M.I.A. Says She Has ‘The Perfect Song For Jay-Z’

Last month, Jay-Z jumped on a remix of M.I.A.’s “XXXO,” the first single from her upcoming /\/\/\Y/\ album. And though they’d worked together in the past, on the epic posse cut “Swagga Like Us,” it was a move that surprised a whole lot of people — M.I.A. included.

“I was really surprised he liked ‘XXXO,’ actually. And I was really surprised he liked the version that’s on the album, and not Blaqstarr’s version, which is more … sort of urban sounding,” she told MTV News. “It was interesting he liked the one with the crazy synths and stuff. It’s more sort of [an] electro vibe … and his verse is so great. It was good to hear him say the word ‘metrosexual.’ ”

And with the Jiggafied “XXXO” remix now in the bag, M.I.A. is looking to return the favor. When we caught up with her recently, she was itching to talk about a song she’s been keeping just for Jay — a tune she had originally intended for /\/\/\Y/\ but one she scrapped at the last second.

“I really want to produce for him. … I have got the perfect song for Jay-Z!” she smiled. “In fact, that’s the best one that I had for my album which never made it. [It was] the first song I was really into and the song that actually made my album go in the direction it did, [but it] never actually made the album. But I want to give it to [Jay-Z], because I think it suits him more. It’s insane. He’s never done anything like that.”

M.I.A. wouldn’t divulge just what the mysterious song sounded like — or why she left it off her album — but she hinted that it’s pretty out there, pushing the envelope even further than the pneumatically enhanced “Steppin’ Up,” which she debuted on her Neet Recordings blog a few weeks back.