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This is Beyoncé, so we all know it's going to be good.
By Nicole Pomarico — Written on Jul 31, 2020
On Friday, July 31, Beyoncé's latest project will finally debut: Black Is King, a visual album based on the live action Lion King movie. It's set to stream on Disney+, and although we've heard a few hints here and there about what to expect, it couldn't have compared to the full version that's available now — filled with all kinds of details that immediately caught fans' eyes.
There are definitely a few Black Is King Easter eggs to be found.
Here's what we (and fans) have found so far. Just as we suspected, this visual album is incredible.
Blue Ivy makes an appearance in Black Is King.
We've seen Blue Ivy become a part of many of her parents' projects, and Black Is King is no different. Blue Ivy was easily spotted, grinning away and all dressed up. Not only did she make multiple appearances, but she also sang her song "Brown Skin Girl," stealing the show just as we imagined she would.
Beyoncé's other kids, Rumi and Sir, were spotted, too.
It wasn't just Blue who made an appearance. Rumi and Sir also took part in Black Is King, even though they've mostly been kept hidden from the spotlight (until now). In fact, the visual album was actually dedicated to Sir, which makes us wonder what else Bey may have up her sleeve for her other kids.
There's a reference to the "Apesh*t" music video in Black Is King.
In one scene, men are wearing orange suits similar to what Jay-Z wore in the "Apesh*t" music video, so there's no doubt that this is a callback to the Carters' joint effort. It's cool to see the parallels this way, even though an attention to detail is something that fans have definitely come to expect from anything Beyoncé touches.
There's also a Black Is King tribute to Beyoncé's song "Hold Up."
There's another scene in the trailer where women can be seen wearing a pink version of the dress that Beyoncé wore during "Hold Up" in Lemonade, when she walked around epically smashing car windows with a baseball bat. Between this and the "Apesh*t" reference, it's possible we'll also get to see a lot of other details that tie her other work into this visual album.
Beyoncé recreated a movie scene.
Fans on Twitter pointed out that one of the scenes in the new trailer echoes one from a musical called Bathing Beauties. The movie, which was released originally in 1944, featured an all-white cast, but Beyoncé has recreated that scene with an all-Black cast. Pretty awesome symbolism, here, and as always, even more gorgeous visuals.
Mary Twala has been spotted.
Another fan on Twitter noted that Mary Twala is in Black Is King. Twala is a South African actress who died earlier this month at the age of 80. Known as Mam' Twala, the actress was an icon and known as a legend. Now, it seems that her work in Black Is King may have been her last.
Kelly Rowland made an appearance.
Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland have been BFFs since their Destiny's Child days, and Rowland appeared in Black Is King, too, showing their bond is as strong as ever — and so are their powers when they perform together.
WizKid and Lupita Nyong'o also made appearances.
Rowland and Twala weren't the only stars who made cameos. Fans also spotted WizKid and Lupita Nyong'o in different scenes, too, proving that Beyoncé really pulled out all the stops this time.
Lemonade better watch out, because we have a feeling this will go down as one of her best. This is Beyoncé we're talking about, after all.
Nicole Pomarico is an entertainment and lifestyle writer whose work has appeared in Cosmo, Us Weekly, Refinery29, and more.