. 'The Lion King: The Gift' album follows in the footsteps of Kendrick Lamar's "Black Panther" and is a worthy addition to Beyonce's own canon. The representative would not tell Novokshchenova who the project was for, and they asked her to fly out to Los Angeles with all 10 swimmers the next day. They showed Knight choreography to "Already" that they had made a few days prior for a class they were teaching. [45], Beyoncé called Black Is King "my passion project that I have been filming, researching and editing day and night for the past year". You are going to make this. Kinitra Brooks, Endowed Chair in Literary Studies at Michigan State University, described Black Is King as "an aural and visual rendering of Afrofuturistic Blackness in the 21st century", referring to the philosophy and cultural aesthetic that combines science fiction, history and fantasy to encourage black people to recover their heritage in order to create their own futures. [125], As Disney+ is not yet available in Africa, a distribution deal was made with Central and West African television channel Canal+ Afrique and South African media conglomerate MultiChoice Group's channel M-Net to screen Black Is King across Sub-Saharan Africa on August 1, 2020. [81], Hundreds of costumes were designed for Black Is King, including 69 for Beyoncé herself. The Official Website of Beyoncé. Outside, a biker gang arrives and encircles the prince. [111][112], "Bigger" and "Find Your Way Back" were directed by Beyoncé alone, and were filmed in Arroyo Burro Beach and Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes, California. She has earned five Grammy Awards, and featured the Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles "Crazy in Love" and "Baby Boy". Beyonce attending the 57th annual Grammy Awards in February 2015. The ancestor brings the new king and queen their baby ("Spirit"), and the king lifts the baby in the air. As the project continuously grew, she hired a new team of seven people to work on the film. It conveyed the reckless effervescence of our Simba perfectly. [152] Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen of The Sydney Morning Herald agreed, writing that the film "takes the viewer on a dazzling, hyper-real ride through natural landscapes and space-age futures, while incorporating elements of black history and tradition". She then decided to create full-length videos for each song, and her idea later snowballed into a very large production. "Spirit" is a song composed by Beyoncé, IIya Salmanzadeh, and Timothy McKenzie for the 2019 remake of The Lion King. Albums; Songs; Videos; DVDs; Tour Inspiration is not going to fill my bank account, show me the money. Obie concluded: "Just like the art, fashion, locations, musicians and actors who make up Black Is King and The Gift, we are stronger when we see ourselves connected in global struggle and glory. Novokshchenova recalled: "I said, 'You people are crazy!' She also co-wrote and sang "Spirit". [52] A Burberry cowprint top and skirt from the "Already" video were inspired by the Xhosa and Zulu people of South Africa, who use the hide of Nguni cattle in their shields. [33] The outfits of Beyoncé and an entourage of women in the "Mood 4 Eva" sequence was an allusion to the Dahomey Amazons, an all-female military regiment from the Kingdom of Dahomey in present-day Benin, who were considered "one of the most feared military groups known to man". [85] One look in the "Already" video was a 5:31 Jérôme blue Nigerian lace trench dress with an accompanying Nigerian gele, inspired by the fashion of matriarchal women at Nigerian weddings. In 2019, the DWP Academy posted their own choreography for the song after it was first released. We chatted about the magic of @beyonce The creation process. That could not work. [17] Jeremy Helligar of Variety wrote that Black Is King "reminds us that Black lives didn’t begin in chains" and inspires young black people "to learn about the history of their race and the ways in which it has shaped the world". His role then evolved into an on-screen acting role as the "blue man". [140][141] Olivia Harrison of Refinery29 commented: "Leave it to Beyoncé and Disney to be on the cutting edge of digital campaign trends". Nicholls called it "a dream come true, not just for me, not just for those children that were selected, but for all black children". She released her debut album, Dangerously in Love, in 2003, leading her to become a solo artist. [9][49], In July 2019, after the release of the music video for "Spirit", Beyoncé wanted to release more visuals for The Lion King: The Gift. [76][77] Nkiru also asked Selma Nicholls, founder of casting agency Looks Like Me, to cast children for the video. The sequins