Beyonce Releases Visual Album, “Black Is King” on Disney
This projects confirms why Mrs. Carter has the title of the honorable Queen Bee. Twenty-four time GRAMMY® Award-winner Beyoncé Knowles-Carter released her new visual album, “Black Is King,” on Disney+ today. Written, directed and executive produced by Beyoncé and produced by her own Parkwood Entertainment and Disney+, the visual album/film reimagines the lessons of “The Lion King” for today’s young kings and queens.
“Black Is King” celebrates Black resilience and culture, and premiered globally including much of the African Continent, including South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Namibia, Cameroon, Liberia, Burundi, Senegal, Togo, Somalia, Benin, Congo, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Gabon, Cape Verde and many more countries through MultiChoice Group’s M-Net and Canal+ Afrique.
“Black Is King” was in production for one year and features an impressive list of diverse voices on its creative team, including directors Emmanuel Adjei (the film Shahmaran), Blitz Bazawule (the film The Burial of Kojo), Pierre Debusschere (“Mine” and “Ghost” videos for Beyoncé), Jenn Nkiru (BLACK TO TECHNO film), Ibra Ake (creative director and producer on “This is America” video for Childish Gambino), Dikayl Rimmasch (CACHAO, UNO MAS film), Jake Nava (“Crazy in Love,” “Single Ladies,” “Partition” videos for Beyoncé) and co-director and longtime collaborator of Beyoncé, Kwasi Fordjour.
The list of additional co-directors and second unit directors adds to the crew’s global representation, including Dafe Oboro, Julian Klincewicz, Derek Milton, Meji Alabi, Joshua Kissi, Alexandre Moors and Deon Van Zyl.
Filmed in various locations, the film’s cinematography captures beautiful people and landscapes across continents, starting in New York, then Los Angeles, South Africa, West Africa, London and Belgium. From all those places came an extraordinary cast of actors and dancers that influenced the film’s rich tableau and vibrant choreography.
Some of the special guests in the film include models Aweng Ade-Chuol and Adut Akech, supermodel Naomi Campbell, Tina Knowles-Lawson, author and Academy Award®-winning actor Lupita Nyong’o, singer Kelly Rowland, Pharrell Williams and JAY-Z, among others. Many artists featured on The Lion King: The Gift album also make appearances.
A celebratory memoir for the world on the black experience, Black Is King includes full-length videos for the songs “Already,” “Brown Skin Girl,” “Mood 4 Eva” and “My Power.”
