Actor/DJ Idris Elba went on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon yesterday (Aug. 8)and casually admitted that he hustled his way into appearing on Jay-Z's 2007 American Gangster album.

Elba is also featured on Paul McCartney's 2021 album, McCartney III Imagined, and Fallon wondered how both features came to be.

“Both these albums, you know, I’m on, and both those artists don’t know I’m on those albums, you know what I’m saying?” Elba admitted. “I literally hustled my way onto both of those albums.”

He tells the story of how he really wanted to be on the soundtrack to American Gangster after learning Jay-Z was producing it (Elba also stars in the film), so he and a friend initially wrote a rap for the project, in hopes of gaining Jay-Z's approval. As it goes, Elba quickly realized the rapping thing wasn't his strength, and instead decided to recite the rhyme as a poem. It worked. "Jay-Z fucking loved it," Elba capped his story with a laugh.

Elba, who famously DJ'd the royal wedding, then said he's down to work with The Roots, if they're interested (both Questlove and Black Thought laughingly said they were).

Beyond chatting it up with Elba on Fallon, The Roots are gearing up to release new music, which Quest said has been delayed due to his film projects, including his Oscar winning documentary, Summer of Soul. However, Black Thought has steadily been working on music, and will release a new album with Danger Mouse, Cheat Codes, which will arrive on August 12.

Check out Elba's interview above.