and crystals in the fashion were lit so that they could sparkle and glimmer to resemble stars. "Brown Skin Girl" (stylized in uppercase) is a song by American singer Beyoncé, Guyanese singer Saint Jhn, and Nigerian singer Wizkid, featuring Blue Ivy Carter from the 2019 album The Lion King: The Gift The song was sent to Top 40/Rhythmic radio on July 23, 2019 as the second single from the album. [151] Niellah Arboine of The Independent said Black Is King shows Beyoncé at her most experimental, with a cinematographic style where "every shot is a piece of art" and music genres that the film "seamlessly jumps through". As he grows up into a man (Nyaniso Dzedze), the prince undergoes a journey of self-identity, using the guidance of his ancestor (Beyoncé), childhood love (Nandi Madida) and his own subconscious (Stephen Ojo) to reclaim his throne. Welcome to The Lion King Wiki, a collaborative database for everything related to the Lion King franchise: films, television series, books, comics, and more. Her storytelling is personal and vivid. The Marine Serre moon print bodysuit that is featured in the film became "the most popular design of 2020", with the brand seeing a 426% increase in searches in the 48 hours after the film's release. "[8], Claire Shaffer of Rolling Stone described Black Is King as "a Pan-African collage", with the film showcasing fashion, music, dances, locations and languages from throughout the African continent and diaspora. [1] [2] [3] Seu lançamento ocorreu em 19 de julho de 2019, por intermédio da Parkwood Entertainment e licenciamento exclusivo da Columbia Records. A Twitter spokesperson said: "Because we know that some of the best moments deserve a little spark and delight, we are testing a product that lets partners customize Twitter's Like button animation with iconic imagery that complements their campaign." [184], Beyoncé received the most nominations at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards with nine nominations, including in Best Music Film for Black Is King and Best Music Video for "Brown Skin Girl". [40] The same day, an accompanying tie-in album titled The Lion King: The Gift was released by Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records. Describing it as "a visual masterpiece" that is "almost overwhelming", Menta praised the many settings and outfits in the film and noted that every detail on screen has meaning. [33] Janell Hobson of Ms. stated that the "Mood 4 Eva" video is a satirical depiction of black regality and an inversion of classic film tropes, with the presence of white male servants acting as a reversal of the roles in films such as Gone With the Wind and The Help,[34] while Melanie McFarland for Salon wrote that a Busby Berkeley-inspired sequence in the video with black synchronized swimmers highlights how black people were excluded from Hollywood's Golden Age. Linda received no credit for his song's inclusion in the film, and neither he nor his descendants were financially compensated. Industry insiders told me the new film from Beyonce signals that Disney Plus is willing to get "elastic" to win the streaming wars – and stay in business with the Queen", "Beyoncé's Black Is King & 9 Other Visual Albums That Redefine Cinema", "The Best Movie Musicals Of All Time Bring More Than a Euphoric Blast of Jazz Hands", "The Best On-Screen Fashion Moments From 2020", "Opinion | It's been a tough year. In the same video, another hairstyle known as Orisha Bunmi can be seen, which is a Nigerian style worn for special events. An extended version of "Black Parade" was used for the film's credits. Spirit is a song composed by Beyoncé Knowles-Carter for the 2019 remake of The Lion King which was digitally released on July 11, 2019 with a physical release on July 19 as part of the film's soundtrack. In 2006, Destiny's Child broke up, leaving Beyoncé to release her second solo album, B'Day, which contained the top-ten singles "Déjà Vu", "Irreplaceable", and "Beautiful Liar". [55] The trailer shows Beyoncé reading from the 1971 book Black Gods and Kings, written by American art-historian Robert Farris Thompson to record the art history of the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria. Together, we work to create the best comprehensive encyclopedia for the Lion King franchise. [126] As part of the deal, Black Is King was aired in countries such as South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Namibia, Cameroon, Liberia, Burundi, Senegal, Togo, Somalia, Benin, Congo, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Gabon, and Cape Verde. [21], The need for diasporic Africans struggling with their identity to gain self-awareness before confronting their oppression is echoed in an excerpt