Years ago, a Jamaican schoolboy stood in his classroom at Top Hill Primary School in St Elizabeth and sang ‘It’s a Beautiful Day’ during lunch break. The raw yet soul-lifting performance was recorded casually. Still, it would later circle the world, turning Rushawn Ewears into an unlikely global sensation.
Now 16 years old and in high school, Rushawn is speaking out again. This time, to shut down a dangerous rumour. He has firmly denied viral claims that music star Akon gave him $1 million for the song. He warned that the false narrative is putting his life at risk.
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“Please Stop Saying This”
“I didn’t receive any $1 million from Akon,” Rushawn said in a video shared online. “I didn’t receive any money from anyone except Jermaine Edwards, who wrote Beautiful Day. False statements like this are putting my life in danger.”
Rushawn explained that people in his community now believe he is secretly wealthy and should be financially supporting others. That assumption, he said, has created pressure and safety concerns.
Gospel singer Jermaine Edwards, who wrote Beautiful Day, backed Rushawn and called for the rumour to stop. He stressed that the song is properly registered and protected. He also added that no $1 million payment from Akon exists anywhere.
Edwards said he initially avoided responding publicly because the ownership and metadata of the song were clear. He only spoke up after realising the story was still being repeated in person, putting Rushawn at risk.
Rushawn Ewears and his mother have since registered his rendition with the Jamaica Music Society to properly track royalties. The song later gained millions of views across TikTok and YouTube, amplified by remixes from South African artist The Kiffness.
Along the way, fake GoFundMe pages and unauthorised remixes emerged. This incident forced Rushawn to warn fans that his family never approved of any fundraiser. Now, he’s been forced to speak out again.
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