Ziggy Marley Cast In ‘Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse,’ While BEAM, Toian ‘Link Up’ In The Soundtrack
Multi-Grammy Award winner Ziggy Marley has a role in Sony’s just-released Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse, while Grammy-nominated artist and producer BEAM and rising Jamaican talent Toian are featured on an Afrobeats song from the film’s soundtrack, which sampled Red Rat’s 1997 hit Tight Up Skirt.
Marley voices the character Lenny, a store owner in the Spider-Verse, who confronts a robber attempting to fleece him of his goods. Marley’s Jamaican accent is unfiltered in the comical exchange, in which the robber tries to negotiate with Lenny to allow himself to get robbed. He defies the robber at every turn, repeatedly telling him to “get outa ma store!”
Marley’s role as Lenny marks the second time the Reggae singer has voiced an animated character in film. He previously voiced Ernie, the friendly shark, from the Will Smith-led 2004 animated film Shark Tale.
In the movie’s soundtrack, which was also released today (June 2), BEAM, son of Dancehall Gospel star Papa San, and Toian joined Don Toliver and Wizkid on the song Link Up.
Co-produced by Metro Boomin, BEAM, Al Cres, and Peter Lee Johnson, the Afrobeats track sampled Red Rat‘s 1997 hit Tight Up Skirt as it seamlessly infused elements of Dancehall, Hip-Hop and R&B for its mellow yet playful groove.
Tight Up Skirt, which was the subject of a recently settled lawsuit against Chris Brown, was produced by Andrew ‘Buccaneer‘ Bradford on his Mad Lion Riddim, which included other songs like Goofy’s Buff Bay, Ghost’s Mixup Situation, and Buccaneer’s Plenty More Gal. It later appeared on Red Rat’s album Oh No… It’s Red Rat, which was released by Greensleeves in 1997.
Both Toian and BEAM were hand-picked by Metro Boomin – the Soundtrack’s Executive Producer – to join an all-star cast of musicians assembled to create the film’s musical structure.
Other artists to feature on the soundtrack are Future, Offset, A$AP Rocky, 21 Savage and Coi Leray, among others.
Check out the full soundtrack on Spotify below.
Shenseea Hints Involvement
Jamaican star Shenseea has also teased her involvement in the Sony film, but did not specify the capacity in which she may have been featured in the production, whether musically or on-screen.
Yesterday, the Blessed singer posted multiple photos of herself as she joined the host of celebrities on the red carpet that gathered at the Los Angeles Regency Village Theatre on Tuesday (May 30) for the film’s world premiere.
“I got pulled across the Spider-Verse and I’m so glad I was able to be a part of such an amazing project. 5/6 stay tuned!! @spiderversemovie,” she wrote in the caption.
She stepped out rocking an elegant black Et Ochs ‘Luisa’ cutout gown (from their Spring-Summer 2023 collection), which was joined in the middle by chains extending from her hips to her torso.
Personal stylist Kris Fe paired the fitted black cutout with simplistic jewelry, while Shen vaunted a sleek red-tinted pixie-cut hairstyle – courtesy of celebrity hairstylist K. Wolfe.
The main cast, comprised of Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Issa Rae, Jack Johnson, Daniel Kaluuya, and Brian Tyree Henry, all came out to show off their stunning looks.
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse is already on course for a $40 million-plus opening day. The film, a sequel to Sony’s record-breaking Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (2018), is projected to web in at least $100 million over the three-day weekend.
The film is the first of two planned sequels, with a third titled Spider-Man: Beyond The Spider-Verse scheduled to be released in March 2024.