited the City of Light earlier this month, he pulled out his smartphone and got straight to the point.

‘Dear Paris, who has trees?’ tweeted the self-proclaimed rap poet. Swiftly deleted, the message was nevertheless seen by his 116,500 fans, so one can only assume the mission was accomplished.

‘Trees’, for those not au fait with U.S. street slang, is code for marijuana. 

And Jay Electronica, for those less than familiar with much-hyped but rarely heard hip-hop artists, is the grand amour of Kate Rothschild, the beautiful heiress of the famous banking family, whose father left £18 million to his wife and daughters.

It was their relationship that led to the collapse of her marriage to Ben Goldsmith. The break-up of scions of two of the wealthiest families in Britain was played out in spectacularly public fashion on Twitter.

Now, with the dust settled and the decree nisi granted, rumours are gathering pace in the salons of London society that Kate is preparing for another wedding.

But how suitable for a Rothschild heiress is 36-year-old Electronica, who grew up in one of the most notorious crime-ridden ghettoes of New Orleans? If alarm bells are set ringing by his penchant for ‘trees’, investigation only serves to heighten those concerns.

In this country, he is establishing himself as high society’s rapper of choice. 

Only last month, he was sipping champagne at a barn dance on a Guinness family estate in Wiltshire, rubbing shoulders (in his Nike jumper and T-shirt) with the likes of Eliza Cummings, the model girlfriend of financier Nat Rothschild, and dozens more aristocratic socialites.

To his new Barbour-clad crew, Jay - real name Timothy Elpadaro Thedford - is the definition of cool: one of the most elusive and mysterious men in hip-hop has pitched his tent in their midst. 

The fact that such a prominent figure as Kate Rothschild patently adores him, and hangs on his every word, simply serves to reinforce that impression.

The view across the pond, however, is one of wry amusement at the sheer brass neck of the man. Among those who have heard of him, that is.

For while the Rothschild connection has afforded him a certain profile in this country, in truth he remains all but anonymous in his homeland.

Indeed, despite signing in a blaze of publicity for the Roc Nation label owned by Jay-Z - the biggest rap star in America - nearly three years ago, he is yet to release an album.

Martin Spasov, the New York-based music industry commentator, describes him as ‘at the very least, a self-promotion genius’.

‘When was the last time a rapper became so popular based on so little? I’m willing to bet Jay Electronica was never going to release an album in the first place, even without the interference of Ms Rothschild.’

Other critics put it even more bluntly, suggesting that Mr Electronica is content to stay in London because there he faces fewer questions about his status as a credible artist.

http://www.lowryllp.com

http://www.notaryengland.co.uk

Mario Gotze will miss the Champions League final - meaning he will avoid another angry backlash from furious Borussia Dortmund fans.

The forward has been ruled out of Saturday's showpiece at Wembley with a thigh injury. It is a major blow for manager Jurgen Klopp, who leads his side into battle against Bayern Munich in a bid to be crowned champions of Europe.

Yet, Gotze may be relieved to avoid another backlash from fans after going house hunting in Munich in the build-up to Saturday's all-German Champions League final. 

Already pilloried by an outraged Dortmund public for agreeing to join bitter rivals and Wembley opponents Bayern after this weekend's season finale, the 20-year old has risked further alienating them by viewing property in the Bavarian capital while his team-mates prepared for the biggest game of their lives. 

The trip last week was ostensibly for a consultation with a Munich specialist but he ended up dividing his time between having his hamstring injury treated and touring one of the city's most desirable residential areas.

He evidently viewed an apartment that was to his liking and while no-one can blame him for planning ahead, it is bound to be seen as insensitive by Dortmund followers so close to his planned farewell appearance against the team he is about to join, in the biggest club game German football has known. 

Still a fortnight short of his 21st birthday, he will apparently take any escalation of hostility towards him in his stride. 

Such a sustained level of abuse, since his £31.5million defection to Bayern was announced a month ago, might normally be enough to test the fortitude of the most seasoned campaigner, but a Dortmund source insisted: 'You will not find a cooler customer than Mario.

http://www.lowryllp.com

http://www.notaryengland.co.uk