The Lion King: The Gift (frequently referred to as simply The Gift) is a soundtrack album curated by Beyoncé for the 2019 photorealistic animated remake of Disney's movie The Lion King and for Black is King (2020). The standard edition was released on July 19, 2019, and the deluxe on July 31, 2020, by Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records.
The album was produced by Beyoncé and features African artists such as Wizkid, Shatta Wale, Burna Boy, Mr Eazi, Tiwa Savage, Tekno, Yemi Alade, Busiswa, Moonchild Sanelly and Salatiel, as well as appearances from Jay-Z, Blue Ivy Carter, Childish Gambino, Pharrell Williams, Kendrick Lamar, Tierra Whack, 070 Shake, and Jessie Reyez, among others.
Background and release[]
On July 9, 2019, it was revealed that Beyoncé produced and curated an album titled The Lion King: The Gift, which features new songs inspired by the film, as well as "Spirit" from the soundtrack. Beyoncé called the album "Sonic Cinema" and said that the film "Is a new experience of storytelling", and that the album "Is influenced by everything from R&B, pop, hip hop and afrobeats".
Beyoncé also said that "[She] wanted to put everyone on their own journey to link the storyline" and that the songs were inspired by the remake's storyline, which "Gives the listener a chance to imagine their own imagery, while listening to a new contemporary interpretation". The songs were also produced by African producers, which Beyoncé said was because "Authenticity and heart were important to [her]", since the film is set in Africa.
The tracklist was revealed through Beyoncé's official website on July 16, 2019. On September 16, 2019, Beyoncé released a behind-the-scenes TV special, titled Beyoncé Presents: Making the Gift, documenting the album's creation and her journey through Africa, shot in Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, and United States. The documentary was aired on ABC. It was written, directed and produced by Beyoncé alongside co-director Ed Burke, with executive producers Steve Pamon and Erinn Williams.
Black is King[]
Black is King, A musical film and visual album based on the music of The Gift, was released on July 31, 2020, on Disney+. The film – directed, written, and executive produced by Beyoncé – tells the story of a young African prince who is exiled from his kingdom after the death of his father. As he grows up into a man, the prince undergoes a journey of self-identity, using the guidance of his ancestor, childhood love and his own subconscious to reclaim his throne. The prince's journey acts as an allegory for the African diaspora's journey of discovering, reclaiming and celebrating their culture and heritage, which is echoed by the inclusion of spoken-word poetry in the film that focuses on the question of black identity.
Black Is King was in production for over a year and was filmed across three continents. Beyoncé wanted to recruit a diverse cast and crew and to provide opportunities for new talent. The film's music, dances, costumes, hairstyles and sets were designed to showcase the beauty and richness of the cultures in the African continent and diaspora.
The film received universal acclaim from critics, with praise for Beyoncé's direction, the cinematography, score, costume design, subject matter, and cultural themes. At the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, Black is King was nominated for Best Music Film, while the "Brown Skin Girl" video was nominated for Best Music Video.
Singles[]
- Spirit was released as the lead single on July 10, 2019.
- Brown Skin Girl was released as the second single on July 23, 2019.
- Black Parade was released as the third and final single on June 19, 2020.
.jpg "Spirit (Single Artwork).jpg (3.71 MB)")
