"I got, I got, I got loyalty, got royalty inside my DNA."
– Kendrick Lamar
Damn! Word has come from on high that legendary rapper Kendrick Lamar and storied label chief Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith will curate and jointly produce "BLACK PANTHER: The Album," featuring music inspired by Marvel Studio's forthcoming superhero film.
The fantastic news doesn't stop there, though. Along with the announcement comes the project's lead single, "All The Stars," a trance-inducing duet performed by Lamar and SZA, a silver-voiced R&B artist whose latest album, CTRL, is one of my favorites of 2017. Sounwave produced the ethereal-sounding track in which both Lamar and SZA shine as masters of their craft. You can check out the smooth cut for yourself by clicking on the link posted below.
For BLACK PANTHER: The Album, Lamar and Tiffith will work together with Ryan Coogler in creating the music for the film that will play into key moments throughout T'challah's adventure.
Recently, Lamar spoke about his excitement for the film, and to have become such an integral part of the project. “Marvel Studios’ Black Panther is amazing, from its cast to its director. The magnitude of this film showcases a great marriage of art and culture. I’m truly honored to contribute my knowledge of producing sound and writing music alongside Ryan and Marvel’s vision,” said Lamar.
In response to Lamar's comment, BLACK PANTHER director Ryan Coogler said, “I am honored to be working with such an incredible artist whose work has been so inspirational, and whose artistic themes align with those we explore in the film. I can’t wait for the world to hear what Kendrick and TDE have in store,” Coogler gushed.
Not to be left out of the equation, Top Dawg expressed his enthusiasm for the chance to create music for BLACK PANTHER by saying, “Working on such a powerful movie is a great opportunity. We’re always working on new goals at TDE, so teaming up with Disney, Marvel Studios and the Black Panther film makes perfect sense.”
I'll say it again, DAMN! The BLACK PANTHER soundtrack was already on my "must have" list for this year, and now that one of my all time favorite rap artists is involved, I'll be pre-ordering that bad boy today! For my money, Kendrick Lamar has been on fire for years, now. His To Pimp a Butterfly (2015) is one of my favorite albums ever, and the 2017 follow-up, DAMN, is still making its way into my daily rotation. I've no prowess for rapping myself, but I love listening to the clever ways in which Lamar weaves intricate story-lines with his epic and carefully-plotted rhymes.
Black Panther starring Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o and Danai Gurira will prowl into theaters beginning on February 16th.