Idris Elba gives Kanye West "mad props" for supporting British rappers.
The British actor is also a keen musician, DJing all over the world and bringing out an album called Mi Mandela inspired by his role as Nelson Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.
Talking about February's Brit Awards when Kanye was joined on stage by rappers Skepta, Novelist and Stormz, Idris can't help but admire the superstar singer.
"I thought it was a massive salute to the British industry. Someone like Kanye – who is known worldwide for rap music – acknowledging that Britain, this little island, has really good, wicked rappers just as good as him, at the Brits? That’s massive," Idris mused to British magazine ShortList.
"Those rappers would probably never be at the Brits. And the likelihood that their music would ever become as internationally known as Kanye’s is also challenging. But with Kanye [bringing them on stage] it makes it easier. Everyone goes, 'OK, let’s have a listen then.' It’s wicked. I give Kanye mad props for doing that. I thought it was visionary of him."
With a new album in the pipeline you'd be forgiven for thinking that acting was on the back burner for Idris. That's not the case though, and he'll soon be back on the small screen as John Luther in the hit BBC drama.
Plans for a US remake are also underway, with the 42-year-old taking a key role in the project.
"I’m one of the executive producers, so I’ll be keeping an eye on it from afar. The plan is to keep it quite gritty; I don’t think they’re going to change too much, except for the actor, obviously. But the skeleton of the show is definitely going to remain. It’s Luther. You can’t change it for something else. Luther is Luther," he smiled.
