Entertainment

Beyonce Amazes Fans With New Visual Album “Black is King”

Queen Bey has done it again! Black is King, Beyonce’s visual album reimagining of the Lion King is released today on Disney+. Overview The hour and a half long visual album, Black is King, is Beyonce’s self claimed “passion project” that has been in the works for a year. It is based on the music […]
By Liana Bernstein
No recent image

View this post on Instagram

I typically keep comments short and sweet, but I just watched the trailer with my family and I’m excited. 🎶please don’t get me hype🎶🤪 “Black Is King” is a labor of love. It is my passion project that I have been filming, researching and editing day and night for the past year. I’ve given it my all and now it’s yours. It was originally filmed as a companion piece to “The Lion King: The Gift” soundtrack and meant to celebrate the breadth and beauty of Black ancestry. I could never have imagined that a year later, all the hard work that went into this production would serve a greater purpose. The events of 2020 have made the film’s vision and message even more relevant, as people across the world embark on a historic journey. We are all in search of safety and light. Many of us want change. 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. With this visual album, I wanted to present elements of Black history and African tradition, with a modern twist and a universal message, and what it truly means to find your self-identity and build a legacy. I spent a lot of time exploring and absorbing the lessons of past generations and the rich history of different African customs. While working on this film, there were moments where I’ve felt overwhelmed, like many others on my creative team, but it was important to create a film that instills pride and knowledge. I only hope that from watching, you leave feeling inspired to continue building a legacy that impacts the world in an immeasurable way. I pray that everyone sees the beauty and resilience of our people. This is a story of how the people left MOST BROKEN have EXTRAORDINARY gifts.❤️✊🏾 Thank you to Blitz, Emmanuel, Ibra, Jenn, Pierre, Dikayl, Kwasi and all the brilliant creatives. Thank you to all at Disney for giving this Black woman the opportunity to tell this story. This experience has been an affirmation of a grander purpose. My only goal is that you watch it with your family and that it gives you pride. Love y’all, B

A post shared by Beyoncé (@beyonce) on

Queen Bey has done it again! Black is King, Beyonce’s visual album reimagining of the Lion King is released today on Disney+.

Overview

The hour and a half long visual album, Black is King, is Beyonce’s self claimed “passion project” that has been in the works for a year. It is based on the music from The Lion King: The Gift, which was curated by Beyonce for last year’s remake of the classic tale. The visual album follows the story of a young Black king through life’s intricacies. The album highlights and celebrates Black excellence. Disney+ describes it as “a story of how the people left most broken have an extraordinary gift and purposeful future.” 

The visual album features both well known talent, such as Pharrell Williams, Naomi Campbell and Lupita Nyong’o, as well as unheard of, yet breathtaking, talent. The album contains many of Beyonce’s signature touches, such as themes of female empowerment, motherhood, armies of dancers, fashion, and of course amazing music that carries the whole production. 

How Fans Are Reacting

As detailed in the Disney+ description, “Black is King is a celebratory memoir for the world on the Black experience,” which is why it is already causing such a celebration and landing so well, to say the least,  with viewers. It takes on a whole new meaning after the reemergence of the Black Lives Matter movement and fights against police brutality and racism in the country. Beyonce constantly uses her voice and platform to fight for these social justice issues, and Black is King is no different. 

As always, Beyonce goes above and beyond for this album, leaving Beyhive fans beyond impressed. 

Of course, there are critiques as well. Some suggest that perhaps this wasn’t the most concrete way to help Black lives, proving that not even Beyonce can please everyone.

Regardless of any critiques, Twitter capitalized on the iconic moment and changed their ‘like’ button on the platform for tweets using #BlackIsKing. Fans are loving it. 

But aside from all the positivity and bits of negative reactions, there is another reaction surfacing, and that is thankfulness. Fans are praising and giving thanks to Beyonce and Black is King  for showcasing the beauty that is Black people and culture.

In addition to thankfulness, others were specifically touched by the wide array of diversity featured in the album, especially those often overlooked in the Black community. 

https://twitter.com/lildebbbz/status/1289121712831787008?s=20

With so many upturned emotions from the Black Lives Matter movement in June, Beyonce’s Black is King is the perfect way to keep the celebration of Black lives going.