Black Is King is the Beyoncé visual album connected to The Lion King: The Gift.
Beyoncé released Black Is King through Disney+ on July 31, 2020. She wrote, directed, and executive-produced the project, which reimagines the story and musical world associated with Disney’s 2019 film The Lion King. The visual album uses songs from The Lion King: The Gift, an album Beyoncé curated and produced.
The film presents a richly visual narrative centered on Black identity, ancestry, family, community, and cultural memory. It features elaborate costumes, choreography, sets, and locations, with appearances by artists including Blue Ivy Carter, Jay-Z, Tina Knowles-Lawson, and many collaborators from The Gift.
Black Is King is not the same project as The Lion King: The Gift. The Gift is the 2019 companion album, while Black Is King is the 2020 visual film built around that music. It is also distinct from Beyoncé’s 2019 documentary Homecoming, which focuses on her Coachella performance and its preparation.