• https:/sites/default/files/music/Lostprohets%20and%20LMFAO%20Empire%20state%20of%20Mind.mp3

Its cover versions like this that make me love BBC Radio 1's Live lounge. Welsh rock band Lostprophets (all one word) collaborate with Los Angeles electronic hip-hop band LMFAO to cover my favourite tune of 2009.

LMFAO are the made up of Redfoo and Sky Blu who are the son and nephew of Motown founder Berry Gordy (true story) and perform the rapping duties on this track. Lostprophets do the singing and instruments.

This isn't the most polished and clean cover version, mainly because Lostprophets singer, Ian Watkins, can't reach the vocal highs of Alica Keys in the original, but then few people can – apart from Mariah Carey and castrated leprechauns! He gives it a good bloody go though. If you get the chance to watch the video on BBC's iPlayer you can clearly see that the veins in forehead are milliseconds away from exploding and covering the live lounge, the instruments and everyone in it in his Welsh red dragon blood.

This gets full marks for originality! I'm now going to find the lyrics and the guitar music and have a go myself. I wonder if i can make my forehead veins pop?

K*

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