BY KEDIESHA PERRY Observer writer entertainment—
(Clockwise from left) Naomi Cowan, Idris Elba, Toddla T, and Trinidadian veteran General Levy. (Photo: Rob Nicholson)
Jamaican singer/songwriter Naomi Cowan was recruited for the track We Run The Area by British actor and disc jock Idris Elba, and his DJ colleague Toddla T.
The June 5 release also features English deejay of Trinidadian descent, General Levy.
It has been released via Elba and Toddla T’s labels 7Wallace and Bell Brothers, respectively.
An accompanying visual, featuring all four artistes, shot in both Jamaica and London was all filmed and edited by directors Notty Cuts, Desmond Dakura, and Abo Raj — mostly via an iPhone 14 — reflecting the do-it-yourself collaborative nature of the four creatives.
According to an official release, Toddla T said that the track represented a peak in his career.
“This is the posse cut I never knew I needed,” he was quoted as saying.
Elba shared similar sentiments simply declaring, “Big up all junglist massive! Literally.”
Cowan launched her recording career in 2015 with the songs Naked and Prepare (Ye The Way).
In 2017, she covered Things You Say You Love, the original being a big hit in 1967 for The Jamaicans, a rocksteady group, in which her father, Tommy Cowan, was a member. Her hit single Paradise Plum (2018) formed part of the 2019 Reggae Gold Album.
Meanwhile, producer DJ Toddla T is one of the most pivotal music industry tastemakers in the UK. A linchpin of industry collaboration, the producer has released tracks with a roll call of names that includes the likes of Skepta, Avelino, CASISDEAD, Stefflon Don, Roots Manuva, Skream, Andrea Martin, Craig David, and more. From his legendary soundsystem at Notting Hill Carnival to over a decade at the helm of shows for BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra, the label-head continues to work with the most exciting emerging names in the global scene.
Actor and long-time DJ-turned-label head Idris Elba founded 7Wallace in 2015 to break boundaries in hip hop and dance music. The label has released a slew of cuts with the likes of Idris Elba, Che Lingo, Little Simz, Q-Tip, Chip, Kah-Lo, and Kojey Radical.
You must log in to post a comment.