from Uncle Sam, a 2013 poem by student Joshua Abah, that was featured in Black Is King, which reads:[22][23]. Homecoming: The Live Album Skip to Main Content; Music. She started by going into fabric stores, swatching pieces that spoke to her as she listened to the music of The Gift. That was probably the biggest moment of my career as a performer, as a synchronized swimmer, and as a Jamaican. [9] Black Is King was his debut film performance. Issaka also noted that Black Is King is "a testament to the talent and capability of Black artists— who when given the chance, can create phenomenal work. [11] Fordjour noted how the George Floyd protests began after they had completed the final edit, describing how they were "looking at the news and the edit like, "Oh my god, this is insane. [207], Dissect, a podcast known for thoroughly analyzing contemporary music, are dedicating a seven-episode season to analyzing Black Is King, due to be released in January 2021. ", "A Quick Cultural Guide to Beyoncé's 'Black Is King, "5 Takeaways From Beyonce's Elaborate New Visual Album 'Black Is King, "How the directors of Beyoncé's Black Is King created an exercise in modern mythmaking", "Black is King: Is Beyonce fashion's ultimate influencer? [64], Bob Iger, Executive Chairman of The Walt Disney Company, handled talks with Beyoncé to release Black Is King on Disney+. [69] Nigerian dancer and actor Stephen Ojo was also first recruited as a dancer for the "Spirit" music video. One of Beyoncé's hairstyles in "Already" was inspired by the horned heads and lip plates of the Dinka and Mursi peoples, who wear them as symbols of prestige and honour. She showed him pages of picture references of traditional African hairstyles that she had spent time collecting, and they remained there until almost 4 am discussing the hairstyles. In the story of the film, the prince receives guidance and empowerment from his ancestors to recognize his brilliance and ultimately reclaim his throne. A deluxe edition of The Gift was released alongside the film, which includes the song "Black Parade". The Gift is a companion piece to the official Lion King soundtrack, featuring songs inspired by the story and its setting, rather than new interpretations of Circle of Life or Hakuna Matata. [6][16][17] Beyoncé said that Black Is King aims to shift "the global perception of the word 'Black'" and show that "Black is regal and rich in history, in purpose and in lineage",[18] which is achieved in the film by showcasing a wide variety of African music styles, dances, costumes, hairstyles, settings and traditions with the help of African creatives. As others are fleeing, the ancestor decides to place her baby in a basket and put it in the river to save the baby. [162], Dominic Patten of Deadline wrote that with Black Is King, "you have a cultural dominance almost unknown nowadays", with the film being "the conformation of its creator and star as the cultural Queen of our time. I landed on mountains to swim in waterfalls. Beyonce dropped The Lion King: The Gift, an album accompanying the anticipated reboot of the beloved 1994 Disney classic on Friday.The … [110] There were 20 large setups around the mansion and the film crew totaled around 40 people in grip, electric and camera. "[83] Beyoncé commented that "it was important that we worked with African designers" and that the fashion "amplified key themes in the film, such as black opulence and excellence" and "displayed a range of culture and heritage". Beyoncé specified that she did not want to be the point of focus for any shots that included the other artists featured in the video, and instead asked to be on the edge of the frame or integrated into a group. [197] The film's nomination in Best Music Film makes Beyoncé the most nominated artist in this category in Grammy history, with five nominations. Beyonce Knowles at the premiere of the live-action remake of The Lion King in July 2019. "[31], The film addresses and subverts stereotypical depictions of Africans and African Americans. "[27], According to Rading Biko of The Standard, Black Is King "has awaken the spirit of Pan-Africanism", a movement that aims to unite black people in Africa and the diaspora. Men taught me some things, but women taught me a whole lot more. A human chess game takes place in the mansion's ground, reminding the prince of how his father taught him the game, which represented the duality of good and evil. The film's production was top secret, with the public not being aware of the film and some contributors not knowing the scope of the project until the release of the trailer. [171], The "Already" and "Brown Skin Girl" videos contained within the film were named the best and second-best music