Ed Sheeran has released an emotional freestyle dedicated to his late friend Jamal Edwards.

Ed’s F64 segment was released via SBTV, a music media company Edwards founded over a decade ago to highlight British artists.

“Last year we lost our leader and founder Jamal Edwards, MBE. It has been the hardest thing in the world to process as he was the driving force behind so much and such a bright light in all of our lives here at team SB,” the company wrote when releasing Ed’s video. The company noted Edwards and Ed shared “a long lasting brotherhood.”

In his tribute song, Sheeran sings about how Edwards’ death deeply affected him, but also revealed how his life has changed for the better since they met.

“If you saw me more than drunk/ You always hated what it does/ Before Lyra I just stopped/ I haven’t even wanted one,” Ed raps of his first daughter, whom he welcomed in August 2020. Speaking of his family, he laments how Edwards “left the world before you met Jupiter,” his second daughter, who was born in July.

“Wish you’d have known you would be her godfather/ You would’ve loved loving my little girls,” he adds.

Ed makes it clear he’s still grieving Edwards a year after his unexpected passing, but vows to keep his legacy alive.  

Edwards, a British music entrepreneur, died last year at age 31. He is credited with launching Ed’s career after featuring him on an acoustic A64 session on his SBTV channel in February 2010. The two had remained extremely close friends.

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