LISTEN: Kendrick Lamar and SZA Drop First Single From ‘Black Panther’ Soundtrack

By Sameer Rao Jan 04, 2018

Kendrick Lamar and his label, Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), just made the wait for Marvel’s "Black Panther" film a little bit harder. He announced today (January 4) that he and TDE label head Anthony Tiffith co-produced the soundtrack for the superhero movie. 


"Marvel Studios’ ‘Black Panther’ is amazing, from its cast to its director," the artist said in a statement, per The Verge. "The magnitude of this film showcases a great marriage of art and culture. I’m truly honored to contribute my knowledge of producing sound and writing music alongside [director Ryan Coogler] and Marvel’s vision.”


"I am honored to be working with such an incredible artist whose work has been so inspirational, and whose artistic themes align with those we explore in the film," Coogler said in the same statement. "I can’t wait for the world to hear what Kendrick and TDE have in store." The Verge reports that Coogler hand-picked Lamar to produce the soundtrack, which will be called "Black Panther: The Album."


Entertainment Weekly notes that Lamar teased his involvement in the music video for "Love," which he released last month. This screenshot from the video’s 1:54 mark shows a slate board that reads, "B. Panther Soundtrack Coming Soon":


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Shadow and Act reports that the soundtrack will feature original songs inspired by and created specifically for the movie, making "Black Panther" the first Marvel film to incorporate multiple original songs. Lamar released the first of these tracks, a collaboration with fellow TDE artist SZA called "All the Stars," today: 



Apple Music’s pre-order site for "Black Panther: The Album" sets February 9 as the anticipated release date for the 14-track project. "Black Panther" hits theaters on February 16.