Rapper Kendrick Lamar will produce and curate the soundtrack to the forthcoming Marvel movie Black Panther, having been personally selected by director Ryan Coogler.
Lamar will “contribute [his] knowledge of producing sound and writing music”, alongside the CEO of his label Top Dawg Entertainment, Anthony Tiffith. The tracklist has not been revealed, but All the Stars, a new song by Lamar featuring R&B singer SZA, was released at the same time as the announcement.
Coogler called Lamar “inspirational” and said his “artistic themes align with those we explore in the film”. Lamar is known for his frank explorations of black identity, faith and the sociopolitical landscape in the US, so Coogler’s comments suggest that Black Panther might have a political bent.
The film is set in the fictional African nation of Wakanda, where the titular superhero, played by Chadwick Boseman, must face up to his responsibilities as king when Wakanda faces war. Black Panther became the first mainstream black superhero when Marvel launched the character in 1966; it has recently featured stories written by prominent black intellectuals such as Ta-Nehisi Coates and Roxane Gay.
