‘This just breaks my f***ing heart’: Ed Sheeran releases poignant freestyle tribute to Jamal Edwards
‘I got a life full of blessings, but this just breaks my f***ing heart,’ Sheeran sings
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Ed Sheeran has honoured his late friend Jamal Edwards with a 64-bar freestyle for SBTV.
On Thursday (19 January), the 31-year-old singer filmed a freestyle track inside an empty Stamford Bridge to pay tribute to Edwards.
Edwards died at the age of 31 in February last year. The cause of his death was a cardiac arrest after using cocaine and drinking alcohol.
He gained fame as the chief executive of SBTV, which helped to launch the careers of chart-topping artists including Sheeran, Stormzy and Jessie J.
In the tribute track, Sheeran sings: “Therapy sessions, digging deep in depression / I got a life full of blessings, but this just breaks my f***ing heart.
“People find and stop me in the street and say it’s terrible / But they don’t know you like I knew you and they never will.”
In the song, Sheeran also expresses his sadness about Edwards not being able to meet his daughter who was born in May 2022.
“You would’ve loved loving my little girls / If not for them, I’d be done with the world,” he sings.
This week, Brenda Edwards, the mother of Jamal, also revealed that Sheeran spent time at her family’s house following her son’s death.
“When Jamal passed he [Sheeran] was literally at my house with me and Tanisha [her daughter] for a whole week just looking after us,” said Edwards while being interviewed on Good Morning Britain ahead of the anniversary of his death.
Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music
Sign up now for a 4 month free trial (3 months for non-Prime members)
Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music
Sign up now for a 4 month free trial (3 months for non-Prime members)
“There wasn’t anything that he wasn’t sorting out and doing if we needed anything, and everybody has been so, so wonderful and so supportive,” she added.