Idris Elba made a surprise appearance at Skepta’s charity gig in London on Tuesday night (04.04.17).
The 44-year-old actor hit the stage to introduce the grime superstar for his sold-out show at the Islington Assembly Hall, which was organised by homeless combatting organisation Shelter.
The former ‘Luther’ star seized the opportunity to shed light on the government’s cuts to housing benefits for young people.
Speaking to the cheering crowd, he said: "It’s 2017, there’s 850 people here tonight but there’s like at least 1,000 men and women on the streets tonight. That’s f*****y. We need to do something, that’s why we’re here, that’s why we back Shelter."
Moreover, he pointed to the sad number of homeless people in the country.
He said: "We have one of the strongest currencies in the world. Why do we have 60,000 women and single mothers homeless? That’s f*****y, that’s bull***."
Skepta – whose real name is Joseph Junior Adenuga – himself declared: "We’re all here for a good cause and a good reason, and that’s to support Shelter to end homelessness. Thank you to everyone for being here. Every penny goes to a good cause. Tonight is about all of us being together. This is about us all giving back. Everyone should give back."
The crowd went mad as the Mercury Prize winner performed his greatest hits and was joined on stage by A$AP Rocky, Shorty and JME.
The live performance of A$AP and Skepta’s 2016 hit ‘Put That On My Set’ set the fans into a frenzy and the room exploded with the pure energy of grime beat power.
According to Shelter, the gig raised £30,000 to help fight bad housing and homelessness.
The star-studded concert also included VIP guests such as ‘Burn’ hitmaker Ellie Goulding and BBC Radio 1 DJ Clara Amfo.
Ahead of the show, Skepta said: "I’m happy to hear the people at Shelter want me to play a show there, I am a man of the people and I can’t wait to touch down." Graeme Brown, interim chief executive of Shelter, said: "We’re delighted to have Skepta’s support and this is a great way for his fans to enjoy an exclusive performance while also supporting Shelter. We regularly speak to renters grappling with high rents, short tenancies and poor conditions. Many are terrified of being made homeless. No one needs this kind of stress and upheaval in their lives."
The charity can be supported by texting SHELTER to 70444 to donate £3.
Idris Elba’s surprise appearance at Skepta charity gig
