Barrington Levy, Fela Kuti Score The Trailer For Netflix’s Star-Studded Black Western, ‘The Harder They Fall’
The words “Here I come,” followed by “Shoodilley-waddliley-diddley-waddliley-diddley… woh-oh-oh” at the beginning of the teaser for the soon-to-be-released Netflix film The Harder They Fall was enough to send Twitter users into a frenzy earlier today.
Netflix dropped the two-minute-23-second official teaser for the “new school Western” early this morning and by mid-afternoon, Reggae/Dancehall icon Barrington Levy was trending on the social media website.
Though the official synopsis for The Harder They Fall only says the Netflix film features “a red hot soundtrack” and just a sample of the Kingston-born Levy’s Here I Come is included in the teaser, Twitter users are here for it.
Fela Kuti’s song, Let’s Start , also features in the trailer for the Netflix Western. Fela Kuti, a Nigerian musician and activist, is regarded as having launched the style of music called Afrobeat.
Though we have to wait to hear whether Barrington Levy’s song is, in fact, part of the flick’s soundtrack, some Twitter users are already pointing out that he should secure a bag.
DavidSconce tweeted: “Barrington Levy must be rich rich from this song!”, while @gregzry commented: “Barrington Levy cashing in some royalties.”
Another user, @sharalee_nyja, tweeted: “I hope yall run Barrington Levy his check, also I’ll be watching”.
With its star-studded roster of actors, including Jonathan Majors, Regina King, Zazie Beetz, Idris Elba, Delroy Lindo, LaKeith Stanfield, Danielle Deadwyler, Edi Gathegi, R.J. Cyler, Damon Wayans Jr., and Deon Cole, the excitement surrounding the teaser is understandable.
Directed by Jeymes Samuel and produced by Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter and James Lassiter, the Black excellence on display in the teaser is another reason Twitter users will be tuning in when it drops.
And, just in case you missed how uncannily close the name of the Netflix Western is to the Perry Henzell-directed Jamaican crime film The Harder They Come starring Jimmy Cliff, we have no problem pointing out the obvious.
The official synopsis for The Harder They Fall did not include an exact premiere date, but it did tell us a little about the film which is expected this Fall.
“When outlaw Nat Love (Jonathan Majors) discovers that his enemy Rufus Buck (Idris Elba) is being released from prison, he rounds up his gang to track Rufus down and seek revenge. Those riding with him in this assured, righteously new school Western include his former love Stagecoach Mary (Zazie Beetz), his right and left hand men — hot-tempered Bill Pickett (Edi Gathegi) and fast-drawing Jim Beckwourth (R.J. Cyler) — and a surprising adversary-turned-ally. Rufus Buck has his own fearsome crew, including “Treacherous” Trudy Smith (Regina King) and Cherokee Bill (LaKeith Stanfield), and they are not a group that knows how to lose,” it reads.
The official teaser was enough to get us to sit on the edge of our seats, so that might be an indication that we are in for a ride when The Harder They Fall premieres in select theatres and on streaming entertainment service Netflix.
Global Chief Marketing Officer at Netflix Bozoma Saint John, who also shared the official teaser on her Instagram page today, said: “You already know it’s about to be 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥”, and Twitter users seem to agree.
Twitter user @ambermruffin tweeted: “With the honorable Barrington Levy on the soundtrack? Sign me up!!”
The use of Barrington Levy in the beginning made me smile so wide. Fuck yeah I'm watching this shit. AND Its a western???? I'm watching it with my DAD https://t.co/ZODKX2xdTX
— Cla;re🎗️ (@amiclaire_) June 24, 2021
The Barrington Levy, Fela juxtaposition on that Idris/Regina western netflix trailer just absolutely nailed it.
— joseph monish patel (@jazzbeezy) June 24, 2021
MUST WATCH: When we saw the title for the upcoming Netflix film The Harder They Fall …. We knew that the scoring had to have Reggae and Afrobeat in it.
Check out the trailer … shout out to Barrington Levy! https://t.co/Toc7y5kZMW
— o-access JAMAICA (@oaccessjamaica) June 24, 2021
Black people, in a Western, on horseback riding along a Barrington Levy soundtrack…I’m in there! https://t.co/gSSLcDeufG
— MarshMellow™ ஐ (@tamibella_ceo) June 24, 2021
Barrington Levy & Fela Kuti soundtracking a western film's trailer was so unexpected but…fit perfectly. Wow 🤔👏🏽 https://t.co/losYzzfCsM
— 🆎 | Adrienne (@YoAdriBaby) June 25, 2021
you had me at Barrington Levy and hooked me at Fela. https://t.co/R98delByTq
— Zabe B (@zabebent) June 24, 2021
https://twitter.com/islandgent713/status/1408140986065297412
Movie might be horrible. Don’t care. I’m watching it. And @sc Produced it? And they got the Barrington Levy “ShiddlyDoddlyDiddlyWaddly” on it? I’m in. https://t.co/NvP8wldA3o
— DuffJuice (@DuffJuice30) June 24, 2021
Barrington Levy mixed with Regina King…
Yea…
You won me over.https://t.co/eiqPF5lFhM
— Cousin Skeeter (@RdotChung) June 24, 2021
If you told me 20 years ago that in 2021 I'd watch a clip of Black cowboys with Idris Elba, Regina King shooting enemies to a Barrington Levy and Fela Kuti soundtrack…I'd have asked you to share more of your drugs… https://t.co/h1WLeClNjO
— Yinka Adegoke (@YinkaWrites) June 24, 2021
https://twitter.com/damagedbyscreen/status/1408248860544311301