‘I get it. I totally get what you’re saying, baby. I wouldn’t ever try and make you do something you’re uncomfortable with. You know that. OK. OK, we’ll scale it right back. But before you decide, have a look at the reaction, won’t you? I mean, with your profile – this is huge. It’s like you’ve turned a whole new generation on to her music in the space of a day. Will you do that for me, sweetheart? Will you take a look?’

‘All right. Let me see.’

He reached for her phone, knowing she would have the information ready. Twitter was open, pre-searched and buzzing.

TIL that Clio Campbell was getting it on with @zaflow when he looked like THIS. Clio Campbell living all our best lives LOL

dating an older woman for her politics? damn son @zaflow is woke bae

Just learning about @zaflow’s ex Clio Campbell. What an awesome lady. What an amazing tune!

All my thoughts to @zaflow at this time and thank you for turning me on to this song #peoplegottariseup #ripcliocampbell

Gemma’s voice, gentle, wheedling. ‘It’s like, we’re not doing this for us. It’s like we’ve got a gift that we can offer her, you know, making sure she’s living on even after death, you know? It’s like us making it right, Hamza.’

She brought him coffee in bed the next morning, the news, on a tablet, propped up on the tray. He read where she pointed.

GRIME STAR ZA FLOW: MY SECRET SIX YEAR FLING WITH COUGAR CLIO

While the music world mourned the loss of feisty 90s pop star Clio Campbell this week, one musician in particular was affected. Taking to social media two days after the fifty-something’s tragic suicide was confirmed, grime star and rapper Za Flow, who began making headlines for his controversial opinions after his 2010 album Halfboi was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize, today revealed that he’d had a steamy six-year affair with the much older beauty!

Writing on his Instagram account, on which he posted a candid shot of himself and Campbell canoodling, the 36-year-old, real name Hamza Hassan …

‘I can’t,’ he said, groaning, pushing it away, sinking back down into the pillows.

‘Well, what about this one then? The Times. The actual Times, Hamza! You haven’t been in there since that whole Theresa May thing – they’re a bit more into you this time around!’

CROSS STAR LOVERS

At first, the recently revealed pairing of the late political folk singer Clio Campbell with much younger grime artist Za Flow might not make much sense. However, writes our music correspondent Pete Moss, these were two artists united by a sense of purpose.