For viewers, Top Boy, starring Michael Ward and Kane Robinson, is merely a high-paced fictional series showcasing the UK’s dramatized underbelly. Sadly, the violence depicted in the beloved show is all too real for those living in the country. For London native, Luther actor, and musician Idris Elba, he’s using his platform to shed light on the heartbreaking reality.
Fed up with local elected officials’ lack of action, Elba launched his community grassroots organization, Don’t Stop Your Future. In support of the movement, Elba joined forces with DB Maz for the inventive rallying cry turned single, “Knives Down.” In the MD Films-directed video, Elba takes to the floor of Parliament to demand changes.
Throughout the poignant visual, the duo shows the dozens of people who’ve lost a loved one to a knife attack. The same gut-wrenching storytelling goes for the song’s official cover artwork, which features an image of Ronan Kanda. Kanda was tragically killed in 2022 following a case of mistaken identity.
In a statement, Elba spoke about what inspired him to release the track. “I can’t stay silent as more young lives are lost to these brutal and heartless crimes,” he said. “As school returns, too many young people will not be joining their classmates, and too many grieving families have lost a young person they love in recent years. Young people are our future. Their potential deserves to be met, not taken away by violence.
Watch the moving video above.
Learn more about Don’t Stop Your Future’s mission statement and demands to Parliament here.