Four years after the release of the twin-threat blockbuster film and album, the team behind Marvel Studios' Black Panther returned with a sequel and its accompanying soundtrack,
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Still reeling from the passing of actor Chadwick Boseman -- both in real life and onscreen -- they managed to honor his legacy and push the character's story forward in respectful and appropriately mournful fashion. The songs follow suit, setting a somber and reflective tone that is punctuated by moments of celebration and an eye to the future. Split between two cultures that inspired the fictional kingdoms of Talokan (Mayan) and Wakanda (Nigeria), director
Ryan Coogler and producer
Ludwig Goeransson curated a diverse set to support the film, capturing attention with global names (
Rihanna,
Future,
Burna Boy,
Stormzy) and showcasing artists that may be lesser-known outside of their genres (
DBN Gogo,
Vivir Quintana,
Foudeqush,
Fireboy DML). On the Talokanil/Mesoamerican side, the glimmering synths of "Con La Brisa" capture the shimmer of Namor's submerged home, while "Laayli' kuxa'ano'one" (by
Adn Maya Colectivo,
Pat Boy,
Yaalen K'uj, and
All Mayan Winik) and "Mi Pueblo" (by
Guadalupe de Jesus Chan Poot) inject Mayan into the mix. Meanwhile, the haunting "Arboles Bajo El Mar" performed by
Mare Advertencia Lirika and
Vivir Quintana and the urgent "Inframundo" by
Blue Rojo provide two of the most riveting vocal performances on the album. Taking it back to Wakanda and the African diaspora,
Tems pulls double duty, first by gifting an un-retired
Rihanna with the beautiful ballad "Lift Me Up" and then delivering her own take on the
Bob Marley classic "No Woman No Cry." South African producer
DBN Gogo also provides a pair of hip-shaking tracks from the amapiano subgenre ("Love & Loyalty [Believe]" and "Jele"). Additional highlights include
Fireboy DML's uplifting "Coming Back for You"; the hypnotic "Anya Mmiri" from
CKay and
PinkPantheress; and the pulse-pounding "They Want It, But No" by
Tobe and
Fat Nwigwe, which matches a similar standout track/scene from the first movie ("Opps" by
Vince Staples and
Yugen Blakrok). This wealth of diversity makes
Wakanda Forever a treasure trove, an immersive experience that uses fictional lands as a means for discovery of real-world cultural traditions. ~ Neil Z. Yeung
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