Memphis Depay – international footballer or music-loving Dubai rap star? Both, it now appears.
Like most sportsmen across the world, the Dutchman has had some spare time during the coronavirus pandemic.
The former Manchester United player, currently with Lyon in France, has spent much of the past few months in the UAE while recuperating from a long-term injury.
And, rather than sitting around and keeping a low profile, he's instead been putting his time to use creatively – and artistically – as evidenced in a new music video titled Dubai Freestyle.
Depay is well-known for his extravagance and, true to form, the video isn't short on spectacle.
It starts with him walking down the stairs of a luxury mansion (he's been pictured regularly on Palm Jumeirah on Instagram) accompanied by a liger, which is a breed of half lion, half tiger.
The success of Netflix's Tiger King has seen a wave of attention around the ethics of keeping big cats in captivity, and a UAE law introduced in 2016 restricts much ownership of exotic animals in the country.
The UAE is a signatory of the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species, banning the trade of certain animals.
The opening lyrics make reference to his fitness work.
"Look at the weather / I just woke up and got breakfast / I'm here in rehab / I'm working my ass off," he sings.
Depay then moves outside for some exercise at what is clearly a frond on the Palm before taking to the wheel of a Rolls-Royce Cullinan for dune bashing in the desert.
He sings: "They gotta come for your soul, now soul train / That's why I live like it's my last day / First one with the Cullinan / I've remained in the desert / Swervin', swervin' in the sand."
The Rolls is returned to a more suitable terrain as he drives through the city and past the illuminated Burj Khalifa at night.
Depay released the video on Saturday and told his 9.6 million Instagram followers that he wanted to give them something for free.
"With all the turmoil going on in the world, I just wanted to bless the world with some new music that is free," he wrote.
"So I'm giving the exclusive to Youtube and SoundCloud so that fans without streaming accounts would not be excluded from this gift."
The track follows Depay's earlier releases: Fall Back, No Love, 5 Milli Freestyle and Akwaaba.
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- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
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Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
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- Price: Not announced yet
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Sustainable Development Goals
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