.jpg "Beyoncé - The Lion King The Gift (Album Artwork).jpg (3.79 MB)")
Track listing[]
}}| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Balance (Mufasa Interlude)" | Derek Dixie · Beyoncé · Jeff Nathanson | Derek Dixie · Knowles-Carter | 0:43 | ||||||
| 2. | "Bigger" (featuring RAYE) | Knowles-Carter · Richard Lawson · Derek Dixie · Stacy Barthe · Worldwide Fresh · RAYE | Knowles-Carter · Derek Dixie | 3:46 | ||||||
| 3. | "The Stars (Mufasa Interlude)" | Derek Dixie · Knowles-Carter · Jeff Nathanson | Knowles-Carter · Derek Dixie | 0:46 | ||||||
| 4. | "Find Your Way Back" | Sarz · Knowles-Carter · Bankulli · Bubele Booi · Magwenzi · Starrah | Knowles-Carter · Bubele Booi · Magwenzi · The Imports | 2:42 | ||||||
| 5. | "Uncle Scar (Scar Interlude)" | Derek Dixie · Knowles-Carter · Jeff Nathanson | Knowles-Carter · Derek Dixie | 0:13 | ||||||
| 6. | "Don't Jealous Me" | Earlly Mac · Yemi Alade · Tekno · Mr Eazi · Ari PenSmith · Knowles-Carter · Lord Afrixana | Knowles-Carter · P2J | 2:35 | ||||||
| 7. | "Danger (Young Simba & Young Nala Interlude)" | Derek Dixie · Knowles-Carter · Jeff Nathanson | Knowles-Carter · Derek Dixie | 0:16 | ||||||
| 8. | "Ja Ara E" | Knowles-Carter · P2J · Burna Boy | Knowles-Carter · P2J | 3:10 | ||||||
| 9. | "Run Away (Scar & Young Simba Interlude)" | Derek Dixie · Knowles-Carter · Jeff Nathanson | Knowles-Carter · Derek Dixie | 0:29 | ||||||
| 10. | "Nile" | NOVA WAV · Keanu Beats · Sounwave · Brittany Coney · Knowles-Carter · Baby Keem · Blu June · Kendrick Lamar · Johnny Kosich | Johnny Kosich · Knowles-Carter · Keanu Beats · Baby Keem · Sounwave | 1:47 | ||||||
| 11. | "New Lesson (Timon, Pumbaa & Young Simba Interlude)" | Derek Dixie · Knowles-Carter · Jeff Nathanson | Knowles-Carter · Derek Dixie | 0:53 | ||||||
| 12. | "Mood 4 Eva" | NOVA WAV · Teo Halm · Michael Uzowuru · Jeff Kleinman · DJ Khaled · Danja · Ant Clemons · Oumou Sangaré · Knowles-Carter · JAY-Z · ANATII · Brittany Coney · Blu June · Childish Gambino | Danja · Knowles-Carter · DJ Khaled · Teo Halm · Michael Uzowuru · Jeff Kleinman | 4:32 | ||||||
| 13. | "Reunited (Nala & Simba Interlude)" | Derek Dixie · Knowles-Carter · Jeff Nathanson | Knowles-Carter · Derek Dixie | 0:09 | ||||||
| 14. | "Water" | P2J · Pharrell Williams · AoD · Knowles-Carter · Nija · Nana The Writer · Lord Afrixana | Knowles-Carter · P2J | 2:32 | ||||||
| 15. | "Brown Skin Girl" | SAINt JHN · Knowles-Carter · Blue Ivy Carter · Bipolar Sunshine · Stacy Barthe · Michael Uzowuru · JAY-Z · ANATII | Knowles-Carter · P2J | 4:08 | ||||||
| 16. | "Come Home (Nala Interlude)" | Derek Dixie · Knowles-Carter · Jeff Nathanson | Knowles-Carter · Derek Dixie | 0:14 | ||||||
| 17. | "Keys to the Kingdom" | Mr Eazi · P2J · Guilty Beatz · Tiwa Savage · Derek Dixie · Rickie Tice · Kaydence · Gerald White · Rich King · Knowles-Carter · Ari PenSmith · Worldwide Fresh | NorthBoi · Knowles-Carter | 3:18 | ||||||
| 18. | "Follow Me (Rafiki Interlude)" | Derek Dixie · Knowles-Carter · Jeff Nathanson | Knowles-Carter · Derek Dixie | 0:31 | ||||||
| 19. | "Already" | Smooky MarGielaa · Clément Picard · Maxime Picard · Guilty Beatz · Diplo · Knowles-Carter · Shatta Wale · Starrah | Picard Brothers · Knowles-Carter · Diplo | 3:42 | ||||||
| 20. | "Remember (Mufasa Interlude)" | Derek Dixie · Knowles-Carter · Jeff Nathanson | Knowles-Carter · Derek Dixie | 0:45 | ||||||
| 21. | "Otherside" | Dave Rosser · Knowles-Carter · Syd · Nicky Davey · Bankulli | Knowles-Carter · Nicky Davey | 3:39 | ||||||
| 22. | "War (Nala Interlude)" | Derek Dixie · Knowles-Carter · Jeff Nathanson | Knowles-Carter · Derek Dixie | 0:18 | ||||||
| 23. | "My Power" | Blu June · Brittany Coney · Tierra Whack · Knowles-Carter · NOVA WAV · Moonchild Sanelly · Nija · Yemi Alade · Busiswa · DJ Lag | Knowles-Carter · DJ Lag | 4:19 | ||||||
