The value in Black is King

By now you know Beyoncé dropped her stunning visual album BLACK IS KING overnight to the delight of Beyoncé fans around the world. It’s a stunning piece of film, in a way that surpasses her previous two visual albums, but I think Beyoncé knows the real value in this project is what it means to Black and brown people around the world. Especially young people. She’s speaking in the ears of those who are still finding their self-worth and figuring out their value in the world and likewise, how the world will value them. Maybe I’m slightly outside that core demo? But self-worth is a lifelong journey for some of us and now that I’ve had some time to sit with the film, I’m starting to understand the value it holds for me.
This movie has been in the works for over a year, but Beyoncé herself has admitted it’s taken on a new meaning after the killing of George Floyd at the hands of police earlier this year. I wonder if this was always her intended dedication or if she changed the dedication to her only Black son, given that police brutality disproportionately affects him.
Thank you Beyoncé, for your love letter to Black people. I just hope with each passing year, BLACK IS KING can find more and more points of positive cultural relevance.