Stormzy – Hold Me Down

Stormzy premiered two new, unanticipated tracks, marking his first solo releases in two years. The freestyle was initially titled “Sorry Rach!,” accompanied by the emotive “Hold Me Down.” In the latter, he shares his honest feelings about coping with emotional difficulties and requiring support from someone when he’s feeling depressed. The song is paired with a sombre instrumental and a straightforward music video.

Stormzy’s album This Is What I Mean, which topped the U.K.’s Official Album Charts upon release in November 2022, has been followed by two unexpected new releases. He has also been involved in a number of collaborations since then. The lineup also features collaborations with Chase & Status, as well as tracks by Shawn Mendes and Jacob Collier, RAYE, and other notable artists.

This release follows a major controversy that Stormzy was involved in earlier this year, where he collaborated with McDonald’s to launch his own meal. Several social media users noted that the Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions (BDS) movement had advocated for a boycott of McDonald’s due to the fast-food chain’s backing of Israeli forces during the Israel-Gaza conflict.

In October 2023, he had previously shown his backing for Palestine in a post on his Instagram account, which he then saved to his archives. He brought up the topic of archiving the post, stating that his position on this matter remains unchanged.

The Croydon-born performer alludes to the public uproar he encountered in “Sorry Rach!”

“He’s been told that they’re going to leave him to suffer the consequences for a relatively small mistake.” It’s unlikely that the world will ever accept you in the same manner, but my mother will.