Career Timeline of Idris Elba: Major Achievements and Milestones
How Idris Elba built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Idris Elba is a highly successful English actor and musician recognized with a Golden Globe Award and nominations for BAFTA and Emmy Awards. He was listed among Time's 100 Most Influential People in 2016. Elba's films have achieved substantial financial success, grossing over $9.8 billion globally, establishing him as one of the highest-grossing actors in the film industry.
2002: Appearance in Fat Joe's Music Video
In 2002, Idris Elba made an appearance in a music video for Fat Joe.
2004: Appearance in Angie Stone's Music Video
In 2004, Idris Elba appeared in a music video for Angie Stone.
2006: Recording of "Big Man" EP
In 2006, Idris Elba recorded the four-song EP Big Man for Hevlar Records.
April 2009: Appointment as Anti-Crime Ambassador for The Prince's Trust
In April 2009, Idris Elba was appointed as the anti-crime ambassador for The Prince's Trust, a UK youth charity.
July 2009: DJ for BET's Rising Icons and Announcement of First Single
In July 2009, Idris Elba was the DJ for BET's current series Rising Icons, and he also announced the release of his first single, "Please Be True".
August 2009: Announcement of "Kings Among Kings" EP
In the August 2009 issue of Essence, Idris Elba announced the title of his six-song EP as Kings Among Kings.
February 2010: Release of "High Class Problems Vol. 1" EP
In February 2010, Idris Elba released his EP High Class Problems Vol. 1 in the United Kingdom, later receiving a Billboard Music Awards nomination for it.
2011: Performance on Pharoahe Monch's album "W.A.R."
In 2011, Idris Elba performed on the intro to Pharoahe Monch's album W.A.R..
2013: Sky Box-Sets Commercial Appearances
In 2013, Idris Elba appeared in television commercials for Sky box-sets.
August 2014: Production of K. Michelle's "The Rebellious Soul Musical" Debut
On 19 August 2014, Idris Elba produced K. Michelle's "The Rebellious Soul Musical", which debuted on VH1.
September 2014: Feature on VVIP's "Selfie" Remix
On 12 September 2014, Idris Elba was featured on the remix of the Ghanaian music group VVIP's single "Selfie" together with Nigerian rapper Phyno.
November 2014: Release of "Idris Elba Presents Mi Mandela"
In November 2014, Mr. Hudson produced the album Idris Elba Presents Mi Mandela, which was released.
April 2015: Release of "Selfie" Music Video on YouTube
On 11 April 2015, the music video for the remix of VVIP's single "Selfie", featuring Idris Elba, was released on YouTube.
June 2015: Rapping on Skepta's "Shutdown" Remix
On 1 June 2015, Idris Elba rapped in a remix of Skepta's "Shutdown", which was uploaded to SoundCloud.
November 2015: Launch of Collaboration with Superdry
At the end of November 2015, Idris Elba launched a collaboration with British fashion label Superdry.
2015: Breaking Land Speed Record in "Idris Elba: No Limits"
In 2015, as part of his Discovery Channel miniseries Idris Elba: No Limits, Idris Elba broke the land speed record for the Pendine Sands "Flying Mile" course.
January 2016: Address to UK Parliament on Diversity
In January 2016, Idris Elba addressed the UK parliament regarding the concern of the lack of diversity on screen, highlighting the need for change regarding race, gender, and sexuality.
2016: Sky Box-Sets Commercial Appearances
In 2016, Idris Elba appeared in television commercials for Sky box-sets.
2016: Feature on Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Album
In 2016, Idris Elba was featured on the Macklemore & Ryan Lewis album This Unruly Mess I've Made.
May 2018: Kwame Kwei-Armah Joins the "Tree" Project
In May 2018, Kwame Kwei-Armah joined the Tree project and rewrote part of the material written by Tori Allen-Martin and Sarah Henley.
July 2018: Launch of 7Wallace Music Record Label
In July 2018, Idris Elba launched his record label, 7Wallace Music.
2018: British Film Institute Board of Governors
Idris Elba served on the Board of Governors of the British Film Institute between 2018 and 2022.
April 2019: Performance at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
In April 2019, Idris Elba performed at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
May 2019: Box Office Gross of Films
As of May 2019, Idris Elba's films have grossed over $9.8 billion at the global box office, including over $3.6 billion in North America.
2019: Sky Box-Sets Commercial Appearances
In 2019, Idris Elba appeared in television commercials for Sky box-sets.
April 2020: Collaboration with Jay Robinson on "Know Yourself"
In April 2020, Idris Elba collaborated with producer Jay Robinson on the track "Know Yourself", released on Mau5trap.
2020: Creative Direction for Emanuel's "Need You" Music Video
In 2020, after hearing Canadian R&B singer Emanuel's debut single "Need You", Idris Elba reached out and served as creative director for the music video, compiling clips reflecting coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.
February 2021: Guest DJ Mix on Triple J's Mix Up
On 13 February 2021, Idris Elba performed a guest DJ mix for Mix Up on Australian national youth broadcaster Triple J.
September 2021: Announcement of Collaborative EP with Lime Cordiale
On 22 September 2021, Idris Elba announced he would be releasing a collaborative EP with Australian pop rock duo Lime Cordiale titled Cordi Elba.
January 2022: Release of "Cordi Elba" EP with Lime Cordiale
On 14 January 2022, Idris Elba's collaborative EP with Australian pop rock duo Lime Cordiale, titled Cordi Elba, was released.
2022: British Film Institute Board of Governors
Idris Elba served on the Board of Governors of the British Film Institute between 2018 and 2022.
January 2024: Release of "Knives Down" and Cyberpunk 2077 Radio Station Features
On 8 January 2024, Idris Elba released the song "Knives Down" featuring DB Maz as a part of his campaign against knife crime in the UK. Also, in January 2024, the Phantom Liberty expansion for Cyberpunk 2077 featured Elba on two new radio stations with new tracks and a DJ set.
2024: Attendance at UK Government's Knife Crime Summit
In 2024, Idris Elba attended the UK government's inaugural knife crime summit, emphasizing action and advocating for diverse perspectives to address the issue.
2024: Start of "Sound International" Label
In 2024, Idris Elba started his own label "Sound International" inspired by his uncle's legendary 1980s London "Sound System", aiming to showcase diverse house music talent from around the world.
February 2025: Investment in Kiro Race Co
On 11 February 2025, it was announced that Idris Elba invested in Kiro Race Co, a team competing in the FIA Formula E World Championship.
2025: Suggestion of Banning "Ninja Swords" and Modifying Kitchen Knives
In 2025, Idris Elba suggested banning "ninja swords" and removing the points from kitchen knives as possible solutions to combat knife crime.
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