As he grows into a man (Nyaniso Dzedze), he undergoes a journey of self-identity, using the guidance of his ancestor (Beyoncé), childhood love (Nandi Madida), and his own subconscious (Stephen Ojo) to reclaim his throne.

[19][20] Taylor Crumpton for The Ringer posited that Black Is King therefore sends a message to the African diaspora that in order for them to "disinvest from established power dynamics" and "exist outside the constraints of white supremacy", they must undertake an internal journey to discover and celebrate the rich identity and heritage that was lost to them.

[6] Candice Frederick for The Guardian added that Beyoncé showing that "Black power comes from within and is our cultural birthright [and] not something that is granted to us by someone else" is a "hard realization", as the current narrative is centered on "how a system built by other people has failed us and what we need from them to be successful".

[21] The need for diasporic Africans struggling with their identity to gain self-awareness before confronting their oppression is echoed in an excerpt from Uncle Sam, a 2013 poem by student Joshua Abah, that was featured in Black Is King, which reads:[22] When it's all said and done, I don't even know my own native tongue.

"[8] Claire Shaffer of Rolling Stone described Black Is King as "a Pan-African collage", with the film showcasing fashion, music, dances, locations and languages from throughout the African continent and diaspora.

[34] Natty Bakhita Kasambala of gal-dem wrote that Beyoncé filming scenes in settings such as a country house and renaissance supper table aims to "fill historically White Spaces with an unfiltered, unapologetic Blackness", an act which she calls "an extreme disturbance of the norm in order to shake the rigid structures loose altogether".

We have to take responsibility of stepping outside of those barriers that they've put us in, for the next generation.Obie explained how slavery and colonialism forced toxic religious and social traditions onto black men which "leads to violence against women and girls, queerphobia, and destruction of self".

[55] The trailer shows Beyoncé reading from the 1971 book Black Gods and Kings, written by American art-historian Robert Farris Thompson to record the art history of the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria.

[70] Nyaniso Dzedze explained how the casting team went on a lengthy process in order to find the right person for the role of adult Simba, and "somehow my face, my image found itself on the table, and I guess the stars aligned and God said yes".

[73] Special guests were recruited for the film, such as Lupita Nyong'o, Naomi Campbell, Kelly Rowland, Jay-Z, and Beyoncé's children Blue Ivy, Rumi and Sir Carter, as well as some of the artists featured on The Gift, including Yemi Alade, Shatta Wale, Salatiel, Wizkid, and Busiswa.

[76] Women were recruited for the "My Power" video to represent multi-generational strength, including Aisha Francis (Beyoncé's former dancer who was eight months pregnant at the time) and Ernestine Shepherd (the world's oldest competitive female bodybuilder at 84 years old).

[84] This included dancers wearing Kanaga masks in the "Find Your Way Back" video, with the sparkly looks being inspired by constellations; this is a reference to the Dogon people's astrological belief system and advanced astronomical expertise.

Beyoncé's braid crown in "Brown Skin Girl" was inspired by the Mangbetu people of the Eastern Congo, whose Lipombo skull elongation technique represented royalty and status.

Stephen Ojo and Caleb Bonney of dance group AVO (Africa's Very Own) Boyz were unexpectedly contacted by choreographer JaQuel Knight and asked to fly out to Los Angeles the following day.

"[60] Director Jenn Nkiru explained how on the set of the "Brown Skin Girl" video, there was "a huge presence of life", specifically a lot of flowers and plants, representing the themes of growth and nurturing.

[108] Filming for the "Keys to the Kingdom" video took place at the National Arts Theatre in Lagos, as Ake wanted to show a vision of Africa that isn't fantastical, but is grounded in a real location yet still amazing and impressive.

[109][110] Ponte City Apartments in Johannesburg was chosen as the location for the king's ascension to heaven, as the building used to be a bastion of apartheid in South Africa, and so the film upends that symbol and shows the prince floating out of it.

That was probably the biggest moment of my career as a performer, as a synchronized swimmer, and as a Jamaican.The "Nile" and "My Power" videos were filmed in November 2019 at the Cathedral of Saint Vibiana in Los Angeles, with Beyoncé as director.

Director of photography Santiago Gonzalez employed Arri Ultra-Wide 8mm Prime lenses and used low sweeping angles for the "My Power" video to make the columns on set feel "huge" and "alive" and to add speed to the camera movement, amplifying the dynamism of the choreography.

[53] Fordjour noted how the George Floyd protests began as the film was in post-production, describing it as "divine intervention" and adding: "Being able to do something that was a love letter to fellow women and men, and our culture, in a time when we need a pick-me-up, that is something that I will never forget.

Sam Adams of Slate wrote that the inclusion of this selection of recordings in Black Is King "underline the way in which tradition is passed down through music" as well as "how that transmission can be exploited by outside parties for profit".

[135] Ben Sisario of The New York Times wrote that the minimal marketing for Black Is King "reflects one of Beyoncé's great talents — stoking public conversation with her art, while explaining very little about it".

[140] As part of the deal, Black Is King was aired in countries such as South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Namibia, Cameroon, Liberia, Burundi, Senegal, Togo, Somalia, Benin, Congo, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Gabon, and Cape Verde.

[159] Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen of The Sydney Morning Herald agreed, writing that the film "takes the viewer on a dazzling, hyper-real ride through natural landscapes and space-age futures, while incorporating elements of black history and tradition".

[109] Okla Jones of Consequence of Sound praised Beyoncé's direction and attention to detail, noting how the colors, settings, outfits and music in each scene match the emotional state of the protagonist in his journey.

[168] Characterizing the film as laughable, Armond White of the National Review described Beyoncé as a "curvy fetish object" who is "promoting racial division" in an attempt to ease the "fragile egos" of black people.

[178] Christine Emba of The Washington Post selected the Black Is King soundtrack as the piece of culture that had the biggest impact on her in 2020, explaining that it "functioned as the most buoyant retort to the summer's narrative of pain".

"[179] Entertainment Tonight named Black Is King one of the biggest stories of 2020, describing it as a film that "beautifully celebrates African cultures and roots" and which showcases Beyoncé's attention to detail, citing the "jaw-dropping looks that perfectly encapsulated the visual album's theme of afrofuturism".

[258] After Mia Vesper's designs were featured in the film, she rapidly developed a large customer base, including celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Billie Eilish, Lena Waithe, and Machine Gun Kelly.

[264] An exhibition in the African American Museum titled "Hair Story", artist Youveline Joseph produced artworks inspired by Black Is King that recreated some of the braided hairstyles from the film.