Beyonce's 'passion project' 'Black Is King' releases first trailer; watch

The first trailer of Beyonce’s passion project, Black is King was released on Sunday. The 24-time Grammy Award winner had previously revealed that the project started off as a companion piece to The Lion King: The Gift soundtrack. Just two weeks after the first anniversary of Disney’s live-action film The Lion King was released, the visual album Black is King is set to air on Disney Plus on July 31, 2020. In The Lion King, Beyoncé was seen narrating for the role of Nala. For the vision album, she will be seen curating and executively producing the soundtrack.

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Black is King trailer

In the trailer, Beyonce can be heard talking about the human race and the 'uniqueness' of it. She said, “You, who were formed by the heat of the galaxy. What a thing to be, both unique and familiar. To be one and the same and still like any other.” In one part of the trailer, the words, “You can’t wear a crown with your head down” can also be heard. Along with Beyoncé, the film also stars her daughter and her husband Blue Ivy Carter and Jay-Z, along with Childish Gambino, Pharrell Williams, Kendrick Lamar, Tierra Whack, 070 Shake, Jessie Reyez, amongst others.

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Beyonce herself had termed the project as ‘a labor of love’. She had revealed that the project which was once just a part of The Lion King legacy has turned out to be much more than that after reflecting on the events of 2020. Beyonce stated that after the death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement, she found it to be much more relevant in today’s time. In Black is King, she promises to narrate the real history, which goes beyond the textbook knowledge of the community.

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She wrote, “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 a 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.” [sic]

Beyonce revealed that she had been working on bringing the film to life from the past year. Talking about the aim of the film, Black Is King, she stated that she wanted to showcase the richness of history with a modern twist. She wrote, “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.” [sic] She also called the experience of the film, ‘affirmation of a grander purpose’.

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