Meat Loaf blamed China for Covid in video before the Bat Out of Hell singer reportedly died of the virus aged 74

MEAT Loaf blamed China for Covid-19 in a video recorded months before the Bat Out of Hell singer reportedly died of the virus aged 74.

The rock legend had been filming a happy birthday video for a super fan named Marty in early September when he let loose.

He said: "Marty, take care … I hope you’re able to have at least your family celebrate your birthday with you.

"I know COVID is a drag and we’re all suffering because of it, and you can blame China, so that’s it."

The I'd Do Anything for Love singer then went on to explain his voice was croaky because he had just come back from an endoscopy - a medical procedure that involves probing the digestive tract with a camera.

"I can’t really sing right now because I had anesthesia today and I had a pipe shoved down my throat — yes, an endoscopy this morning. Ugh," he explained.

The Grammy-winning performer was reportedly an outspoken opponent of vaccine mandates, lockdowns, and mask mandate.

The rocker suffered from a range of health problems including asthma and an injured back.

The singing sensation passed away on Thursday night after it's reported he cancelled a business dinner earlier this week as he fell "seriously ill" with Covid.

It is unclear whether Meat Loaf was vaccinated - but just months before his death he declared "if I die, I die - I'm not going to be controlled" when discussing the virus.

In the same interview - published in August last year after people worldwide had endured months of draconian rules and lockdowns - Meat Loaf also labelled face masks a "nuisance" and said he was happy to "hug people in the middle of Covid".

"You're not afraid (of Covid)?," a reporter from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette asked the rocker.

He replied: "Oh, I’m scared to death! You kidding me? But I'm sorry, I understood stopping life for a little while, but they cannot continue to stop life because of politics. And right now they're stopping because of politics.

"And on CNN last night, it finally came out that the masks we’re all wearing are useless. But I've known that for six months. They don't do anything. They don't stop you from getting Covid. They're just a nuisance and make your nose itch and make it so you can't breathe."

After the interviewer said: "We're being controlled by everybody", he replied: "Yeah, I know. But not me. If I die, I die, but I'm not going to be controlled."

In May, he posted a clip of Eric Clapton and Van Morrison’s anti-lockdown song, Stand & Deliver, writing, “Listen and Learn.”

Meat Loaf also previously branded Covid "a drag" in a post from October 2020, where he wrote: "Hello everyone, nothing going on at all. That's a drag. Covid is a drag. Where I live things are open and thriving. The entertainment world hubs are in lockdown. WHY?"

But months prior, he had urged his fans to "be caring and considering" as he warned "everyone is at risk" from the virus.

The rock legend was about to start filming a dating series - due to air on ITV - named after his hit song I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That).

Meat Loaf's official cause of death has not yet been confirmed.