Black Is King
Black Is King is a 2020 American musical film co-written, executive produced, and directed by Beyoncé.[4] It is a visual companion to the 2019 album The Lion King: The Gift, curated by Beyoncé for the film The Lion King (2019).[5]
Black Is King
- Beyoncé
- Emmanuel Adjei
- Blitz Bazawule
- Pierre Debusschere
- Jenn Nkiru
- Ibra Ake
- Dikayl Rimmasch
- Jake Nava
- Beyoncé[1]
- Yrsa Daley-Ward[1]
- Clover Hope[1]
- Andrew Morrow[1]
- Jeremy Sullivan
- Jimi Adesanya
- Blitz Bazawule
- Ben Cooper
- Astrid Edwards
- Durwin Julies
- Yoli Mes
- Dafe Oboro
- Akin Omotoso
- Will Whitney
- Lauren Baker
- Jason Baum
- Alex Chamberlain
- Robert Day
- Christophe Faubert
- Brien Justiniano
- Rethabile Molatela Mothobi
- Sylvia Zakhary
- Nathan Scherrer
- Erinn Williams
- Beyoncé
- Folajomi Akinmurele
- Connie Chiume
- Nyaniso Ntsikelelo Dzedze
- Nandi Madida
- Warren Masemola
- Sibusiso Mbeje
- Fumi Odede
- Stephen Ojo
- Mary Twala
- Ryan Marie Helfant
- Mohammaed Atta Ahmed
- Michael Fernandez
- Danny Hiele
- Nicolai Niermann
- Malik Sayeed
- Santiago Gonzalez
- David Boanuh
- Erik Henriksson
- Laura Merians
- Kenechukwu Obiajulu
- Benoit Soler
- Andrew Morrow
- Maria-Celeste Garrahan
- Haines Hall
- Tom Watson
- James William Blades[1]
- MeLo-X[1]
- Derek Dixie[1]
- July 31, 2020
85 minutes[1]
United States
English
The film tells the story of a young African prince (Folajomi Akinmurele) who is exiled from his kingdom after his father's death. As he grows into a man (Nyaniso Dzedze), he 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. The prince's journey acts as an allegory for the African diaspora's journey of discovering, reclaiming and celebrating their culture and heritage, which is echoed by the inclusion of spoken-word poetry that focuses on the question of black identity.
Black Is King was in production for over a year, across six countries on three continents. Beyoncé wanted to recruit a diverse cast and crew and to provide opportunities for new talent. The music, dances, costumes, hairstyles, and sets were designed to showcase the beauty and richness of the cultures in the African continent and diaspora. The film was released globally on Disney+ on July 31, 2020, and was aired the following day across Sub-Saharan Africa on M-Net and Canal+ Afrique and across the Middle East and North Africa on OSN. An extended version of "Black Parade" was used for the film's credits, and was included in a deluxe edition of The Gift released alongside the film.
The film received praise for Beyoncé's direction, the cinematography, score, costume design, subject matter, and cultural themes. It received six nominations at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, including Best Music Film. "Brown Skin Girl" won the award for Best Music Video, while "Black Parade" won the award for Best R&B Performance. It was Beyoncé's 28th Grammy win, making her the most awarded singer and female artist in Grammy history. The film also won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Costumes for a Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Program at the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards.
Plot[edit]
On a beach in the spiritual plane, a newborn prince is held by his maternal ancestor while she tells him of his significance and purpose ("Bigger"). She performs rituals for the prince and joins other women who are also holding newborns. On the beach, the prince is anointed with white paint by the ancestor, while in a royal palace, he is similarly anointed by an elder. The king gives the young prince a small golden scepter and tells the prince that his ancestors look down on them from the stars and will always be there to guide him ("Find Your Way Back").
The young boy is enticed by a monkey to enter a warehouse. A man with a snake asks the boy who he is, but the boy does not answer. The boy stays in the warehouse, adorns himself with gold, and spends his time gambling while being watched by his ancestor and the blue man ("Don't Jealous Me"). Outside, a biker gang arrives and encircles the prince. The king comes to save him and is killed by a bike. The prince's uncle tells the prince to flee the village, and he takes over the throne ("Scar"). In the spiritual plane, the ancestor leads the king's funeral, while the blue man sits alone ("Nile").
