A culturally momentous film directed by a black man, featuring a black lead actor and a predominantly black supporting cast, Marvel Studios' Black Panther is augmented with an album powered by Kendrick Lamar.
It's an unprecedented convergence of the mainstream film industry with an uncompromising musician thriving commercially and artistically. Director Ryan Coogler sought Lamar out to contribute to the album, but the artist ended up involved with every track, credited in varying combinations as headliner, featured artist, co-songwriter, and co-producer, with long-term producer Sounwave a factor in all but three cuts.
Subtitled "Music from and Inspired By," this is not a soundtrack in the strictest sense.
Indeed, a significant portion of the content -- from whole tracks like the Travis Scott turn "Big Shot," to the part where Future quotes Juicy J's "Slob on My Knob" -- has no relation to the film, though there's a reflectively militant quality to a high percentage of the verses.
Elements that are alternately obvious and subtle, including tribal-futuristic drums, audio-logo-like mentions of character names, and ululations (the last instance via the Weeknd on the despairing but proud finale), are threaded throughout to maintain the connection.
They frame Lamar, a central figure as he proclaims his sovereign rank and examines its pitfalls -- not a stretch for him.
The set has a major crossover single bid in the form of "All the Stars," an elegantly crafted SZA showcase that sounds at once like a defiant hero's anthem and a love theme. Another canny aspect in the album's assemblage is its inclusion of several artists from South Africa.
The most notable appearance is made by Yugen Blakrok, "half-machine" Johannesburg native who boasts of "crushing any system that belittles us," references Millie Jackson, and leaves a pile of smoldering rubble in her wake.
Lamar also enlists England's Jorja Smith and James Blake, and a Stateside crew that includes Mozzy, Ab-Soul, and Anderson Paak, as well as SOB x RBE, who, like Coogler, represent the Bay Area.
Given the level of the performances, the majority of the guests evidently approached this as a Kendrick Lamar album, not as a soundtrack. Black Panther: The Album serves both purposes well. [Black Panther: The Album [Music from and Inspired By] Review by Andy Kellman]
Track listing
1. Kendrick Lamar - Black Panther - 2:10
3. Schoolboy Q, 2 Chainz, Saudi - X - 4:27
Co-producer – Illmind
Mastered By – Mike Bozzi
Mixed By – Matt Schaeffer
Performer – 2 Chainz, Kendrick Lamar, Saudi, Schoolboy Q
Producer – Sounwave
Recorded By – James Hunt, Matt Schaeffer
Recorded By [2 Chainz] – Nolan Presley
Recorded By [Saudi] – Ruff Nkosi
4. Khalid, Swae Lee - The Ways - 3:58
5. Vince Staples, Yugen Blakrok - Opps - 3:00
Mastered By – Mike Bozzi
Mixed By – Matt Schaeffer
Performer – Vince Staples, Yugen Blakrok
Producer – Ludwig Göransson, Sounwave
Recorded By – Matt Schaeffer
Recorded By [Vince Staples] – Michael Law Thomas
Recorded By [Yugen Blakrok] – LMNZ
Written-By – K. Duckworth, L. Göransson, M. Spears, V. Staples
6. Jorja Smith - I Am - 3:28
7. SOB X RBE - Paramedic! - 3:39
8. Ab-Soul, Anderson .Paak, James Blake - Bloody Waters - 4:32
9. Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, Future, James Blake - King's Dead - 3:45
10. Zacari - Redemption Interlude - 1:25
11. Zacari, Babes Wodumo - Redemption - 3:42
12. Mozzy, Sjava, Reason - Seasons - 4:02
13. Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott - Big Shot - 3:41
Mastered By – Mike Bozzi, Mike Dean
Mixed By – Derek "Mixed By Ali" Ali
Mixed By [Mixing Assistant] – Cyrus Taghipour
Performer – Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott
Producer [Additional Production] – Matt Schaeffer, Sounwave
Recorded By – Matt Schaeffer
Recorded By [Travis Scott] – Jimmy Cash
Written-By – B. Korsan, J. Webster, K. Duckworth, K. Gomringer, M. Spears, R. LaTour, T. Gomringer
14. The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar - Pray For Me - 3:31
- Kendrick Lamar contributes vocals to every track, including additional vocals on those he is not credited on.
- "Redemption" features uncredited vocals by Mampintsha.
- "Big Shot" contains an uncredited interpolation of "New Freezer" by Rich the Kid featuring Kendrick Lamar
Musicians
- Ezinma – string arrangement (tracks 1, 2)
- Sounwave – string arrangement (tracks 1, 2)
- Bēkon – additional strings (tracks 6, 12)
- Rascal – original sample (track 6)
- Knukuth – original sample (track 6)
- James Blake – additional keys (track 8)
- Rob Gueringer – additional bass and guitar (track 12)
Technical
- Matt Schaeffer – recording (tracks 1-9, 11, 13), mixing (tracks 1-10)
- Sam Ricci – recording (track 2)
- James Hunt – recording (track 3)
- Ruff Nkosi – recording (Saudi, track 3; Sjava, track 12)
- Nolan Presley – recording (2 Chainz, track 3)
- Michael Law Thomas – recording (Vince Staples, track 5)
- LMNZ – recording (Yugen Blakrok, track 5)
- Max Perry – recording (SOB X RBE, track 7)
- Joshua Smith – recording (James Blake, track 8)
- Nevin J. Thomas – recording (Anderson Paak, track 8)
- Eric Manco – recording (Future, track 9)
- Baby Keem – recording (track 10)
- Zacari – recording (track 10)
- Mandla Maphumulo – recording (Babes Wodumo, track 11)
- DaveO – recording (Mozzy, track 12)
- Mark "Keitel" Lowe Jr. – recording (Reason, track 12)
- Jimmy Cash – recording (Travis Scott, track 13)
- Beatriz Artola – recording (Kendrick Lamar, track 14)
- Shin Kamiyama – recording (The Weeknd, track 14)
- Mike Sonier – production and recording (The Weeknd, track 14)
- Doc McKinney – recording (Samrawit Hailu, track 14)
- Barry McCready – assistant engineering (track 14)
- Derek "MixedByAli" Ali – mixing (tracks 11, 13)
- Jaycen Joshua – mixing (track 14)
- Cyrus Taghipour – mixing assistance (tracks 11, 13)
- David Nakaji – mixing assistance (track 14)
- Mike Bozzi – mastering (all tracks)
- Mike Dean – mastering (track 13)
- Chris Athens – mastering (track 14)
Notes
Released: February 9, 2018
Recorded: 2017 Studio Various
Genre: Hip-hop, R&B, African trap music
Length: 49:19
Producer(s): Kendrick Lamar, 30 Roc, Al Shux, Axelfolie, Baby Keem, BadBadNotGood, Cardo, Cubeatz, DJ Dahi, Doc McKinney, Frank Dukes, Illmind, Kurtis McKenzie, Ludwig Göransson, Matt Schaeffer, Mike Will Made It, Robin Hannibal, Rascal, Scribz Riley, Sounwave, Teddy Walton, Twon Beatz
Label - Top Dawg Entertainment
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