Beyoncé has released her visual album ‘Black Is King’.
The ‘Crazy in Love’ hitmaker has dropped the extensive project based on the soundtrack LP (‘The Lion King: The Gift’) she produced for the 2019 remake of ‘The Lion King’ in which she voiced Nala – via Disney+.
The 38-year-old singer executive produced, wrote and directed the release which puts “the voyages of Black families, throughout time” in the spotlight and follows “a young king’s transcendent journey through betrayal, love and self-identity”.
Beyonce previously explained on Instagram: “The events of 2020 have made the film’s vision and message even more relevant.
“I believe that when Black people tell our own stories, we can shift the axis of the world and tell our REAL history of generational wealth and richness of soul that are not told in our history books.”
The LP features the likes of Childish Gambino, Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell, and Beyonce’s husband Jay-Z and their eight-year-old daughter Blue Ivy Carter.
Plus, Wizkid, Shatta Wale, Burna Boy, Mr Eazi, Tiwa Savage, Tekno, Yemi Alade, Busiswa and Salatiel. The video to the track ‘Already’ featuring Ghanaian star Shatta Wale and Major Lazer was released on the 31st of July 2020. A few days after its release it has garnered over 7 million views on YouTube.
Model Naomi Campbell, Beyoncé’s mother Tina Knowles-Lawson, Academy Award-winner Lupita Nyong’o and her Destiny’s Child bandmate Kelly Rowland also feature in the film.
The accompanying film is 85-minutes long and features skits, music and choreography filmed in New York, Los Angeles, South Africa, West Africa, Belgium and London.
The star’s production firm, Parkwood Entertainment, described ‘Black Is King’ as “a celebratory memoir for the world on the black experience”.
In the lead up to the release, the ‘Love On Top’ singer shared the music video for the album’s track ‘Already’, a collaboration with Ghanian artist Shatta Wale and Major Lazer.
It comes after Beyoncé dropped a surprise song to celebrate Juneteenth.
The singer released the track ‘Black Parade’, which is featured on ‘Black Is King’, on Tidal for the holiday last month, which celebrates the emancipation of those who had been enslaved in the United States.
She wrote on Instagram at the time: “Happy Juneteenth Weekend! I hope we continue to share joy and celebrate each other, even in the midst of struggle. Please continue to remember our beauty, strength and power.
“‘BLACK PARADE’ celebrates you, your voice and your joy and will benefit Black-owned small businesses. Click the link in my bio to learn more.”
The song’s release came as Beyoncé released the ‘Black Parade Route’, a directory of black-owned businesses.
She wrote: “BLACK PARADE ROUTE. Happy Juneteenth. Being Black is your activism. Black excellence is a form of protest. Black joy is your right. ‘Black Parade’ benefits BeyGOOD’s Black Business Impact Fund, administered by the National Urban League, to support Black-owned small businesses in need.”
‘Black Is King’ is out now via Disney+, watch the trailer below.
