A Journey of Self-Discovery in Beyoncé’s "BLACK IS KING"

by nxus Contributor, Germôna Sharp (IG @_germona_)

Beyoncé and Folajomi ‘FJ’ Akinmurele in "Black is King"

There is something to be said about the black culture and its influence on the world. 

There aren’t too many cases where it will be absent from somewhere within your journey of life. Beyoncé took everything that is Black and delivered it to us on a platter full of gorgeous visuals and music that flow through your body with intent. In the beginning of her new visual album Black is King, we are greeted with cut scenes of beautiful landscape and beautiful black faces of young and old. We then pan in to Beyoncé standing on the edge of the ocean (where water meets sand) while holding a baby boy. 

As she walks on the edge of the beach she goes into her song, “Bigger,” and she hypnotizes the listener with her deep velvet tone and we are calmed with images of the beach and astonishing shots of Havasu Falls in Arizona. The scene transitions are my favorite; we can hear the highly recognizable voice of James Earl Jones reciting his famous lines as Mufasa from The Lion King and follow the journey of young Simba, played by Folajomi ‘FJ’ Akinmurele. The young actor does a phenomenal job throughout the visual album, as he ventures to these mesmerizing but sometimes scary places and is forced to come to terms with who he really is. 

This is a great example and metaphor for one’s venture through life and the choices that they encounter during the path. It is also an ode to the original The Lion King, where Simba is cast out by Scar and, in his moment of angst, decides to journey out on his own path of self-discovery. 

As we go deeper into the film they are met with Beyoncé, the narrator. We see her back in her natural state, wearing the cream-colored dress, with nothing but her voice and her soul standing in the desert, guiding us through to the next path of life. 

Beyoncé (center) and the cast of "Black is King"

Besides the music, the visual album is full of fashion and symbolism. The visuals are rich with color and light and gorgeous garments worn by all characters. A transition into “The Nile,” featuring Kendrick Lamar, starts and then we are watching, from a bird’s eye view, men painted in white carrying a casket. Beyoncé, wearing an all-white lace dress, leads the Pallbearers to the front of an all-white room. Then we cut to Beyoncé being carried in a bed of flowers, while white paint covers the lower half of her face. A simple but beautiful symbol of being born again, which is a perfect visual to go with the song. 

We then see a leopard print car riding through the desert on its way to a home, where we see shots of black men and women dripping in the best of African fashions and the “Mood 4 Eva” track begins. As the car pulls up to its destination, we see Jay-Z step out and walk into the home. He spends most of his time roving about the home until it is time for him to recite his verses. 

What stood out to me during this part of the video is the Belly movie reference. Jay-Z and Beyoncé walk into a nightclub with the blue lights emanating throughout the building and they become the center of attention for some time, which is one of the monumental moments in Hype Williams’s Belly, released in 1998 and starring DMX and Nas. 

The late Mary Twala. Picture: Twitter, Mary Twala as Rafiki in "Black is King"

The international, 9-member directing team did an amazing job bringing out the feeling and the message of what every song and transition was meant to convey. There are a few surprises sprinkled in the album as well! We see Blue Ivy, Beyoncé’s daughter, making a few appearances and stars such as Kelly Rowland, Naomi Campbell, and Lupita Nyong'o in the “Brown Skin Girl” video. Legendary South African actress Mary Twala, in her final screen appearance, depicts Rafiki. 

There are also features and cameos from Nigerian singer-songwriter Tiwa Savage, South African vocalist Busiswa, Ghanian singer-songwriter Shatta Wale, South African singer and dancer Moonchild Sanelly, South African photographer and visual artist Trevor Stuurman, American rapper and singer-songwriter Tierra Whack, and so many others. 

At the end of Black is King, Beyoncé is holding the baby boy from the beginning of the film, and she presents him to a couple that just got married. We can safely assume that the journey home has been fulfilled. This visual album is an excellent reimagining of a classic and it was done with a great focus and intention. Beyoncé and her team did a tremendous job of blending the new with the old and not losing the overall theme. 

I implore you to see Black is King if you have not already, and be inspired by the different worlds we travel through to get the answer to an age-old question…Who are you?

Black is King

Based on The Lion King: The Gift

Germôna’s Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

nxus Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Released July 31, 2020

Access the film on Disney+ HERE.

About the Writer: Germôna Sharp (she/her), contributor, is a vocalist and actress from Pittsburgh, PA, currently residing in Raleigh, NC. She has appeared in many different theatre productions in the area and is very excited to be on the Chatham Life & Style team! Instagram: @_germona_Facebook: Germona Sharp