The prince dreams of living a carefree life, driving past his ancestor and the blue man. He lives in an extravagant mansion full of expensive clothes, servants, and feasts ("Mood 4 Eva"). The prince remembers his uncle banging on a drum, causing him to drop the scepter into the water. 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. In real life, the prince grows up and moves to the city. He now dreams of spending his time partying with girls inside a tricked-out hearse ("Ja Ara E"). His driver appears as his uncle, who taunts him with the golden scepter. He stumbles out of the car and wakes up. The prince realizes that pursuing material wealth is unsustainable, and he is encouraged to reclaim his purpose and identity ("Already"). His ancestor tells the prince that he will meet himself at the shore, as the blue man walks into the sea ("Water"). The prince is reunited with his childhood love ("Brown Skin Girl"). The couple gets married ("Keys to the Kingdom"), but he is plagued by self-doubt over his purpose.
In another time, a sandstorm arrives ("Otherside"). As others are fleeing, the ancestor decides to place her baby in a basket and put it in the river to save the baby. As the basket flows down the river, it reaches a waterfall. In the spiritual plane, the ancestor is reunited with her baby.
The ancestor tells the prince to return to the river, in which he finds the scepter. He is reunited with the elder, who anoints him again with white paint, and he floats upwards into the spiritual plane. The prince reunites with his father and breaks down in front of him. The ancestor reminds the prince of his power, and he assembles an army of women to fight his uncle ("My Power"). They chase him out of the kingdom, and the prince reclaims his throne. The ancestor brings the new king and queen their baby ("Spirit"), and the baby is anointed.
Themes and analysis[edit]
Black identity and black pride[edit]
The storyline of the prince's journey of self-discovery in Black Is King acts as an allegory for the African diaspora's journey of self-discovery, with the film acting as a clarion call to the diaspora to reclaim their identity through black pride.[11][12] The story of how the prince is exiled from his homeland to an alien world acts a parallel to the story of how Africans were forcibly removed from the continent and taken to the United States as slaves. As the prince grows up, he is plagued by the question of his identity, reflecting African Americans' continued struggle with their identity. Colonialism, slavery and the oppression of black people has severed their connection to their heritage and has caused even black people themselves to think of their culture as corrupt or worthless, in the same way the prince was led to believe that he is undeserving of the role that was his birthright.[13][14][15]
With Black Is King, Beyoncé is providing a solution for this. In the story of the film, the prince receives guidance and empowerment from his ancestors to recognize his brilliance and ultimately reclaim his throne. Similarly, with the film, Beyoncé is empowering the African diaspora to connect with their heritage, celebrate their culture and recognize their self-worth.[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.[19][20]
Taylor Crumpton for The Ringer posited that Black Is King therefore sends a message to the African diaspora that in order for them to "disinvest from established power dynamics" and "exist outside the constraints of white supremacy", they must undertake an internal journey to discover and celebrate the rich identity and heritage that was lost to them.[6] Candice Frederick for The Guardian added that Beyoncé showing that "Black power comes from within and is our cultural birthright [and] not something that is granted to us by someone else" is a "hard realization", as the current narrative is centered on "how a system built by other people has failed us and what we need from them to be successful".[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]
Background[edit]
On July 19, 2019, The Lion King (a photorealistic animated remake of Disney's traditionally animated 1994 film of the same name) was theatrically released in the United States.[39] The same day, an accompanying tie-in album titled The Lion King: The Gift was released by Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records.[40] The Gift was curated and produced by Beyoncé, who described the album as "a love letter to Africa" and recounted her determination to find "the best talent from Africa, and not just use some of the sounds and [do] my interpretation of it".[41]
Beyoncé explained that she believes The Gift "is the first soundtrack where it becomes visual in your mind".[41] Beyoncé added: "I wanted to put everyone on their own journey to link the storyline. Each song was written to reflect the film's storytelling that gives the listener a chance to imagine their own imagery, while listening to a new contemporary interpretation."[42]
