Beyoncfans and followers unpack Black is King

Beyoncsuperfan Andre Matthew Gordon has had the fortune of seeing his queen perform in concert twice.He says she has "a stage presence that is second to none."

Beyonc has been a big part of Gordon's life since he was younger, hearing her songs that he says made him feel invincible.As a performer he says he admires how Beyoncrefuses to be contained by any labels.

"She'sgiven us rock, she's given us country, andno matter who you are she's given us something for you to love."

On Friday morning Beyoncgave subscribers of Disney+ something more.

Inspired by her album Lion King: The Gift,the 95-minuteBlack is King is essentially a series of interconnected music videos following a young Black boy as he discovers his royal heritage.

On Instagram,Beyoncdescribed the visual album as a way to "celebrate the breadth and beauty of Black ancestry."But, she added, she never imagined it would "serve a greater purpose."

WATCH | The trailer for Black is King

The greater purpose she's referring to, is framing the Black experience in a positive light, during the continuing conversation about anti-Black racism.

What Black is King offersis a booster shot of pride. Shot in parts of Africa, the U.S. and Europe, itpresents a stylish, inspiringview of African culture and its diaspora. Some scenes explorehistory, while others would be equally at home in Wakanda.

Pop culture writer and producer Kathleen Newman-Bremang is a self-avowed follower in the church of Beyonc. Beyond her pop songs, what strikes her is Beyonc's evolution as an artist.

"We've seen her really grow into this feminist icon which is unusual for someone who is such a mainstream pop artist. She has led a lot of her work with talking about Black women's liberation,with talking about Black motherhood [and] injecting feminist lyrics which is unprecedented," she says.

WATCH | Kathleen Newman-Bremang discusses one her favourite music videos:

Examining the music and message of Beyonce

4 years ago

Duration 1:39

Kathleen Newman-Bremang and Eli Glasner discuss the song Apes**t by Beyonce and Jay-Z.

Part of what also set her apart is the degree to which Beyonccontrols her own media narrative. Newman-Bremang says it is "the Beyoncway."

At this point her career, Queen B does not sit down for interviews. Instead she sends pre-taped messages, or emails answers.Every new Instagram post is an event that comes with a flurry of analysis.Newman-Bremang says Beyonc's approach comes from having begun inheavily controlled girl groups. She started out in the trio Girl's Tyme before fronting Destiny's Child in the 1990s.

"She's played this game a lot. I think at a certain point she realized that if she gave an interview, things would be twisted So because of that she decided to take the narrative back."

Newman-Bremang says what's also marked Beyonc's career is her willingness to elevate other Black artists. "Beyonc's been doing that since [the album]Lemonade and before. She has really led the way." She points out Beyonc 's Vogue magazine cover, the first to be shot by an African-American photographer.

"She made sure that her Vogue cover was shot by a Black man. In this moment of upheaval she is a groundbreaker."

While Black is King features fashion from major style houses such as Burberry and Valentino, it also showcases a range of Black designers including Cte d'Ivoire's Loza Malombhoand 5:31 Jrme from New York City.

University of Waterloo associate professor Naila Keleta-Mae studies Beyoncas part of her explorations of race and gender.She says she's very impressed with what Beyonc has endured."She's a Black woman working in the music industry in the United States that has historically been so violent and horrific to Black artists," she says.

Pushing the limits of pop

She says the fact that Beyoncis so singular however, speaks volumes. "It's a testament to her particularskill and it'sa testament to the kinds of female Blackness that the world is willing to accept."

Ultimately Keleta-Mae says Beyonc can only do so much.

"She's pushing within the confines of pop music. Pop music and pop culture requires you to reinforce certain views at the same time. Pop music doesn't ask you to radically reimagine the world, it doesn't ask you to take down statues that are supposed to be revered."

But for Gordon, the superfan,there is something radical about how Beyonc's new film reimagines the Black experience.

"What Black is King is doing, is allowing us as Black people to go back to a time in our lives when we were not less than and we didn't feel inferior. We have beauty and we have intellect and that's what Black is King means more than anything."

For her part, after staying up all night to watch Queen B'slatest release, Kathleen Newman-Bremang remains in awe.

"For every derivative depiction of Africa we've seen through pop culture, Beyoncgave us a stunning visual of beauty and depth to counter that."

"Through her work I feel seen. I feel empowered. I am just so grateful for her."