The Lion King: The Gift, Beyonce’s Tribute

I have never – and will never – consider any Disney movie superior to The Lion King (1994). I’ve watched the original countless times, and the 2019 remake three times in theaters; somehow each time I’m more thrilled than the last. Every time I watch the movie I’m transported to my happy childhood and the familiar immortal utopia that Disney is so masterful at creating.
I love the franchise, but what truly made my obsession violently skyrocket off the face of this planet was Beyonce’s masterpiece, The Lion King: The Gift (2019). What A GIFT, indeed.

One of the coolest structural aspects of this album was the fact that it essentially was the movie in condensed form, with vocal clips grabbed right from the movie in chronological order. Even if you didn’t know the plot (if you lived under a rock, for example), you would still definitely get the gist of it. The track-clip-track alternation perfectly narrates the plot, and erases the lines between the audio and visual aspects of the movie. The buzzing backtrack of “NILE” is reminiscent of ripples in water, “BIGGER” of the unstoppable, awe-inspiring Circle of Life churning in the African savanna. The album, like the movie, brims with life.

One of the most notable aspects of this album is how generously it dipped into native talent and, as a result, created more authentic representation for African sound and culture. Beyonce shed the limelight on several underrated African artists, including Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage, and Salatiel. Simultaneously, the album also featured well-known artists of the popular American music scene, like Jay Z, Kendrick Lamar, and Pharrell Williams. Incorporating new artists into such a large-scale production led many (including myself) to the discovery of the underground Afrobeats genre, and introduced deserving talent to a much wider, global audience.

The cutest feature by far, though, is Blue Ivy on “BROWN SKIN GIRL.” It’s obvious this track symbolizes a lot more than what meets the eye – it symbolizes Beyonce’s legacy to her children and her role as one of the most influential African-American artists in the world. Another important track is “OTHERSIDE,” mostly because of the way the track ties in a beautiful piano ballad culminates in chanting in Swahili and Yoruba in the background. It stunningly bridges the gap between the pop-culture version of The Lion King and its African roots. “FIND YOUR WAY BACK” is an instant favorite of mine on this album. Listening to it on my way to class always gives me an extra bounce in my step, as does “KEYS TO THE KINGDOM” featuring Tiwa Savage and Mr Eazi. A lot of the imagery here applies to what is essentially Simba’s story of growing up – trusting yourself, being confident, and being proud of your roots. From these feel-good upbeat pieces, to the angsty “DON’T JEALOUS ME,” the album is an emotional journey.

It was a challenging project to take on, but I thought that Beyonce’s representation of the beloved classic Lion King was powerful and very well-done. The album is a noble dedication to Africa, which is best evident by its transportative quality. Its diverse, colorful sound is a tribute to every creature within the Circle of Life, from the tiniest ant to the largest elephant.

Ultimately, it is Beyonce’s own artistic creation, so the album does highlight themes that aren’t directly related to The Lion King. “MOOD 4 EVA,” for example, talks about a different type of Hakuna Matata – “walking up in the club,” “another night I won’t remember” – which probably applies more to hip-hop fans of America than the African savanna. Critics have argued Beyonce hijacked the album into being about herself rather than The Lion King, but in my opinion, what she includes makes the album more resonant, and feels like a more grown-up translation of the original Lion King soundtrack from my childhood. From female empowerment to black pride, the album ties the movie together with topics that are more universally relatable, impactful, and deserving of attention. She saw her chance, and she took it.

Article by Sanjana Sanghani