On June 19, 2020, Beyoncé released the single "Black Parade", in celebration of the Juneteenth holiday which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.[43] Raisa Bruner of Time called the song "a tour-de-force of references: to black history, to African traditions, to her own family and past" and described Beyoncé as "the queen of a generation providing guidance and assembling her listeners with black solidarity".[44]
Marketing[edit]
On the night of June 27, 2020, a teaser trailer for Black Is King was posted on Beyoncé's website, the first official announcement of the film to the public. The teaser was then premiered on television a day later on June 28, to conclude the BET Awards after Beyoncé's acceptance speech for the BET Humanitarian Award.[56][127] It was then subsequently released across various platforms by Beyoncé's entertainment and management company Parkwood Entertainment in association with Disney.[128] Bob Iger, Executive Chairman of The Walt Disney Company, said he was "honored to be working with Beyoncé [on] this" upon sharing the teaser on Twitter.[129] The surprise release of the teaser caused "Twitter [to go] bonkers", according to USA Today,[56] and it subsequently received praise from fans and critics alike for its imagery and symbolism.[130][66]
An official trailer for Black Is King was released by Beyoncé on July 19, 2020. Some of the members of the cast and crew were subsequently announced.[131] The trailer was similarly praised by critics, with Jasmine Ting for Paper declaring the film "[a] colorful cinematic masterpiece" with "out-of-this-world visuals" that mix "traditional cultural elements from the African continent" with "modern-day African-American culture".[132]
For the film's release, Twitter implemented a new feature that showed an animated symbol of two golden lions featured in The Gift's album cover and in Black Is King (instead of the usual heart symbol) whenever a user liked a tweet containing the hashtag #BlackIsKing. 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." The feature was well received by Twitter users and has led to several other brands implementing similar features, including Apple, NASA and the NBA.[133][134] Olivia Harrison of Refinery29 commented: "Leave it to Beyoncé and Disney to be on the cutting edge of digital campaign trends".[133]
Ben Sisario of The New York Times wrote that the minimal marketing for Black Is King "reflects one of Beyoncé's great talents — stoking public conversation with her art, while explaining very little about it". 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".[135]
Release[edit]
Black Is King was released globally on July 31, 2020, on Disney+.[136] On the film's release date, the official music video for "Already" was released, as well as a deluxe edition of The Gift which includes both the original and extended versions of "Black Parade" and a remix of "Find Your Way Back" by MeLo-X.[137]
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. For the film's premiere, the MultiChoice Group opened M-Net for all DStv customers.[138] 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.[139] Additionally, Emirati television network OSN screened Black Is King throughout the Middle East and North Africa region.[140]
Upon release, Black Is King went straight to number one on the Disney+ Trending chart for the week ending August 2, 2020.[141] Black Is King was one of the 15 most streamed films of 2020.[142] According to Twitter's "Twitter From Home" report, Black Is King was the second most tweeted about movie from March to September in the United States, with Black Panther in first place.[143] Black Is King's release was also one of the eight most talked-about moments on Instagram of 2020.[144]
Reception[edit]
Critical response[edit]
Black Is King received praise for its visuals, direction, music, themes, and cultural relevance.[145][146] Several publications declared Black Is King as Beyoncé's magnum opus, including GQ,[147] Vogue,[148] de Volkskrant,[149] Harper's Bazaar,[150] Glamour,[151] and The Root.[152] The Africa Report was critical, quoting a number of scholars saying that the film romanticised capitalism and ignored the complexity of modern Africa. Beyoncé was accused of cultural appropriation.[153] On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes the film holds an approval rating of 94% based on 65 reviews, with an average rating of 8.2/10. The website's critical consensus states: "Beyoncé is King."[154] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating to reviews, the film has a weighted average score of 84 out of 100, based on 19 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[146]
