When one thinks of superheroes and villains, surely a long list comes to mind with most likely more heroes than villains. Whether you’re team Superman, Batman, or even Spiderman these broadly endorsed characters have prominence in society.
Well, in 2018, Marvel is shifting for the good of the culture welcoming Black Panther to the star-studded list of legendary superheroes. This revolutionary never seen before action-packed film releases to theaters everywhere in North America this Friday, February 16th, 2018. The highly anticipated film is set to make box office history, currently tracked to gross $165 Million for the U.S. debut. Black Panther’s stellar cast includes Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong’o, Michael B. Jordan, Angela Bassett, and Forest Whitaker. According to “Rolling Stone,” “Black Panther is an exhilaration triumph on every level.”
Marvel is taking superheroism to a new level not only with the film itself but the awaited soundtrack. The Black Panther soundtrack includes a mixture of Hip-Hop and R&B’s top contenders. Billboard set the soundtrack as a number one debut on Billboard 200 Albums Chart. Kendrick Lamar as the soundtrack producer has created pure bliss with his usual conscientious yet lyrical flow featuring artists such as The Weeknd, SZA, 2 Chainz, Khalid, Future, Travis Scott and Swa Lee of Rae Sremmurd. So, if that wasn’t enough motivation, here are ten reasons to cop the 14 track Black Panther soundtrack!
Issa Rae said it best, Rooting for everybody BLACK ALWAYS and FOREVER! From the movie to the soundtrack, black voices are being heard, and of course, there’s full support. How can you not root for the success?
This film in itself is a black power statement for our ancestors and the current things the black culture has recently encountered with Black Lives matter and staying woke! In the ‘Black Panther’ Soundtrack intro titled “Black Panther,” Kendrick alone drops the angelic nuances of 29 consistent references to the word King! This is uplifting and lyrically embedded to referencing males of the culture.
“King of my city, king of my country, king of my homeland/King of the filthy, king of the fallen, we living again/King of the shooters, looters, boosters and ghettos poppin’/King of the past, present, future, my ancestors watching” —Kendrick Lamar
Guess you’ll have to check out the soundtrack to hear the rest!
It’s Kendrick Lamar! Say less but for the sake of convincing you, here’s a little more: Kendrick is the producer of the soundtrack and with his track record in music, only thing that can be said is DAMN. Ironically, Kendrick’s album DAMN recently received a Grammy for Best Rap Album and the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Album. Convinced yet?
On January 4th, the soundtrack single “All Of The Stars” was released, showcasing the stellar duet of Kendrick Lamar and SZA, but the visual is everything and more! The visual embodies a mysteriously engaging concept of art and culture. The sound of the two collaborating brings a melodic and empowering anthem in the midst.
VIBES! VIBES! VIBES! It’s all about the Vibes; good vibes only generally but in this case BLACK PANTHER VIBES ONLY! Tuning in to the soundtrack before feasting your eyes on the film will keep the soundtrack turning in your mind, anticipating the greatness that unleashes this week.
It’s Black History Month! Cliché, yes because when you’re black every month is Black History Month. However, this February has gotten a little more epic because of the film and the soundtrack.
Familiar sounds and faces! It’s not boring music; It’s not traditional it’s your favorite artists coming together to create a masterpiece. Kendrick Lamar, Future, SZA, The Weeknd and many others! (No Drake isn’t on the soundtrack but wouldn’t that have been cool?)
‘Black Panther’ is a defining moment for Black America! According to the NY Times, “Africa is being showcased as a dream of wholeness, greatness, and self-realization.” The films show visual effects of strength while the music highlights strength with collaboration.
The icing on the cake; you won’t hear it anywhere else! The soundtrack is comprised of original works. Most soundtracks are compilations of songs from various artists pulled together using the original song or a remake of the original song. Director Ryan Coogler’s story of African empire Wakanda will be the first time that Marvel incorporates multiple original recordings for one of their films.
Lastly, it’s a no-brainer the soundtrack is out and who wants to be left out of the retweets, Gifs, and relatable IG posts!? Exactly right, no one! Enjoy the soundtrack and support the film coming out this Friday!
By: CiaraLee
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