British actor and advocate for change Idris Elba continues his campaign against serious youth violence today (January 8th) with the release of his powerful new single ‘Knives Down’.
Serving as a vessel for the Hackney native to vent his frustration and anger towards the government for their inaction on knife crime, the poignant track (produced by Fraser T. Smith and FaNaTIX) features UK rapper DB Man, and comes complete with hard hitting lyrics that urge Parliament to take urgent action, having neglected to properly address the issue for far too long.
As a reminder that the issues highlighted through the track result in real victims, the singles artwork features a young picture of Ronan Kanda, who was killed in 2022, yards from his home in a case of mistaken identity,
Directed by MD Films (Kamille, NSG, Stefflon Don), the tracks evocative music video sees Idris hold a debate in the House of Commons, alongside the families of victims, as their stories and those of the worst affected communities across the UK are poignantly highlighted.
Watch the emotionally charged clip below:
The singles release also marks the launch of Elba’s Don’t Stop Your Future campaign – a movement which aims to bring the issue of knife crime and serious youth violence to its rightful place at the top of the political agenda.
In a bold move, Idris took over Parliament Square in London this morning (the official first day of Parliament in 2024) surrounded by neatly folded “last outfits” from each victim of
2023, highlighting to the government all of the lives lost in the last 12 months.
In a press release, Idris said: “I can’t stay silent as more young lives are lost to these brutal and heartless crimes. 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.”
About “Don’t Stop Your Future”
Don’t Stop Your Future (DSYF) works with community grassroots organisation to put an end to knife crime, and amplify the voices of marginalised communities and those most affected by knife and gun crime.
The initiative offers both clear and achievable solutions to the government, with Idris Elba specifically calling for Parliament to:
- Urgently prioritise the long-awaited ban on zombie knives and machetes, and to crack down on the supply chains which bring them to UK streets.
- Invest in youth services to tackle the underlying causes of serious youth violence and support young people to achieve the bright future they deserve.
- Convene a Coalition to End Knife Crime, a cross-party, cross-governmental working group that brings together stakeholders who have a role to play in tackling this issue including relevant Government departments, grassroots organisations, sporting bodies and young people.
Find out more about DSYF here.
‘Knives Down’ is available to download / stream now