Jamaican gospel singer Jermaine Edwards has forcefully dismissed claims that Rushawn Ewears, the young Jamaican whose viral classroom performance helped revive Edwards’ song Beautiful Day, received US$1 million from international star Akon, warning that the rumour is now putting the teenager’s life at risk.
In an Instagram post on Monday, Edwards said the false narrative has continued to circulate despite being debunked more than a year ago, creating dangerous expectations within Rushawn’s community. According to Edwards, people believe Rushawn is withholding money and refusing to help others, placing him under mounting pressure.
“It’s actually putting my friend’s life in danger because the community are saying that he has a million US and he needs to help the community,” Edwards said. “I have the proof that this came out a year ago, and to realise the narrative is still being shared… I’m really upset about that. Please stop doing it.”
Rushawn has also publicly rejected the claims, stating plainly that he never received such a payment. “False statements like these is putting my life in danger,” he said in a recent social media post. “Please stop making false information.”
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Beautiful Day, written and recorded by Edwards and released in 2014, gained global attention years later after a video resurfaced of a then 10-year-old Rushawn singing the song during lunch break at Top Hill Primary School in St. Elizabeth. The clip, filmed by classmates, showed students clapping desks and singing along, and quickly went viral in early 2023. It was later remixed by international acts including The Kiffness and TRINIX, turning Rushawn into a symbol of joy and innocence online.
The renewed popularity of the song eventually led to Akon releasing his own version, Akon’s Beautiful Day, in late 2024, with Edwards credited as a writer. However, confusion and speculation followed after Akon spoke publicly about the track, referencing an old demo and expressing interest in helping Rushawn and his former school through his foundation. Online rumours soon escalated, falsely claiming Rushawn had been paid US$1 million or flown overseas as part of the project.
Edwards has strongly rejected those claims, stressing that Beautiful Day is properly registered and protected intellectual property. “My metadata and information speak for themselves,” he said. “Everywhere you see Beautiful Day played, it is properly registered and covered.”
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He also addressed Akon’s suggestion that the song was inspired by a leaked demo from years ago, saying the record clearly shows otherwise. Edwards explained that there are several authorised derivative versions of Beautiful Day under distribution agreements with Sony, and that no one can legally use the song without permission.
“Akon could not use the chorus of Beautiful Day without asking us permission,” Edwards said. “If you go on his video, you will see that I am credited there, because everyone who uses the song has to credit the writer — and I am the writer, and I have receipts to prove it.”
Edwards added that two years ago, claims about a US$1 million payment had surfaced online, prompting him to contact Akon’s team directly. He said the post was later removed, but the rumour has since resurfaced, now with real-world consequences for Rushawn.
“Guys in Rushawn’s community are now coming to him saying he took them for an idiot because they think he got money and is pretending he didn’t,” Edwards said. “Imagine living in a community where people think you get a million US dollars.”
