source
You probably know Idris Elba from his acting in The Wire, BBC series Luther, and the Netflix film Beasts of No Nation. Or perhaps you know him from the various magazines he has been featured on, like when he was part of People’s 2007 100 Most Beautiful People in the World, or when he was Maxim’s first male cover model. Did you know that he was also a musician?
Call him DJ Driis
He was actually a musician before his breakout role on The Wire. Elba, known as DJ Driis when he makes music, is a talented DJ, producer, and rapper. He is taking his career to the next level by opening for Madonna.
{adinserter CNP5}
He will open for Madonna’s next show in Berlin
Madonna is travelling all around the globe for her Rebel Heart Tour. Several celebrities have opened for her shows, Amy Schumer, DJs Diplo, Lunice, Rejjie Snow and Mary Mac. Now it is Elba’s turn. He will accompany the pop idol in her Berlin show this weekend. The Internet has been petitioning for Elba to play the next James Bond, and though that may not happen, at least he gets to perform with a former Bond theme singer.
He is already pretty accomplished
Elba has been in music since the early 2000s. In 2001, he appeared in music videos for artists Fat Joe, Angie Stone and Giggs. In 2006, he recorded a four-song EP called Big Man for Hevlar Records. The next year he co-produced and performed on the intro to Jay-Z’s album American Gangster and DJ’d at the NBA All Star parties at The Venetian and Ice House Lounge in Las Vegas. Two years later, he was the DJ for BET’s new series Rising Icons. He released his EP High Class Problems Vol. 1 in the United Kingdom in February 2010, which won prizes like a Billboard Music Awards nomination.
He has been working hard on music lately
Elba has been building up his music, which may soon be as big as his acting career. Last year, he recorded “Mi Mandela,” an album of South African music that goes with the biopic Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom. Elba starred as Nelson Mandela in the film. A couple of months ago, he joined forces with Nigerian hip-hop artist D’Banj and Sierra Leonean rapper Shadowboxer for D’Banj’s new single, “Confidential.” He has also been playing DJ shows at festivals such as Glastonbury, Snowbombing and Ibiza Rocks.
Watch the Confidential music video below:
[interaction id=”56457d8e737e4fee1d9f5dfc”]
SEE ALSO: 10 African Actors And Actresses That Hit The Big Time.
