Considering the success of the Grammy-winning Black Panther soundtrack that Kendrick Lamar executive produced, there’s good reason to be excited about the soundtrack to Marvel’s upcoming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever sequel. Over the weekend, the first official trailer to Wakanda Forever dropped and it was as memorable to the tribute it pays to the late Chadwick Bozeman as it was for the choice of music that was used underneath.
Throughout the clip, Nigerian afrobeats/R&B singer Tems sings a version of Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry” that eventually morphs into Lamar’s “Alright” in exciting ways. Today, Tems’ cover of “No Woman, No Cry,” (produced by Ludwig Göransson) has been officially released on digital streaming platforms, along with two other songs from the soundtrack entitled, Wakanda Forever Prologue. Also released today, is a vibey, afro-fusion tune from Ghanaian singer Amaarae called “A Body, A Coffin,” as well as the tribal thump of “Soy,” by Mexican rapper Santa Fe Klan.
All three of the songs shift the vibe from the big-name hip-hop of the original Black Panther soundtrack. With the explosion of afrobeats music and the global rise of música Latina, it seems as though Wakanda Forever Prologue is moving towards those sounds and artists. It’s a welcome push for the film franchise which not only broke barriers as a blockbuster Black superhero movie, but also as a curator of the best artists making music today.
Ryan Coogler is back directing the sequel and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will once again feature Lupita Nyong’o, Angela Bassett, and Danai Gurira.
Listen to Tems’ “No Woman, No Cry” above.