British superstar Stormzy has dedicated the video for his song Superheroes to Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman.

 

The multi-award winner said the late actor, who recently died after a lengthy battle with cancer, would be "forever a superhero in our hearts" in a caption at the end of the promo.

 

Introducing the video, the rapper told fans: "You are a superhero in your own right, and don't ever forget that."

 

The animated video includes references to Black Lives Matter as well as fellow rappers Little Simz and Dave.

 

The track's lyrics also mention singer Nina Simone and Noughts and Crosses author Malorie Blackman.

 

On the track, taken from his 2019 album Heavy Is the Head, he sends a message of encouragement to "young black kings" and "young Black Queens" - ordinary young people who may be struggling but are heroes in their own lives.

 

In his introduction, Stormzy said the track was inspired by his realisation that role models had been all around him growing up.

 

He said: "We're all superheroes. As much as we come from where we come from, we might be disadvantaged, we might have so many obstacles in front of us, you are a superhero in your own right, and don't ever forget that. Those little skills that we have, those big skills that we have, those talents, those things that often go ignored, that makes you a superhero..

 

"I wanted to make this video to basically inspire you guys, to let you know that the sky is the limit, to let you know that all those things inside of you make you incredible."

 

The video, which was directed by Taz Tron Delix, was shown at schools in London, Glasgow, Dublin and Manchester.

 

Boseman played Marvel's first Black superhero and his death prompted a deluge of tributes from his fellow actors plus politicians and many others around the world.

 

Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o wrote a stirring tribute to her late Black Panther co-star Chadwick Boseman, calling him a man whose power will ”reverberate for generations”.

 

She went on: “I write these words from a place of hopelessness, to honour a man who had great hope.

 

“The news of his passing is a punch to my gut every morning. His power lives on and will reverberate for generations to come."

Photo by Frank Schwichtenberg under CreativeCommons (CC)