Beyoncé has finally released her hotly anticipated visual album, “Black is King.”
The release came just hours after she dropped the visuals for her single, “Already,” — a mellow Afrobeat offering.
In the video, Beyoncé is filmed in a number of locations, flanked by dancers from around the world. In some scenes, she is seen wearing body paint and cowrie beads alongside her dancers. The video is not only an ode to African traditions but an overall tribute to Blackness.
“Black is King” will focus on “the voyages of black families … [and] a tale about a young king’s transcendent journey through betrayal, love and self-identity,” the press release reads, going on to call it a celebration of “black resilience and culture.”
“His ancestors help guide him toward his destiny, and with his father’s teachings and guidance from his childhood love, he earns the virtues needed to reclaim his home and throne,” the release adds.
Co-directors listed also include Jenn Nkiru, Ibra Ake, Dikayl Rimmasch, Jake Nava, and co-director and long-time collaborator Kwasi Fordjour.
She has dropped two trailers for the project ahead of its release — the second trailer boasted cameos from several celebrity A-listers, including Kelly Rowland, Lupita Nyong’ o, Naomi Campbell and Jay-Z.
Bey inked a deal to ensure the visual album is available on much of the African Continent, including South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Namibia, Cameroon, Liberia, Burundi, Senegal, Togo, Somalia, Benin, Congo, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Gabon, and Cape Verde through MultiChoice Group’s M-Net and Canal+ Afrique.
