Beyonce’s The Lion King: The Gift is the perfect gift of tracks! 

Released July 19, the album, which is also the soundtrack for the well anticipated The Lion King is the perfectly wrapped gift of tracks for the black community.  

The Gift, which Beyonce calls her love letter to Africa, features some of Africa’s biggest artistes including Wizkid, Burna boy and Shatta Wale (Not to mention her other features including Kendrick Lamar, Childish Gambino, Jay-Z and our very own Blue Ivy Carter with her beautiful cameo in Brown Skin Girl). Here’s a list of my favorites from The Gift: 

1.Brown Skin Girl

Brown skin girl, ya skin just like pearls, the best thing in the world is my anthem from hence on! As soon as I heard the lyrics, I fell in love. With the cameo by Blue Ivy, mimicking that of a chant, seemed to me to be glorifying all my maternal ancestors. Not to mention the reference of Naomi Campbell, Lupita Nyong’o and Bey’s childhood best friend Kelly Rowland, Beyonce crowns the melanin goddesses. Every line of this song offers empowerment. Dear Queen Bey, I’d never trade you for anybody else! 

2.BiggerContinuing on the path of empowerment, her love letter to Africa, slowly sings to us that we are a part of something way bigger. Bigger gives us personal motivation. It is also a reprisal of all that we were never entitled to. This time we realize we are bigger than the picture they framed us to see.

3.Mood 4 EvaI promise this is my mood forever! Beyonce’s first collaboration with Childish Gambino is genius. With a nice afrobeat instrumental and lyrics that speaks to power and self acceptance, it puts us in an unbothered mood 4 eva. 

4.Find Your Way BackWith a faster pace, Beyonce sings Find Your Way Back. Depicting a narrative where she is navigating life, this song is definitely in alignment with the plot of The Lion King. 

5.SpiritSpirit, one of the latter songs on the album is quite fitting to close this masterpiece of music. The spiritual song includes a Swahili chant where when translated means “Long Live the King”. This slow chant of a song speaks to the soul and even includes words from the Bible “And be one with the Great I Am”. Also released is its music video. If you haven’t watched it as yet you’re missing a great mother and daughter duo.  With interludes of the various characters from

The Lion King, The Gift is a powerful display of African roots and culture.  The Lion King: The Gift keeps on giving, and we expect nothing less from the Queen Bey herself. What’s your favorite song on the album? 

— Akeelia Richards