Watch Beyoncé's Stunning Visual Album 'Black is King' on Disney+
Beyoncé has also released a deluxe version of her The Gift album.
Beyoncé has officially released her visual album Black is King on Disney+. The visual album, which is an hour and a half, has been described as a "celebratory memoir for the world on the black experience."
Black is King is an accompanying project to the The Lion King: The Gift album from last year and includes full-length videos for tracks like "My Power," "Brown Skin Girl," "Mood 4 Eva" and "Already."
Beyoncé herself directed and executive produced the film, which was shot all over the world, from New York and Loa Angeles to South Africa and West Africa. The film features appearances from JAY-Z, Pharrell Williams, Lupita Nyong'o, Kelly Rowland, and more. Beyoncé also worked with numerous artists and creatives from the diaspora. The list of directors, alone, who contributed are staggering, from Emmanuel Adjei to Blitz Bazawule to Jenn Nkiru.
When she released the trailer for the album, Beyoncé provided an in-depth explanation of what she was trying to do with the project. On her Instagram 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 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."
Along with the release of the movie, Beyoncé dropped a stand-alone video for "Already," featuring Shatta Wale and Major Lazer.
Beyoncé also released a deluxe version of her The Lion King: The Gift album This new version features “BLACK PARADE” and a remix of “Find Your Way Back.”
Black is King, of course, is not the singer's first run at an audiovisual project. In 2016, Beyoncé surprise-released the hit album, Lemonade, anchored by a film of shorts cut to each song. It premiered on HBO and featured cameos from Chloe x Halle, Zendaya, Serena Williams, and more.
This story was updated on July 31st.