| 24. | "Surrender (Simba & Scar Interlude)" | Derek Dixie · Knowles-Carter · P2J · Jeff Nathanson | P2J · Knowles-Carter · Derek Dixie | 0:14 | ||||||
| 25. | "Scar" | Knowles-Carter · Ari PenSmith · P2J · Tim Suby · Dave Hamelin · Jessie Reyez · 070 Shake | Teo Halm · Dave Hamelin · Knowles-Carter · Tim Suby · P2J | 3:06 | ||||||
| 26. | "I'm Home (Mufasa, Sarabi & Simba Interlude)" | Derek Dixie · Knowles-Carter · Jeff Nathanson | Knowles-Carter · Derek Dixie | 0:43 | ||||||
| 27. | "Spirit" | Knowles-Carter · ILYA · Labrinth | ILYA · Knowles-Carter · Labrinth | 4:33 | ||||||
Total length: |
54:00 | |||||||||
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Bigger" (featuring RAYE) | Knowles-Carter · Richard Lawson · Derek Dixie · Stacy Barthe · Worldwide Fresh · RAYE | Knowles-Carter · Derek Dixie | 3:46 | ||||||
| 2. | "Find Your Way Back" | Sarz · Knowles-Carter · Bankulli · Bubele Booi · Magwenzi · Starrah | Knowles-Carter · Bubele Booi · Magwenzi · The Imports | 2:42 | ||||||
| 3. | "Don't Jealous Me" | Knowles-Carter · P2J | 2:36 | |||||||
| 4. | "Ja Ara E" | Knowles-Carter · P2J · Burna Boy | Knowles-Carter · P2J | 3:10 | ||||||
| 5. | "Nile" | NOVA WAV · Keanu Beats · Sounwave · Brittany Coney · Knowles-Carter · Baby Keem · Blu June · Kendrick Lamar · Johnny Kosich | Johnny Kosich · Knowles-Carter · Keanu Beats · Baby Keem · Sounwave | 1:47 | ||||||
| 6. | "Mood 4 Eva" | NOVA WAV · Teo Halm · Michael Uzowuru · Jeff Kleinman · DJ Khaled · Danja · Ant Clemons · Oumou Sangaré · Knowles-Carter · JAY-Z · ANATII · Brittany Coney · Blu June · Childish Gambino | Danja · Knowles-Carter · DJ Khaled · Teo Halm · Michael Uzowuru · Jeff Kleinman | 4:32 | ||||||
| 7. | "Water" | P2J · Pharrell Williams · AoD · Knowles-Carter · Nija · Nana The Writer · Lord Afrixana | Knowles-Carter · P2J | 2:33 | ||||||
| 8. | "Brown Skin Girl" | SAINt JHN · Knowles-Carter · Blue Ivy Carter · Bipolar Sunshine · Stacy Barthe · Michael Uzowuru · JAY-Z · ANATII | Knowles-Carter · P2J | 4:08 | ||||||
| 9. | "Keys to the Kingdom" | Mr Eazi · P2J · Guilty Beatz · Tiwa Savage · Derek Dixie · Rickie Tice · Kaydence · Gerald White · Rich King · Knowles-Carter · Ari PenSmith · Worldwide Fresh | NorthBoi · Knowles-Carter | 3:19 | ||||||
| 10. | "Already" | Smooky MarGielaa · Clément Picard · Maxime Picard · Guilty Beatz · Diplo · Knowles-Carter · Shatta Wale · Starrah | Picard Brothers · Knowles-Carter · Diplo | 3:43 | ||||||
| 11. | "Otherside" | Dave Rosser · Knowles-Carter · Syd · Nicky Davey · Bankulli | Knowles-Carter · Nicky Davey | 3:40 | ||||||
| 12. | "My Power" | Blu June · Brittany Coney · Tierra Whack · Knowles-Carter · NOVA WAV · Moonchild Sanelly · Nija · Yemi Alade · Busiswa · DJ Lag | Knowles-Carter · DJ Lag | 4:20 | ||||||
| 13. | "Scar" | Knowles-Carter · Ari PenSmith · P2J · Tim Suby · Dave Hamelin · Jessie Reyez · 070 Shake | Teo Halm · Dave Hamelin · Knowles-Carter · Tim Suby · P2J | 3:07 | ||||||
| 14. | "Spirit" | Knowles-Carter · ILYA · Labrinth | ILYA · Knowles-Carter · Labrinth | 4:37 | ||||||
| 15. | "Black Parade" (Extended Version) | Stephen Bray · Knowles-Carter · NOVA WAV · Rickie Tice · Kaydence · Derek Dixie · Worldwide Fresh · Brittany Coney · Blu June · JAY-Z | Derek Dixie · Knowles-Carter | 5:16 | ||||||
| 16. | "Find Your Way Back" (MELO-X Remix) | Magwenzi · Sarz · Knowles-Carter · Bubele Booi · Starrah · Bankulli | Knowles-Carter · Magwenzi · Bubele Booi | 3:36 | ||||||
| 17. | "Black Parade" | Stephen Bray · NOVA WAV · Rickie Tice · Knowles-Carter · Blu June, Brittany Coney · Worldwide Fresh · Derek Dixie · Kaydence · JAY-Z | Derek Dixie · Knowles-Carter | 4:41 | ||||||
Total length: |
61:33 | |||||||||