(New York, NY January 7, 2002) – From acclaimed director Ridley Scott (Gladiator) and renowned producer Jerry Bruckheimer (Pearl Harbor) comes Black Hawk Down, a heroic account centered on a group of elite U.S. soldiers sent into Mogadishu, Somalia in 1993 as part of a UN peacekeeping operation. Based on actual events, Black Hawk Down is THE most talked about film of the award season, generating massive Oscar buzz and overwhelming critical acclaim. Time Magazine raves, "Great... terrific... brilliant... a compelling experience.” BLACK HAWK DOWN takes its place on the very short list of unforgettable movies about war." Featuring a groundbreaking score from Academy Award winning composer Hans Zimmer (Gladiator, Hannibal), plus stirring performances by African vocalist Baaba Maal and Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros, the soundtrack will be released January 15 from Decca/UMG Soundtracks.

Hans Zimmer has crafted a brilliant, dramatic score that combines elements of African and American music, taking traditional rhythms and reinterpreting them using modern technology. The featured vocalist on four tracks is Baaba Maal, the acclaimed Senegalese artist whose singing echoes both the traditional vocal styles of Africa and the feel of American country blues. The soundtrack also includes "Barra Barra" by Rachid Taha, the Algerian world beat artist; “Gortoz A Ran – J’Attends” by Denez Prigent and Lisa Gerrard (the latter of Dead Can Dance and Gladiator fame); and "Minstrel Boy" by Joe Strummer, former front man of revered band The Clash. “Minstrel Boy” is a brand new recording – exclusively available on this album – that is played over the film’s end credits. The original version of this track appears on Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros’ 2001 album Global a Go-Go.

Based on the best-selling book by Mark Bowden, Black Hawk Down was nominated for five American Film Institute Awards including Best Picture. In this powerful film, young Rangers and veteran Delta Force soldiers fight side by side against overwhelming odds. For eighteen harrowing hours, they remain trapped and wounded in the most hostile district of Mogadishu until a rescue convoy can be mounted to retrieve them. Outnumbered and surrounded, tensions flare, friends are lost, alliances are formed and soldiers learn the true nature of war and heroism.