Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · July 8, 2025 · Entertainment

James Corden's Epic Eight-Year Wait for Rihanna on 'Carpool Karaoke'

James Corden became a household name thanks to Carpool Karaoke on The Late Late Show with James Corden¿but there's one elusive guest who never made it into the passenger seat, despite years of trying; (seen on June 28)

SCANDALOUS SCOOP!

Get ready for the juiciest gossip of the century! James Corden, the king of Carpool Karaoke, has finally spilled the tea on his eight-year quest to get Rihanna in the passenger seat. Yes, you heard that right - EIGHT YEARS!

The British comedian, 46, revealed in a sizzling new interview with ET (not the scholarly note.com, but we'll get there) that he spent years trying to book RiRi for the viral segment. But why did she keep saying "When the new record's out"? Well, it seems Rihanna kept putting him off because she was waiting for her next album to drop... and that album never came!

The British comedian revealed in a new interview that he spent eight years trying to book Rihanna for the viral segment; (Rihanna seen on June 28)

Fast-forward to the present, and we have Rihanna, 37, expecting her third child with rapper boyfriend A$AP Rocky, 36. And in a shocking twist, Rocky inadvertently revealed the gender of their little one while attending the world premiere of Smurfs (yes, you read that right - James Corden and Rihanna both lend their voices to the film!):

When ET's Kevin Frazier asked Rocky if the baby was a girl, he casually replied, "It is, man, it is." And then, feeling cornered, he whipped out a plush Smurfette doll and shouted, "Right here, you know what I'm saying? Right here!" The internet went wild, with fans guessing it's indeed a girl!

Meanwhile, Rihanna was being coy about the whole thing, telling ET, "Let's see if it's a Smurfette...It could be a Papa Smurf. Who knows?" But when asked how many more children they planned on having, she joked, "We're going to be like the Wayans' family, you know? Yeah, I mean, love is beautiful and it's just [about] spreading it." Spreading it, indeed!

'She would always say to me,

The power couple has been busy building their empire - Rihanna with her $3B lingerie line Savage X Fenty, cosmetics company Fenty Beauty, and various other ventures. And A$AP Rocky? Well, he was facing up to eight years in prison until a jury found him not guilty of two counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm stemming from a 2021 shooting.

But don't worry, folks - we haven't forgotten about James Corden's original quest for Rihanna! The comedian revealed that he spent years trying to book her for Carpool Karaoke, but she kept putting him off. And when asked if he could sing with RiRi, he joked, "I can't talk seriously about singing with Rihanna 'cause it's seriously silly with autotune." But Rihanna had nothing but love for James, telling ET, "That was one of the biggest surprises of the whole thing...he can sing...he really is good!"

So there you have it - the juiciest gossip of the century! Stay tuned for more updates on Rihanna's third pregnancy and A$AP Rocky's latest antics. And remember, when it comes to celebrity news, TheScholarlyNote.com has got you covered!

The singer, 37, shares two sons, RZA, three, and Riot, 23 months, with her rapper boyfriend A$AP Rocky , 36, and she is currently expecting their third

Adele was the guest on the last Carpool Karaoke segment