Fulham’s Alex Iwobi Uses Music to Inspire

Alex Iwobi, a player for Fulham, has netted two goals in the Premier League during the current season. While primarily recognized as a Premier League and international footballer, Alex Iwobi intends for his musical endeavors, alongside his achievements on the field, to serve as an inspiration for young individuals. The Fulham and Nigeria midfielder, who commenced his rap career earlier in the year, has launched his second single, named What’s Luv?. Iwobi’s initial release, Don’t Shoot, came out in June and has accumulated nearly 60,000 streams on Spotify. For his inaugural track, the 28-year-old, known as ’17’, partnered with Chuba Akpom (performing under the name Skoli), a former Arsenal team-mate, and Medy Elito (Don-EE), a former England youth international. Iwobi’s first song sought to discourage young people from engaging in street violence, whereas his most recent release is described as a “celebration of his African roots”. Iwobi stated, “Growing up in an area of London that is challenging for some people, I know how hard it can be and I’m grateful to have a platform to try and make a difference.” He added, “I hope that my music is another way of proving that young people do not have to feel they have to fit in just one box. I want them to be encouraged to achieve their dreams, to put their focus into positive things.” This season, Iwobi has been in the starting lineup for all nine Premier League fixtures under Marco Silva’s management at Fulham, and he registered his second goal of the campaign last week in a 1-1 draw against his former club, Everton. He commented, “Creating music doesn’t take anything away from my football, it helps me switch off. I will always work hard and try to improve in my sport, but this is a good use of my spare time.” Nevertheless, Iwobi is not the inaugural footballer to venture into the music industry. In 1990, a re-recorded rendition of the folk rock band Lindisfarne’s song Fog on the Tyne, featuring vocals by Paul Gascoigne, climbed to number two on the UK singles chart. Former England striker Andy Cole’s rendition of the Gap Band’s song Outstanding reached its highest position at number 68, while Glenn Hoddle and Chris Waddle, then team-mates for Tottenham and the Three Lions, launched Diamond Lights, which attained number 12 in 1987. Kevin Keegan’s 1979 track, Head over Heels in Love, achieved a chart position of 31. Petr Cech, a former Chelsea goalkeeper, is a skilled drummer, and Dion Dublin, a former Aston Villa striker, created his own musical instrument, which he named the Dube. Last year, a masked rapper known as ‘Dide’ gained prominence, asserting to be a Premier League footballer.