Swae Lee confirms he wrote ‘Unforgettable’ in his bedroom, regrets single artwork that only shows French Montana [VIDEO]

Drink Champs Interview Reveals Song’s Path From Bedroom to 11x Platinum With Jeremih and Wizkid Versions

Swae Lee has broken his silence on French Montana’s recent claim that he earned “not a single dollar” from their 11x platinum hit “Unforgettable.” During an appearance on the Drink Champs podcast, the Rae Sremmurd frontman confirmed he wrote the entire song—including the hook—in his bedroom and received his fair share of royalties. He also revealed that Jeremih and Wizkid originally had verses before French Montana came on board.

The nearly four‑and‑a‑half‑minute clip, posted by X user @KillaKreww, has already drawn over 1.3 million views. In it, Swae Lee smiles and speaks candidly about the song’s unusual journey, the $250,000 video shot in Africa that propelled it to global success, and his one lingering regret: the single artwork that features only French Montana, leading millions of listeners to believe the track belongs solely to the New York rapper.

Swae Lee’s Bedroom Origin and His Fair Share of Royalties

Swae Lee, born Khalif Brown, told the hosts that he wrote “Unforgettable” at the bottom of his bed on the same day Rae Sremmurd’s “Black Beatles” was climbing charts. “I did that song in my bedroom,” he said. “I woke up that day, ‘Black Beatles’… next song I made.” He initially wanted his brother Slim Jxmmi to appear on the track, but Jxmmi was focused on their album and never recorded a verse.

The unfinished song ended up on the hard drive of a neighbor, producer Mally Mall. From there, Swae said he isn’t entirely sure how French Montana heard it. “I don’t know if it’s through Jeremih or how it came about,” he admitted. “French heard it… he recognized what caliber song it was. He wanted to put a verse on.” Swae confirmed that he received his contractual percentage and has no bad blood. “I got my shit,” he stated. “The business was done right. Shout out to French.”

Jeremih and Wizkid Versions Existed Before French Montana

One of the biggest revelations in the interview was the existence of alternate versions of “Unforgettable” that never saw an official release. Swae said Jeremih was originally going to contribute a verse, and he also had a version with Nigerian superstar Wizkid. “There is another one of my songs where I got Wizkid first,” Swae explained. “Wizkid did a verse, and then all that shit came about.”

When French Montana heard those versions, Swae recalled, the rapper made it clear he wanted in. “He was like, ‘I ain’t playing,’” Swae said with a smile, calling French’s move a “smart” one. Ultimately, French’s verse replaced the other collaborators, and the song was released as “French Montana featuring Swae Lee.” Fans have long circulated leaked Wizkid and Jeremih versions, but Swae’s confirmation adds official weight to those rumors.

The $250,000 Video in Africa Changed Everything

Swae Lee credited the song’s massive success not to radio or streaming playlists but to a high‑budget music video. “The key thing to this song going up is a $250,000 video they finna shoot in Africa,” he said. The clip was filmed in Uganda and featured the Triplets Ghetto Kids, showcasing vibrant African culture and dance. That visual push, combined with Swae’s Afrobeat‑inflected melody, turned “Unforgettable” into a global phenomenon.

“I’m part Nigerian too, and I love making Afro,” Swae noted. “That’s my natural rhythm. Afrobeats, anything with rhythm, I can do it in my sleep.” The video has since surpassed 1.5 billion views on YouTube, and the song has been certified 11x platinum by the RIAA. Swae acknowledged that the label funding for the video was a major factor in the song’s trajectory, even if the way the collaboration came together “might not have been the fairest” in a textbook sense.

Artwork Regret: Why Listeners Think It’s French Montana’s Song

Swae Lee’s most pointed criticism was directed at himself—for not insisting on being included in the single’s artwork. “One thing I should of did is change the artwork,” he said. “If you look at the artwork, my face is not on it. So people think listeners, the way Lee singing it… but that’s one thing that is kind of… given that to French, keep it real.”

The official cover art for “Unforgettable” shows French Montana in a white outfit and headwrap alongside a young person, with no image of Swae Lee. The track is credited as “French Montana featuring Swae Lee,” but the visual branding has led countless casual listeners to assume it is a solo French Montana record. Swae’s regret is palpable: his songwriting and vocals drove the hit, but public perception has often excluded him from the credit.

Despite that, Swae stressed that he holds no animosity. “It was just a great collab,” he said. “I ain’t got no bad blood on that song.”

Social Media Reacts to Swae Lee’s Unforgettable Confession

The X post by @KillaKreww generated over 18,000 likes and hundreds of replies within hours, with many users noting that the post’s caption sensationalized Swae’s tone. @FactChecker2026 wrote, “This post needs a community note because the video is saying totally the opposite of what the post implies. Swae never said French finessed his way in—he said it was a great collab.” @NoSpinNews added, “Debunking misleading claims… Swae Lee said the issue with French not making a dollar was from French’s label, not Swae.”

Other users focused on Swae’s songwriting prowess. @HipHopHistorian posted, “Bro you’re telling me this guy wrote ‘Black Beatles’ and ‘Unforgettable’ in the same day?” @MelodyMaker noted, “Swae created the origin of the song. French dropped a verse. French’s label put up the bag. Both can be true.”

Fans of the unreleased versions chimed in. @WizkidStan shared a link with the comment, “Here you go. The Wizkid version.” @JeremihFan wrote, “I wanna hear the Jeremih and Wizkid verse.” Several users highlighted the marketing angle: @MusicBizWatch said, “People still think it’s a French Montana solo joint because of how it was marketed. Swae not being on the artwork was a huge miss.”

Criticism of French’s role appeared in a minority of replies. @FrenchRuinedIt wrote, “French ruined the song.” Others defended the Moroccan‑born rapper: @GlobalHipHop said, “French’s team funded the video and the major‑label push. He was big globally during this time.” @StreamingData added, “The African culture made it go to the moon. That video was genius.”

Overall, the discussion echoed Swae’s own nuanced take: he wrote the song, got paid fairly, and holds no grudges, but the artwork and public credit have always skewed away from him. Many commenters called for a re‑release with updated credits or a deluxe edition featuring the Wizkid and Jeremih verses.

Conclusion: A Platinum Hit’s Complicated Legacy

Swae Lee’s Drink Champs interview does not air out dirty laundry so much as clarify a long‑muddled history. “Unforgettable” was born in a bedroom, passed through neighbors and hard drives, picked up a verse from French Montana, and exploded after a quarter‑million‑dollar video in Uganda. Swae insists he received his percentage and bears no ill will. His only regret is cosmetic—the artwork that erased his face from a song he wrote entirely.

For fans, the interview settles debates about songwriting credit while raising new questions about the unreleased Wizkid and Jeremih versions. For the music industry, it serves as a case study in how marketing, visuals, and label funding can shape public perception of ownership. Swae Lee may not be on the cover, but his voice and his pen are all over one of the decade’s most enduring hits.

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