Stormzy made his impromptu return to the music scene on Thursday night with the surprise release of his new single Mel Made Me Do It.
The chart-topping rapper’s new track was released alongside its 11-minute music video, which has already got everyone talking – thanks in no small part to its seemingly-never-ending list of celebrity cameos.
To say the Mel Made Me Do It video is star-studded would be a definite understatement, with everyone from Stormzy’s music industry peers to pioneering sports personalities putting in appearances.
Early on in the clip, Stormzy appears in a fictional talk show co-hosted by Jonathan Ross and Zeze Millz, in which his fellow guests are Louis Theroux and Olympian Dina Asher-Smith.
The song also makes reference to footballer manager José Mourinho’s iconic “if I speak I am in big trouble” moment.
It’s fitting, then, that the man himself also makes a cameo in one scene in which he shares the screen with the Vossi Bop rapper.
Towards the end of Stormzy’s video, he also pays tribute to pioneers in Black British culture, with a spoken-word section performed by Michaela Coel.
“Today we speak about foundation,” the Emmy-winning actor and creator of I May Destroy You is heard saying. “Many great Black influential giants have touched people from soul to soul throughout many generations.
“It is often the word greatness that comes to mind but footballing legends like Ian Wright make greatness come to sight.
“Our DNA empowers us. We can make a song and dance out of anything.”
Among those who appear in the sequence include football legend Ian Wright, broadcaster Trevor Nelson, singer Gabrielle and eight-time gold medallist Usain Bolt.
Joining Stormzy on screen are a number of his musical peers, such as Dave, Little Simz, Headie One and JME, while Brenda Edwards also makes an appearance, paying tribute to her son Jamal, who died earlier this year at the age of 31.
As the founder of SBTV, Jamal is credited with helping kickstart a number of huge British artists’ careers, including Ed Sheeran, Dave, Rita Ora, N-Dubz and Stormzy.
Stormzy is now gearing up for the release of his third studio album, which was teased at the end of his UK tour earlier this year.
After releasing his debut Gang Signs & Prayer in 2017, the grime star has headlined Glastonbury, scooped three Brit Awards and topped the UK singles chart three times with Vossi Bop, Own It and the Ed Sheeran collaboration Take Me Back To London.
Watch the Mel Made Me Do It music video in full above.