English film critic Mark Kermode, in an episode of Mark Kermode's Secrets of Cinema, characterized Black Is King as a "perfect union of film and popular music", describing it as a "lavish... immersive and eclectic experience" that perfectly captured the zeitgeist of 2020.[155] Writing for Decider, Anna Menta called Black Is King "an undeniably breathtaking, personal, and political work of art". 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 had meaning.[156] 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". Arboine also praised how the film showcases a diverse range of elements that constitute blackness, such as black debutante balls, London council estates and durags.[13] Odie Henderson of RogerEbert.com described the film as a "jaw-dropping visual achievement", applauding the cinematographers who provided a wide variety of "stunning visuals" that cohere as a whole.[157] 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".[158] 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".[107]
Okla Jones of Consequence of Sound praised Beyoncé's direction and attention to detail, noting how the colors, settings, outfits and music in each scene match the emotional state of the protagonist in his journey.[159] Nathan Weinbender of Inlander praised Beyoncé's unique filmmaking style as one which fuses together mystic, surrealist and African cinematic influences. Weinbender concluded: "She's in complete control of every element here, confidently so, and the texture and warmth she brings to this project suggests it should stay that way."[160] Janell Hobson of Ms. described Beyoncé as an auteur who orchestrated the music, visuals, fashion, dances and artists "in a grand unifying vision".[33] Steve Rose of The Guardian stated that "Beyoncé is emerging as a major figure in cinema", adding that "it's safe to say that Beyoncé is... one of the most significant film-makers" on the planet.[161]
Chanté Joseph of The Guardian praised the film's messages of black unity and empowerment, describing how the film is storytelling led by African creatives showcasing African cultures that also speaks to black people in the diaspora searching for their identity.[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".[162] Writing for Glamour, Candace McDuffie explained how the message of the film is much deeper than a simple retelling of The Lion King, with the film showcasing "the dynamic nature of Blackness" to the world.[163] In a review for NPR, Eric Deggans said that "there's a lot of profundity" in the dialogue of the film, adding that it is clear Beyoncé put a lot of thought into the project and how it could make a significant impact.[164] Sukriti Wahi of Elle Australia praised the inclusion of non-black people of color who have experienced colorism in the film, such as South Asian model Sheerah Ravindren, as well as the showcasing of black fashion designers.[165] Cydney Henderson of USA Today praised how the film highlights African music genres and dance styles and "raw, untapped talent from performers around the world".[166] Characterizing the film as laughable, Armond White of the National Review described Beyoncé as a "curvy fetish object" who is "promoting racial division" in an attempt to ease the "fragile egos" of black people.[167] In a review for Hyperallergic, Jourdain Searles wrote that the film aims to provide representation and "cultural balm" to black people, adding that it feels like the film is tailored more towards black Americans than the wider diaspora.[168]
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."[169] Writing for Vogue, Hayley Maitland opined that Beyoncé is "shifting the zeitgeist" with Black Is King, noting that the film's release feels especially timely after the resurgence of Black Lives Matter.[170] Matt Donnelly of Variety wrote that "Beyoncé is pushing the boundaries of what many have come to expect from the Disney machine" with Black Is King being "the boldest brand statement ever from Disney" as Disney's most direct engagement with current discussions on racism.[171][172]
Year-end and all-time lists[edit]
The Chicago Tribune named Black Is King one of the 50 best movies directed by a person of color.[173] Esquire named the film one of the 12 best movie musicals of all time.[174] Screen Rant ranked the film at number one on its list of the visual albums that have redefined cinema.[175]
NET-A-PORTER ranked Black Is King at number one on its list of the best on-screen fashion moments of 2020, with Katie Berrington describing the film as "a sartorial spectacle of fashion's emerging and established talent".[176] Christine Emba of The Washington Post selected the Black Is King soundtrack as the piece of culture that had the biggest impact on her in 2020, explaining that it "functioned as the most buoyant retort to the summer's narrative of pain". Emba wrote: "Each Afrobeats-inflected track was a reminder that to be Black is not all sadness and struggle: Blackness is also joyful, audacious, unique, creative and proud. The album reminded me that America's tortured relationship with race was only one part of an international experience, not the whole of it. Blackness is bigger than that; in fact, it's transcendent."[177] Entertainment Tonight named Black Is King one of the biggest stories of 2020, describing it as a film that "beautifully celebrates African cultures and roots" and which showcases Beyoncé's attention to detail, citing the "jaw-dropping looks that perfectly encapsulated the visual album's theme of afrofuturism".[178]
