When it comes to white celebrities the Black community fully embraces, the list can be quite short. People like Princess Diana and Tom Hanks will forever have a space in Black folks’ heart. And you know who else does too? Singer and songwriter Ed Sheeran.
He’s one of the most famous musicians in the world, but outside of just his super stardom, Sheeran has seemingly embraced the Black community back. Since the start of his career, the “Shape of You” artist has been pictured with Black icons like Pharrell and Beyoncé. And after writing music for Rihanna and collaborating with Burna Boy and Lil Baby, it’s safe to say he’s found a comfortable spot in Black folks’ good graces.
Living with Jamie Foxx
Before Sheeran became a household name, he was first discovered by comedian and musician Jamie Foxx. “He’s incredible and I’m like, ‘Listen, I know you don’t have anywhere to go, just chill here,” the actor said on “The Graham Norton Show.” He continued, “I was giving him food, and my daughter was like, ‘Who do you have over here now?’ Because I would always champion an artist.”
After witnessing his talent, Foxx let Sheeran perform in front of a crowd of 800 Black folks, and he rocked the house. “He went up there on that ukulele and got a standing ovation in 12 minutes, and the rest is history,” Foxx said.
Bringing the House Down in Inglewood, Calif.
At just 19 years old, Sheeran showed off his musical skills at the Flypoet Spoken Word & Music Showcase in 2010. The story goes the owner of Flypoet got a call from a friend who thought Sheeran would do well at the predominately Black show. The owner recalled, “I rarely put artists up without seeing them in person first but I took her enthusiasm to heart and said ‘what the heck!’” That’s when Sheeran got to Los Angeles and turned a typical showcase into a full-on party.
Performing with Beyoncé
Sheeran’s relationship with Beyoncé goes back to at least 2015. That’s when Sheeran joined the queen for a stellar Stevie Wonder tribute alongside Gary Clark Jr. But soon after that, the two stars collaborated for the remix to his Billboard No. 1 hit, “Perfect.”
“Obviously she had twins [in June 2017], and we finished [the song] in September, so I’ve been holding onto it since then,” Sheeran said of “Perfect Duet,” which was released in December 2017. He even performed the record with Beyoncé at the 2018 Global Citizen Festival.
An Almost Joint Album with The Game
Did you know that Sheeran was close to teaming up with California rapper The Game for a joint album? “I’m a big fan [of Game],” Ed Sheeran said during the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards red carpet. “He called me and I ended up doing just one song with him and the next day he came down to the session that I was in and we did about six songs.”
He continued, “we just did more and more as that week went on, and then it was all done.” Although fans never got to hear the finished project between the two, this is just another example of Sheeran always showing love to the Hip-Hop culture. The Game and Sheeran did, however, drop a song in 2019 called “City of Sin.” Sheeran also collaborated with Lil Baby for “2step” and Travis Scott with “Antisocial.”
While many of his pop peers tend to shy away from rap collaborations, there’s no secret Sheeran is a legit fan of the genre, and that’s why Black folks love him. He’s more than just a talented red head. Sheeran is a student of the craft who’s not afraid to show love to Black music and artists whenever he can.