MCM – Idris Elba

Idrissa Akuna Elba is an Actor, Producer, Disc Jockey, Rapper, Singer and Writer. Born September 6, 1972, to Winston and Eve Elba in the London Borough of Hackney. He is father to two children, Isan and Winston. Having his first big break credited to The Stage, he auditioned and met his first agent while performing in the role.

Elba’s first significant role was in a series called Bramwell, a medical drama set in 1890s England. He has had many supporting roles on British television since the start of his career. He has starred in movies like the HBO drama series The Wire in 2002. He had what was described as his best-known role in the United States acting as Russell “Stringer” Bell in the series.

Other movies he has acted in include but not limited to: Sometimes in April; The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency; Daddy’s Little Girls; Legacy; Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance; The Suicide Squad and Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbes & Shaw.

As a musician and DJ, Elba recorded the four-song EP Big Man for Hevlar Records in 2006. In 2009, he was the DJ for BET’s series Rising Icons. He announced the release of his first single “Please Be True” in the same year. He launched his record label, 7Wallace Music in July 2018. He has also done collaborations with other artists over the years.

Interestingly, our crush today also has a kickboxing record. In 2016, Elba had his first professional kickboxing fight against Lionel Graves, a younger, more experienced Dutch opponent at London’s York Hall. Of course, he won the fight.

In 2013, Elba was named Essence’s annual Sexiest Man of the Year and People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive in 2018. In 2020 and 2021 editions of the Powerlist, he was listed in the top 100 most influential people in the UK of African/African-Caribbean descent amongst other awards.

An Intelligent, versatile and enchanting African man is worth celebrating.