The "Already" and "Brown Skin Girl" videos contained within the film were named the best and second-best music videos of 2020, respectively, by Insider.[179] Pitchfork, named "Already" one of the 20 best music videos of 2020, writing: "With the release of her sprawling Disney+ film Black Is King this summer, Beyoncé proved that she remains on the cutting edge of music visuals. Her choreography is emotional and athletic. Her storytelling is personal and vivid. Her references are spiritual and learned."[180] Videos from the film were also listed as some of the best music videos of 2020 by publications such as Vulture,[181] IndieWire,[182] Idolator,[183] USA Today,[184] Vogue,[185] Crack Magazine,[186] Complex,[187] and Slant.[188]
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".[189] Several other publications included Black Is King in their lists of the best Disney+ films, including Rolling Stone,[190] The Daily Telegraph,[191] Radio Times,[192] Time Out,[193] Entertainment Tonight,[194] CNET,[195] Stylist,[196] and Digital Trends.[197]
Impact[edit]
Commercial and fashion influence[edit]
At The Walt Disney Company Q3 2020 earnings call, CEO Bob Chapek announced that Disney+ reached its five-year subscriber goal in eight months, crediting Black Is King for an increase of approximately 3 million subscribers.[246] Chapek described how Black Is King is "being widely celebrated for its diverse cast, stunning artistry and inspiring interpretation of the Black experience", adding that it clearly shows "the power of the Disney+ platform for premiering world-class content".[255]
Many of the designers Beyoncé and her dancers wore in Black Is King saw triple-digit spikes in search traffic after the film's release. 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.[256] After Mia Vesper's designs were featured in the film, she rapidly developed a large customer base, including celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Billie Eilish, Lena Waithe, and Machine Gun Kelly.[257] Steff Yotka of Vogue wrote that "Black Is King was the digital fashion event of the summer, upstaging official fashion weeks by aligning garments with history, celebrity, purpose, and unparalleled beauty".[258] Beyoncé's fashion in the film made her become the most influential woman in fashion in 2020.[259] The film also helped raise awareness of African fashion worldwide.[260] The film kicked off hair and makeup trends, with stylists and artists around the world creating looks inspired by those in Black Is King.[261]
The Victoria & Albert Museum featured a dress worn by Beyoncé in Black Is King in its permanent exhibition. The dress is one of the first of the V&A Museum's acquisitions for its new site in East London.[262] An exhibition in the African American Museum titled "Hair Story", artist Youveline Joseph produced artworks inspired by Black Is King that recreated some of the braided hairstyles from the film.[263]
Scholarly research[edit]
Universities have offered programming that involves studying Black Is King. Harvard University offered a program inspired by the film titled "Black Is Queen: The Divine Feminine in Kush". The course will use songs from the film to explore the high status of women in the Nubian Kingdom of Kush and "how ancient Africans of the Nile Valley understood female power and presence".[264][265] New York University hosted an event titled "The Making and Unpacking of Beyoncé's Black Is King", sponsored by the Center for Black Visual Culture/Institute of African American Affairs-NYU and the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music and Department of Photography & Imaging at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. The event discussed "the creative process and cultural impact of this diasporic project" and featured guests including Assistant Curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art Rujeko Hockley, musician and scholar Jason King, ethnomusicologist Fredara Mareva Hadley, Center for Black Visual Culture program director Joan Morgan, and the film's contributors Kwasi Fordjour, Melo-X and Clover Hope.[266]
Dissect, a podcast that takes an academic approach to analyze culturally impactful albums, dedicated a seven-episode season to Black Is King. The hosts conduct an in-depth exploration of the historical references, African symbolism, and lyrical metaphors within the film.[152]
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.[267]
Popular culture[edit]
A TikTok and social media trend titled "#MyPowerChallenge" was created after the film's release, whereby participants recreate the dance from the "My Power" video in Black Is King.[268]
American rapper Yung Baby Tate cited Black Is King as a "very big inspiration" for the concept and editing of the music video for her 2021 single "I Am".[269] In December 2020, British singer-songwriter James Blake released a cover of "Otherside" from Black Is King, adapted as "When We're Older" with some new lyrics.[270]