Idris Elba has been in the news all week, firstly for teasing the possibility of a new Luther series, secondly for signing on as executive producer of a U.S remake of Luther, and lastly, for announcing that BBC America are set to make a two-hour special of...yep, you guessed it, Luther.

Idris ElbaIdris Elba will return as DCI John Luther in a new two-part special in 2015

And so to finish an Idris Elba packed week, we're here to tell you about 'mi Mandela', the actor's new 11-track album that celebrates South African music whilst also paying homage to his late father, Winston Elba, and Nelson Mandela. 

"South Africa has numerous different tribes and each one has a musical expression, and each one has a very unique, different sound style," said Elba, who played the late South African president in the 2013 film 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. "At the time I had my studio at the apartment I was staying in while I was making Mandela - a little keyboard, a laptop - and as an experiment to myself, I vowed to keep making music."

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Recorded in London, Johannesburg and Mali, mi Mandela features the work of numerous South African artist as well as James Blake, Mumford & Sons and Phuzekhemisi.

Fans will be familiar with Elba's recently released 'You Give Me Love', featuring the soul voice of British singer-songwriter Maverick Sabre. 

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Despite signing on for the various Luther projects, Elba is now planning a hip-hop album based on his experiences filming Beast of No Nation in Ghana. The movie tells the story of a child soldier and Elba says his music and movie projects are becoming increasingly intertwined. 

"Every film I do now," he told the Guardian in a recent interview, "I think about the perspective I can bring to it musically."

mi Mandela is released on November 24 on Elba's 7wallace imprint, in conjunction with Parlophone Records.