Beyoncé has long been seen as the standard-bearer for excellence in her craft as both musician and performer. Her longevity and growth in cultural relevance throughout her career is a testament to both an unparalleled work ethic and a desire to learn, grow, and examine parts of herself as well as bigger themes like motherhood and her identity as a black woman. One theme that has been prevalent in both her music and visuals over the course of this past decade has been a growing relationship with African culture through fashion, music, and videography. Beyoncé admitted to being heavily inspired by the music of Fela for her 2011 album, ‘4’. Her eponymous masterpiece in 2013 did not include musical references that could be linked back to Africa, but the feature from Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie was a watershed moment that catapulted the Nigerian author into another level of celebrity. Even the visual album for Lemonade had references to Oshun, the Yoruba goddess of water. Her latest work, a soundtrack but not really for Disney’s new remake of The Lion King, ‘The Lion King: The Gift’ shows off Beyoncé’s skills as a student and curator while confirming Nigeria’s importance to global pop music.
As an accompaniment to The Lion King, there is a valid criticism to be had regarding the lack of East African artists on this album. The Lion King takes place in East Africa and positioning ‘The Gift’ as a “love letter to Africa” alludes to a more continentally inclusive body of work. That being said, Beyoncé does nothing in half measure. In order to create an album that could accurately reflect the dominant sound coming out of Africa, I feel confident in saying that she did her homework. It is no mistake that Nigerian artists make up the majority of features on the album, with red-hot Burna Boy getting a whole song to himself. Even though he became something of a punchline and punching bag, the significance of D’Banj’s crossover to G.O.O.D Music and success with ‘Oliver Twist’ at the beginning of this decade cannot be overstated. Even though his career did not enjoy the success it deserved, ‘Oliver Twist’ proved that Western audiences had a craving for a different sound. We’ve watched artists like Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, Davido, Burna Boy, and Santi grow organically from building up a fanbase in Nigeria to having fans quite literally around the world. The truth about pop music in 2019 is that Nigerian music and artists can be found at the center of it. Wizkid topped the Billboard 100 with Drake in 2016. His presence on a song with Beyoncé in 2019 shouldn’t be viewed as a shock or some form of “validation.” If anything, it is recognition and appreciation by Beyoncé for the unique talents that have turned these artists into stars.
Beyoncé sounds good. She always sounds good but there is a clarity to her voice that makes her sound completely unburdened. At this stage in her career, after baring her skeletons, and raising the bar to heights we might never see again, she sounds at peace. Her voice soars on ‘Bigger’ sounding like the sunrise in the Serengenti as Simba is lifted towards the heavens. It’s ‘Circle of Life’ for a new age, a dominant vocal display suffused with genuine warmth. ‘FIND YOUR WAY BACK’ is a lighter song, with Bubele Boii and Magwenzi providing a beat that bounces in a way that beckons drunk footwork. The features from African artists are able to shine and it is clear that time was taken to understand the sound of each artist and what makes them successful. ‘DON’T JEALOUS ME’ has divided opinions on whether the song is good or not but I know for a fact that it will lead to some of the wildest zankus you have ever seen in your life. It’s fair to speculate that Burna Boy’s ‘JA ARA E’ is a song that failed to make his own ‘African Giant’ but nevertheless it’s a smooth and jazzy joyride produced by P2J. Tiwa Savage sounds great as she and Mr. Eazi play off of each other on ‘KEYS TO THE KINGDOM’ a sunny, heartfelt song about believing in yourself. Cameroonian artist Salatiel makes a brief but bright appearance on ‘WATER’ leaving us craving even more of his unique voice.
‘BROWN SKIN GIRL’ is both the musical highlight of the album and most controversial song on the album. While the song features future Grammy winner Blue Ivy and Wizkid in peak form, it must be mentioned that domestic violence allegations were made against Wizkid merely two days before the album was released. While it is not exactly an ugly stain on the album, it makes appreciating a beautiful vocal and lyrical display from Beyoncé difficult. Still the message of the song cannot be understated and it is beautiful knowing that a large majority of Beyoncé’s fans will feel affirmed and represented by someone they truly admire. A&R Beyoncé has her ear to the streets as evidenced by Tierra Whack’s raucous appearance alongside on “MY POWER”. A co-sign from Beyoncé is further affirmation that Whack’s star is burning hotter than ever as her fame increases. 070 Shake is heartbreaking on Scar, sounding like she’s on the verge of tears with her singing on ‘SCAR’ before ushering in Jessie Reyez who sounds like a cyborg hopped up on coke. It works though, trust me. Beyoncé has collaborated with upcoming stars on a few of her projects over the years and it’s cool to see that trend continue here.
This album seems to embody the spirit of the ‘Lion King’ in a way that feels authentic despite it being yet another cash grab for Disney. Describing this album as cultural appropriation would be a lazy and reductive critique that fails to acknowledge the myriad of ways in which this album shows cultural appreciation. African producers, engineers, and songwriters worked with Beyoncé to help construct this album, and it is evident that she knew how to get the best out of everyone around her. She speaks on family, love, and life in a grand, almost cinematic way, a passion project afforded to her by years of relentless work. Again, there is a discussion to be had about why the music of East Africans isn’t translating across like West and South Africans. Their omission is a mark against an album that has been packaged under the blanket descriptor of “African”, for a film set in their region. For now however, I will appreciate Beyoncé’s interpretation of afro-pop, an audacious yet careful and tender offering, from an artist whose prime seems to be as endless as the plains of the Serengeti.
