American global superstar Beyoncé officially released the trailer for her highly anticipated visual album, Black Is King, which prominently features Ghanaian dancehall musician Shatta Wale.
The film premiered globally on Disney+ on July 31, 2020, shortly after the one-year anniversary of the release of Disney’s The Lion King remake.
The Project’s Scope
- Inspiration: Beyoncé described Black Is King as a visual album and her “passion project” that serves as a cinematic companion to her 2019 soundtrack, The Lion King: The Gift.
- Theme: The film reimagines the lessons of The Lion King for today’s young kings and queens, celebrating the beauty, richness, and resilience of Black and African ancestry.
- Shatta Wale’s Feature: Shatta Wale is featured in the visual for the standout collaboration “Already” (which also includes Major Lazer), and his image was notably used in promotional trailers for the film.
- African and Global Collaborators: Beyoncé worked with a diverse roster of top talent on the soundtrack and visual project, including:
- African Artists: Shatta Wale (Ghana), Wizkid (Nigeria), Burna Boy (Nigeria), Yemi Alade (Nigeria), Tiwa Savage (Nigeria), Mr Eazi (Nigeria), and Salatiel (Cameroon).
- American Stars: Childish Gambino, Kendrick Lamar, Jay-Z, Jessie Reyez, Pharrell, and her daughter Blue Ivy Carter.
