Shaggy, Noah Powa, Buju Banton & More Featured In James Bond Movie ‘No Time To Die’

james bond no time to die
Daniel Craig and Jeffrey Wright in No Time To Die (Image courtesy United Artists Releasing)

The 007 franchise’s latest film, No Time To Die, featured scenes with Bond actor Daniel Craig that were shot in both Portland and Kingston, Jamaica, and the final cut was appropriately infused with a few choice Reggae and Dancehall tracks.

The movie’s music includes Shaggy and Noah Powa’s collab Money Up (2019), Teacha Dee’s Rastafari Way (2016), Sister Nancy‘s Bam Bam (1982), Buju Banton’s Champion (1995), and Jah Buzz’s Love In The Arena (1978).

Noah Powa, also an actor, shared the news of his inclusion with DancehallMag, prior to the film’s US premiere on October 8. A week later, the No Stress deejay took to his social media with words of gratitude on his latest achievement.

“Forever grateful for the opportunity to be apart of this one,” his caption began. “First movie sync. @noahpowa & @direalshaggy – @lmrpro @tonycdkelly @deepitboss Money up in the new James Bond film No time to die. Name on the big screen #noahpowa winning and winning,” Noah Powa wrote.

Money Up, which was featured on Shaggy’s Wah Gwaan?! album, appears early in the film when James Bond is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica after leaving active service. The song is heard as the former agent approaches the bar when his old CIA friend, Felix Leiter, shows up to ask for help with a new rescue mission.

Reggae artist Damion Darrel Warren, also known as ‘Teacha Dee’, is also among the Jamaican artists chosen for the film. It was reported in February that his song, Rastafari Way, was selected for use in the flick. Rastafari Way was part of a 2016 compilation project by Giddimani Productions, Horns of Africa, and also on Teacha Dee’s 2018 album of the same name.

“It was a shock, and, honestly, in the first instance, when I got the email from the company called Search Party, I did not believe it,” Teacha Dee told the Jamaica Gleaner. “When I realised that it was real, I didn’t speak for about nine hours.”

Sister Nancy’s 1982 classic Bam Bam, which samples the Toots And The Maytals 1966 song of the same name, is also listed among the songs featured in No Time To Die.

Now regarded as the most sampled reggae song of all time, Nancy’s Bam Bam was also recently featured on Netflix’s new, critically acclaimed series, Maid.

Champion—Buju Banton’s biggest hit in the United States—also found a place in the film.  The song appeared on Banton’s RIAA gold-selling album ‘Til Shiloh and peaked at No. 67 on the Billboard R&B Hip-Hop Songs chart in 1995.

Champion has since been sampled by several artists including Selena Gomez on Like A Champion (2013) and Eve on Eve of Destruction (1998).

Finally, Jah Buzz’s Love In The Arena, a dub cut first released in 1978 and produced by Clement “Coxsone” Dodd, is also featured on the new Bond flick.

The song appeared on a Studio One album by Soul Jazz Records.

Meanwhile, the film’s official soundtrack, released by Decca Records on 1 October 2021, features 20 compositions by Hans Zimmer plus the title track, No Time To Die, by popstar Billie Eilish.

No Time To Die is the 25th installment of the James Bond series and Daniel Craig’s fifth and final performance as the British super-spy.  According to Variety Magazine, it debuted slightly behind expectations in the United States—picking up $56 million during opening weekend—and has so far grossed $300 million globally.