videos of 2020 (as of August 28), respectively, by Insider. [173] IndieWire named the "Brown Skin Girl" video the sixth best music video of 2020, citing the locations, fashion, and "kinetic motion of the camera in relation to its subjects, subtly panning up, zooming out, or spinning overhead. Anyone can edit our site as long as they work in abidance with our rules. [208], Inspired by Black Is King, the New York Public Library published a guide of various materials (such as literature, documentaries and photographic collections) that "you can use to expand your knowledge of the arts and cultures from across the African Diaspora", building on the film's aim of celebrating the various cultures of the diaspora through art, fashion and music. Beyoncé's 'Lion King' Album Tells a Rich Story - The Atlantic "[74], Beyoncé wanted to find black synchronized swimmers for the "Mood 4 Eva" video and only managed to find a few in the US, including Philicia and Tamar Saunders. Can't wait for yall to experience this", "Beyoncé Shares New Visual Album Black Is King", "How Black Is King Got Its African Lullabies", "How the Creator of 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight' Finally Got His Due In 'Black Is King, "Beyoncé releases deluxe edition of The Lion King: The Gift, shares "Already" video: Watch", "DEETS: M-Net is bringing Beyonce's visual album Black Is King to Africa", "Beyoncé is dropping a new visual album that celebrates black culture. A basket floats down a river. [153] Vanessa Friedman, fashion director and chief fashion critic of The New York Times, commented that the "overwhelming" array of outfits are "dazzling, but also calculated", with all of them existing to serve the vision of Beyoncé and reinforce her messages, while also "reinforcing her position as the ultimate cultural tastemaker". The Lion King: The Gift (frequently referred to as simply The Gift) is a soundtrack album curated by American singer Beyoncé for the 2019 photorealistic animated remake of The Lion King and for Black Is King (2020). Beyoncé is preparing to take fans behind the scenes of the making of "The Lion King: The Gift" in an ABC special called "Beyoncé Presents: Making The Gift." I Just Can't Wait to Be King (2019 soundtrack), The Lion Sleeps Tonight (2019 soundtrack), Can You Feel the Love Tonight (2019 soundtrack), The Lion Guard (Music from the TV Series), https://lionking.fandom.com/wiki/Beyoncé?oldid=286091. The ancestor reminds the prince of his power, and he assembles an army of women to fight his uncle ("My Power"). He now dreams of spending his time partying with girls inside a tricked-out hearse ("Ja Ara E"). [99] African-American Flag was featured in the "Already" video; the piece was created by David Hammons in 1990 to represent the marginalization of African-American artists and is seen as a symbol of black liberation. This is nothing less". [63], The film was written by Beyoncé, poet Yrsa Daley-Ward, writer Clover Hope and Andrew Morrow. It was released digitally on July 11, 2019, and physically on July 19, 2019, as part of the film's soundtrack. [101][116] The video for "Scar" was directed by Pierre Debusschere and was filmed on December 15, 2019 in the Sahara nature reserve in Lommel, Belgium. Ohio State University associate professor Treva Lindsey added that Beyoncé "is allowing her art to speak for itself" and "opening up space for robust conversations". This is nothing less. [88] Farinah added that Black Is King was a great moment to "share the piece of the pie with other Black hairstylists who don’t have this platform to show their creativity and their work". [38] Beyoncé held meetings with the additional directors to decide on the general look and feel for each section. Another of the hairstyles in the same video used Bantu knots to pay respect to the Zulu people, with an ankh symbol in the center to symbolize life as in ancient Egyptian culture. Filming took place in the Eastern Region and Greater Accra Region, with the team wanting to include locations that were underrepresented in depictions of Ghana, such as Shatta Wale's hometown of Nima which was featured in the "Already" video. Lyrically, the song discusses Simba's, the film's main protagonist's return home and is played during that particular scene in the film. The arches were inspired by Alejandro Jodorowsky's 1973 film The Holy Mountain, bringing "the piece into an abstract and modern space". People take inspiration from Africa all the time, but hiring people and providing local people on the ground with opportunities is a whole other thing. [38], On July 19, 2019, The Lion King (a photorealistic computer-animated remake of Disney's traditionally animated 1994 film of the same name) was