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March 12, 2017

Elton John spends off-day strolling through Vancouver searching for indie gangsta rap vinyl records

David Jones, owner of Vinyl Records poses for a photo with Elton John in his Vancouver store in this handout photo on Thursday, March 9, 2017.

Sir Elton John, who is due to play two shows in Victoria this weekend, enjoyed an off-day Thursday by doing a little record shopping in downtown Vancouver.

The legendary pop star dropped into Beat Street Records on Hastings Street to check out the selection of vinyl.

“We didn’t get the head’s up he was coming in. I just rolled in from the back and there he was with his two giant bodyguards,” said Beat Street manager Lindsay Tomchyshen.

The legend Elton John digging at the shop today!!

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Tomchyshen said Sir Elton dropped about $200 in store and walked out with a few records — including a Linda Ronstadt album and a Divine Brown 12-inch — but he didn’t find the one album he was looking for.

“The first thing he asked for was something by Tech N9ne, who is like a gangsta rapper. That kind of surprised us and threw us off,” said Tomchyshen, who conceded they didn’t have anything from the Kansas City indie hip-hop star.

Before he left, John signed a copy of his Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album for the Beat Street staff.

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Sir Elton and his bodyguards later bought a whole stack of records down the road at Vinyl Records .

David Jones of Vinyl Records told the Canadian Press he was impressed by John’s comfort navigating around the record shop .

Jones says that by the end of the 30-minute stop, John had picked up an eclectic pile of records ranging from Kendrick Lamar to Nina Simone.

In all, the shop owner said John spent about $1,400 at the store, after accounting for a discount and a few free records thrown into the deal.

“People are like, ‘Oh, well he’s so rich, why did you bother giving him a discount?’ Jones said. “But you know, even rich people like a bit of good will.”

Elton John plays two shows at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre on Saturday and Sunday.

With files from Geordon Omand of the Canadian Press

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