Beyoncé’s Visual Album Black Is King Comes to African Screens

Black Is King premiered on Disney+ on 31 July 2020, and M-Net showed it to African viewers on DStv the next night. At the 63rd Grammy Awards in March 2021, its “Brown Skin Girl” video won Best Music Video for Beyoncé, Blue Ivy Carter and Wizkid, which was Wizkid’s first Grammy. Disney+ has been available in South Africa since 18 May 2022, so viewers there can now stream the film directly. MultiChoice, the company that brokered the 2020 broadcast, has since been taken over by France’s Canal+.

How M-Net brought Black Is King to Africa in 2020

M-Net, the MultiChoice Group’s flagship channel on DStv Premium, bought the rights to screen Black Is King across Africa from The Walt Disney Company. Beyoncé’s film was built on the music of The Lion King: The Gift, the companion album to Disney’s 2019 remake of The Lion King. Its teaser and trailer drew worldwide attention before release.

Disney+ was not available in sub-Saharan Africa at the time. M-Net therefore broadcast Black Is King within 24 hours of its Disney+ debut. The screening ran on Saturday, 1 August 2020 at 20:00 CAT and 21:00 EAT/WAT.

DStv customers without M-Net were also covered. For two hours on the night of the premiere, MultiChoice opened M-Net to DStv Compact Plus, Compact and Family subscribers. DStv Premium customers could also watch the film on DStv Catch Up for 30 days afterwards. That offer ended in 2020.

What MultiChoice and Disney said at the time

“Showcasing this landmark visual album and global television event to as many of our loyal viewers as possible, MultiChoice Group and M-Net yet again cement their reputation as Africa’s most-loved storyteller,” said Yolisa Phahle, then CEO of Video Entertainment at MultiChoice Group. “We’re very excited to be part of this global event, but what makes Black Is King even more important for us, is that it shines the spotlight on the many phenomenal African creatives who were involved in the project, both on screen and behind the scenes.”

Christine Service, then Senior Vice President of The Walt Disney Company Africa, added: “Black Is King is a powerful, relevant and timely creative and celebratory expression of identity that we felt was important to be shared with fans across Africa as it launched globally on Disney+. We’re thrilled to continue the journey that started with The Lion King.”

MultiChoice is no longer independent. Canal+ took effective control in September 2025, when its takeover offer became unconditional. By July 2026 the deal was complete and MultiChoice was a wholly owned Canal+ subsidiary.

What the film is about

Black Is King follows a young king’s journey through betrayal, love and self-identity. His ancestors, his father and his childhood love guide him, and he gains the virtues he needs to reclaim his home and throne. The cast includes artists from the soundtrack, along with guest appearances.

The film takes the lessons of the 2019 Lion King and retells them for young people today who are searching for their own crowns. It was in production for a year, with a cast and crew drawn from many countries.

The directors behind Black Is King

Beyoncé brought in a wide range of directors, each with their own body of work:

• Emmanuel Adjei (the film Shahmaran)
• Blitz Bazawule (the film The Burial of Kojo)
• Pierre Debusschere (the Mine and Ghost videos for Beyoncé)
• Jenn Nkiru (the film BLACK TO TECHNO)
• Ibra Ake (creative director and producer on Childish Gambino’s This Is America video)
• Dikayl Rimmasch (the film CACHAO, UNO MAS)
• Jake Nava (the Crazy in Love, Single Ladies and Partition videos for Beyoncé)
• Kwasi Fordjour, co-director and long-time Beyoncé collaborator

The co-directors and second unit directors came from just as many places. They included Dafe Oboro, Julian Klincewicz, Derek Milton, Meji Alabi, Joshua Kissi, Alexandre Moors and Deon Van Zyl.

Shooting moved from New York to Los Angeles, then South Africa, West Africa, London and Belgium, and the cinematography captures people and landscapes on several continents. Actors and dancers from each location shaped the film’s look and its choreography.

Stars and guest appearances

The trailer showed some of the special guests. They included models Aweng Ade-Chuol and Adut Akech, supermodel Naomi Campbell, Tina Knowles-Lawson, author and Academy Award-winning actor Lupita Nyong’o, singer Kelly Rowland, Pharrell Williams and JAY-Z. Many artists from The Lion King: The Gift also appear.

These South African stars appear in the film:

• Connie Chiume, known for the telenovela Gomora. She died in Johannesburg on 6 August 2024, aged 72.
• Nandi Madida, from the musical drama series The Road.
• Nyaniso Dzedze, from Binnelanders.
• Warren Masemola, from The River.

What happened after the premiere

The film did well during awards season. In November 2020, Beyoncé led the 63rd Grammy nominations with nine. Black Is King was nominated for Best Music Film, and “Brown Skin Girl” was nominated for Best Music Video.

At the March 2021 ceremony, “Brown Skin Girl” won Best Music Video. The Recording Academy credited Beyoncé, Blue Ivy Carter and Wizkid, with Jenn Nkiru credited as the video’s director. That made Blue Ivy one of the youngest Grammy winners ever. It also gave Nigeria’s Wizkid his first Grammy.

Black Is King was also nominated at the 2021 NAACP Image Awards. TheWrap later reported that it was among the juried Emmy winners that year.

FAQ

When was Black Is King released?

Black Is King premiered worldwide on Disney+ on 31 July 2020. In Africa, M-Net broadcast it on DStv the following night, Saturday 1 August 2020, at 20:00 CAT.

Where can you watch Black Is King in Africa now?

The film is a Disney+ title. Disney+ launched in South Africa on 18 May 2022, so South African viewers can stream it there. The 2020 DStv Catch Up window lasted only 30 days and has long since closed.

Did Black Is King win a Grammy?

The film was nominated for Best Music Film at the 63rd Grammys but did not win that category. Its “Brown Skin Girl” video did win Best Music Video at the March 2021 ceremony, credited to Beyoncé, Blue Ivy Carter and Wizkid.

Which African artists and actors appear in Black Is King?

Nigeria’s Wizkid appears in the “Brown Skin Girl” segment, and South Sudanese-born models Adut Akech and Aweng Ade-Chuol also feature. South African actors include Connie Chiume, Nandi Madida, Nyaniso Dzedze and Warren Masemola. Many African artists from The Lion King: The Gift also appear.

Is Black Is King the same as The Lion King: The Gift?

No. The Lion King: The Gift is the 2019 album Beyoncé curated for Disney’s The Lion King. Black Is King is the 2020 visual album that sets those songs to a new story told on film.

Who directed Black Is King?

Beyoncé wrote, directed and executive-produced the film with a team of directors. They included Emmanuel Adjei, Blitz Bazawule, Pierre Debusschere, Jenn Nkiru, Ibra Ake, Dikayl Rimmasch, Jake Nava and co-director Kwasi Fordjour.

Sources

• Recording Academy (Grammy.com), Best Music Video, 63rd Grammy Awards
• Promonews, coverage of the 63rd Grammy nominations for Black Is King and “Brown Skin Girl”
• OkayAfrica, coverage of Burna Boy and Wizkid at the 2021 Grammys
• TheWrap, report on the 2021 juried Emmy winners
• The Hollywood Reporter, report on the death of Connie Chiume
• News24, report on Disney+ launch date and pricing in South Africa
• BusinessDay, report on Canal+ completing its takeover of MultiChoice