theatrically released in the United States. Filming locations included, clockwise from top left, the, Black masculinity, femininity and community, cultural elements from the African continent, "Beyoncé Visual Album 'Black Is King' Coming to Disney Plus", "Beyoncé Releases Trailer for 'Black Is King' Visual Album on Disney Plus (Watch)", "Review: Beyoncé's 'Black Is King' reimagines 'The Lion King' as abstract tribute to Black power, beauty and wisdom", "Beyoncé's Search for Home Continues on 'Black Is King, "Beyoncé, the African Diaspora, and the Baptism of 'Black Is King, "Beyoncé's 'Black Is King' is packed with gorgeous visuals, cameos, and pan-African details. "[175], Collider named Black Is King the third best Disney+ film of 2020, describing it as "one of the true pop culture events of 2020" consisting of "moments that celebrate, with incredible choreography and jaw-dropping visuals, the singular power of Blackness". [137], An official trailer for Black Is King was released by Beyoncé on July 19, 2020. [156] Janell Hobson of Ms. agreed, describing Beyoncé as an auteur who orchestrated the music, visuals, fashion, dances and artists "in a grand unifying vision". I Waited a whole year to feel ready but im STILL NOT !! In real life, the prince grows up and moves to the city. Her references are spiritual and learned. One scene was framed with a profile of Beyoncé and her dancers behind her to pay homage to the cover art of Miles Davis' Bitches Brew. She started to create custom looks with local designers, while her counterpart in Paris, Rogelio F. Burgos, started to collect runway looks. And if I can't speak myself, I can't think myself. [47] Beyoncé invested 100% of her earnings from Disney into making sure that they had the best crew and production for the film. When you realize your wildest dream and tell the…, "The Art of 'Black Is King': Beyoncé's New Visual Album Involves Today's Best Artists and Curators", "Beyoncé Secretly Filmed Scenes From Disney+'s "Black Is King" At East Hampton's Guild Hall", "Beyoncé swings from Lee Broom's Hanging Hoop Chair in Black is King album", "Beyoncé's Black Is King unabashedly celebrates the Afrofuture", "Beyoncé's Black Is King Does Everything It Needs To", "Directing the hearse scene for #BlackIsKing was legit a dream. The film received universal acclaim from critics, with praise for Beyoncé's direction, the cinematography, score, costume design, subject matter, and cultural themes. [200] At the 2020 Soul Train Music Awards, "Brown Skin Girl" won Video of the Year, marking her second win in this category out of nine nominations, the most of any artist. [29] According to Brooke Obie of Esquire, this scene signifies "the political and communal unity of all Indigenous people of Africa, throughout the Diaspora". Here's everything you may have missed", "Beyoncé's 'Black Is King' Is This Year's Most Powerful Album About Masculinity", "Papi Ojo Aka "The Blue Man" From Beyoncé's "Black Is King" Revealed The Meaning Behind His Character", "From Beyoncé to the Oscars: Mary Twala, Africa's queen of cinema", "Who is Kwasi Fordjour, Black Is King's co-director? Blackness is bigger than that; in fact, it's transcendent. The album is packed with star-studded names including husband and frequent collaborator Jay-Z, along with others such as … Binge dropping in January", "Inspired By Beyoncé's Black is King: Creativity from Across the African Diaspora", "With a Beyoncé Boost, Marine Serre's Moon Print Becomes the Most Popular Design of 2020", "We're Loving These Hair And Makeup Looks Inspired By 'Black Is King, "Harry Styles, Beyoncé and BTS's RM Are 2020's Most Influential Dressers", "It Took the Beyhive Less Than 24 Hours to Learn the 'My Power' Choreography", I Am... Yours: An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas, Disney's Animated Storybook: The Lion King, Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe, Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Black_Is_King&oldid=995280925, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using columns with the default column width, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, The 27 Most Iconic Pop Culture Moments of 2020, The 50 best movies of the year, according to critics, The Best On-Screen Fashion Moments From 2020, 12 Pop Culture Moments That Made 2020 a Little More Bearable, The 10 Best On-Screen Performances of 2020, 10 Movies That Got Us Through Quarantine This Summer, Folajomi Akinmurele as a young prince, inspired by, Stephen Ojo as the blue man, a representation of the prince's subconscious, Sibusiso Mbeje as the prince's father, inspired by, Connie Chiume as the prince's mother, inspired by, This page was last edited on 20 December 2020, at 04:35.