In August 2020, he held a virtual concert on TikTok and raised over $350,000 for the Equal Justice Initiative, a nonprofit dedicated towards providing legal representation for wrongly convicted prisoners and those who have been denied fair trial. On Twitter, he urged “industry partners and execs'' to support organizations that support racial equality, a call–to–action as discussions centering around the music industry’s exploitation of Black artist came to light. A compulsive philanthropist, he's also donated $200,000 to Black Lives Matter Global Network and $100,000 to National Bail Out in June of 2020 during the national protests against racial injustice, amongst others. He later donated more to support the Ethiopic Studies program. In 2016, The Weeknd donated $50,000 to the University of Toronto to launch a course on Geʽez, the traditional language of Ethiopia. As a Pulitzer Prize recipient-the first rapper and Black Hip-Hop artist to be honored-his award–winning lyrics written are now featured in the IB English literature curriculum, its inclusion marking a renewed interest in Black literature and a desire to diversify the Canon. His lyrical authenticity and rhythmic dynamism fuse together to explore the realities of being Black in today’s world. Kendrick Lamar uses his lyricism, sung poetry, and superstardom to provoke difficult conversations on race in America. As Boseman once said, “Whatever you choose for a career path, remember the struggles along the way are only meant to shape you for your purpose.As you commence to your paths, press on with pride and press on with purpose.” Black artists must “press on” and carry on the legacy of King T’Challa.
Through their individual crafts, Boseman, Lamar, and The Weeknd express the struggles of being a ‘hero’ in their fight to support the marginalized communities by articulating the weight of symbolizing a movement. The Weeknd loops “Who gon’ pray for me? Take my pain for me? Save my soul for me?” But in the verse to follow, Lamar enters, strong and confident, rapping “I fight the world…I fight pain and hurricanes, today I wept.if I gotta be sacrificed for the greater good, then that’s what it gotta be.” "Pray for Me", a hit track featuring lead vocals from Kendrick Lamar and The Weeknd explores the hero’s burden from the perspective of the protagonist, King T’Challa.
Göransson discovered that “music from Africa is a language” and the artists featured on the soundtrack told a story of love, pain, and desire-all in an authentic voice.
The sounds combined mimicked the word T’Challa. Snippets of talking drums and tambin recordings are laced throughout the soundtrack, the latter being used in the score for the main theme.
consumers.Ĭomposer Ludwig Göransson traveled to Africa and toured with Senegalese musician Baaba Maal to research traditional West African music. Other Chadwick Boseman fans had the same idea: the Black Panther Soundtrack jumped 104% in song streams in the first two days following Boseman’s death, with over 3.5 million streams from U.S. To pay homage to the iconic and necessary movie, I revisited the Black Panther Soundtrack in hopes of learning more about its genesis and where all the artists are today. What Boseman gave to the world is bravery, strength, and a legacy that must be carried on.
From learning how to navigate a global pandemic to crying desperately for racial justice, people are understanding how their actions directly contribute to the world, from something as simple as wearing a mask to something as fundamental as protesting for human rights. In a year of such pain, such heartbreak, and such loss, King T’Challa was taken from the world.