Craig David surprised Notting Hill Carnival goers with an impromptu street performance of his 2000 hit ‘7 Days’ – check it out below.
READ MORE: What is the future of Notting Hill Carnival?
The annual event took place this weekend (August 24-25). Founded nearly 60 years ago, carnival sees thousands flock to join in the vibrant celebration of Caribbean culture – birthed as a response to the infamous 1958 Notting Hill Riots, and the racist killing of Kelso Cochrane in 1959. Today, the carnival not only showcases West Indian traditions but also honours African and Brazilian influence.
David attended the event earlier today (August 25), when he came across a sound system playing ‘Taxi Riddim’, an instrumental reggae track from Jamaican rhythm section and production duo Sly & Robbie.
In a video the ‘Fill Me In’ singer shared on Twitter/X, he can be seen taking over the mic to perform a reggae version of ‘7 Days’.
“When 7 Days meets Taxi Riddim,” David wrote in the caption. “As soon as I heard that sound system my inner child took over and in that moment I knew exactly the assignment.” Check out David’s performance below:
When 7 Days meets Taxi Riddim As soon as I heard that sound system my inner child took over & in that moment I knew exactly the assignment#7Days #TaxiRiddim #Nottinghillcarnival pic.twitter.com/O6rpm1zwMu
— Craig David (@CraigDavid) August 25, 2024
Recent debates surrounding the event’s authenticity have seen many question the increase of Afrobeats, hip-hop and other music of Black origin at the second-biggest carnival in the world – arguing that the event has been straying away from its roots. This led to the implementation of a new music policy this year which said only soca, calypso and other West Indian and Brazilian genres can be played in the parade.
Notting Hill Carnival 2023. Photo credit: HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images
David recently announced a 2025 tour. Tickets are now on sale — visit here to buy yours.
The dates start on Sunday, February 2, and kick off with an opening night at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, before continuing with a performance at the Armadillo venue in Glasgow two nights later (February 4).
From there, gigs in Newcastle, Milton Keynes, Brighton, Cardiff and Nottingham are lined up for the remainder of the month, and the run of shows close off with stops at Manchester’s Co-Op Live arena, Birmingham’s Resorts World Arena, Bournemouth’s International Centre and finally, The O2 in London on February 20.
The singer first burst onto the scene with his critically acclaimed debut album, ‘Born To Do It’, a genre-defining record that solidified him as a huge name in the UK R&B scene. One of his biggest hits remains as the 1999 track ‘Re-Rewind’, which has gone on to become a UK garage classic.
In the time since the song put him on the map, David has gone on to gather 14 BRIT Award nominations, two Grammy nominations, four MOBO awards, three Ivor Novellos, and collaborate with everyone from Sting to Diplo to KSI.
He also has one of Ibiza’s most long-standing residencies, playing Ibiza Rocks for what will be the seventh year later this summer.
In other Craig David news, earlier this year it was confirmed that the singer – as well as AJ Tracey and Annie Lennox – was among those to have joined the #Justice4Windrush campaign.
The campaign aims to ensure that more of the 15,000 people eligible for compensation after historical wrongful deportation from the UK are able to claim their money.
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