Going to the movies can sometimes feel a lot like agreeing to a blind date: It’s normal to feel a little wary — but also a bit excited — at the potential before agreeing to spend two hours with characters you don’t know. If the film is any good, it wins you over early on, enough so that you stick around to see what happens to these strangers you’ve only just met. But the dynamic works best when there’s instant chemistry, which isn’t always the case — as director Melina Matsoukas (one of seven filmmakers involved with Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” project, specifically responsible for the star’s “Formation” music video) discovers in her highly anticipated narrative debut, “Queen & Slim.”
Two African American singles on what will prove to be one of the worst first dates in cinema history, they swiped right on Tinder, and now they’re meeting up in person. Slim (Daniel Kaluuya of “Get Out”) works at Costco. He drives a Honda with a trunk full of sneakers and a vanity plate that reads “TrustGod.” Queen (newcomer Jodie Turner-Smith) is a lawyer coming off a very bad day in court. A client she defended got the death penalty, and she’s trying to distract herself from the injustice of it all.
The Queen & Slim soundtrack is a high-octane ride with a tender heart — just like the movie it’s made for.
The soundtrack dropped Friday from the iconic Motown Records, ahead of Queen & Slim’s theatrical release later in November. Queen & Slim stars Get Out’s Daniel Kaluuya and model and actress Jodie Turner-Smith as a “black Bonnie and Clyde” running from the police. After a forgettable first date in Ohio, the pair are pulled over on a minor traffic stop — but the situation ends suddenly and tragically, with a police officer dead after Kaluuya’s character fights back in self-defense. The incident goes viral, and the two (him a retail employee, her a criminal defense lawyer) go on the run and become national figures.
The 17-song soundtrack is a display of Black talent and artistry, featuring a genuinely staggering lineup ranging from rising hip-hop superstars to soul and R&B legends. A new, fiery Megan Thee Stallion track kicks off the proceedings, followed by original songs by artists including Lauryn Hill — her track “Guarding The Gates” is her first new music in five years, Rolling Stone reports, though fans might recognize it from her live shows.
Other artists on the soundtrack include — *takes deep breath* — Vince Staples, 6LACK, Mereba, Syd, Coast Contra, BJ The Chicago Kid, Lil Baby, Burna Boy, and Blood Orange, who also composed the film’s score. Classic songs by Bilal (“Soul Sista”), Mike Jones (“Still Tippin’”), and Roy Ayers (“Searching”) are on the list, too, along with Tiana Major9 and EarthGang’s new single “Collide,” which dropped with an accompanying music video.
Queen & Slim was written by Lena Waithe, and draws inspiration from a short story by her and author James Frey. Waithe worked with Queen & Slim director Melina Matsoukas and Motown Records’ president, Ethiopia Habtemariam, to assemble the soundtrack, which is intended to sound like a musical road trip mirroring the characters’ journey together. It is also meant to be a bold artistic statement — a modern take on the history of Black music in the U.S.
“I wanted the soundtrack for Queen & Slim to showcase the historical evolution of Black music, from its roots in blues and soul, to modern bounce, hip hop and R&B — much like we used to see in film soundtracks in the ‘90s,” Matsoukas said in a statement.
Queen & Slim hits theaters on November 27.
By: Samcilla Baakojr (NetbuzzAfrica.com) With Insights from ALEJANDRA SALAZAR (Refinery29.com)
Going to the movies can sometimes feel a lot like agreeing to a blind date: It’s normal to feel a little wary — but also a bit excited — at the potential before agreeing to spend two hours with characters you don’t know. If the film is any good, it wins you over early on, enough so that you stick around to see what happens to these strangers you’ve only just met. But the dynamic works best when there’s instant chemistry, which isn’t always the case — as director Melina Matsoukas (one of seven filmmakers involved with Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” project, specifically responsible for the star’s “Formation” music video) discovers in her highly anticipated narrative debut, “Queen & Slim.”
Two African American singles on what will prove to be one of the worst first dates in cinema history, they swiped right on Tinder, and now they’re meeting up in person. Slim (Daniel Kaluuya of “Get Out”) works at Costco. He drives a Honda with a trunk full of sneakers and a vanity plate that reads “TrustGod.” Queen (newcomer Jodie Turner-Smith) is a lawyer coming off a very bad day in court. A client she defended got the death penalty, and she’s trying to distract herself from the injustice of it all.
The Queen & Slim soundtrack is a high-octane ride with a tender heart — just like the movie it’s made for.
The soundtrack dropped Friday from the iconic Motown Records, ahead of Queen & Slim’s theatrical release later in November. Queen & Slim stars Get Out’s Daniel Kaluuya and model and actress Jodie Turner-Smith as a “black Bonnie and Clyde” running from the police. After a forgettable first date in Ohio, the pair are pulled over on a minor traffic stop — but the situation ends suddenly and tragically, with a police officer dead after Kaluuya’s character fights back in self-defense. The incident goes viral, and the two (him a retail employee, her a criminal defense lawyer) go on the run and become national figures.
The 17-song soundtrack is a display of Black talent and artistry, featuring a genuinely staggering lineup ranging from rising hip-hop superstars to soul and R&B legends. A new, fiery Megan Thee Stallion track kicks off the proceedings, followed by original songs by artists including Lauryn Hill — her track “Guarding The Gates” is her first new music in five years, Rolling Stone reports, though fans might recognize it from her live shows.
Other artists on the soundtrack include — *takes deep breath* — Vince Staples, 6LACK, Mereba, Syd, Coast Contra, BJ The Chicago Kid, Lil Baby, Burna Boy, and Blood Orange, who also composed the film’s score. Classic songs by Bilal (“Soul Sista”), Mike Jones (“Still Tippin’”), and Roy Ayers (“Searching”) are on the list, too, along with Tiana Major9 and EarthGang’s new single “Collide,” which dropped with an accompanying music video.
Queen & Slim was written by Lena Waithe, and draws inspiration from a short story by her and author James Frey. Waithe worked with Queen & Slim director Melina Matsoukas and Motown Records’ president, Ethiopia Habtemariam, to assemble the soundtrack, which is intended to sound like a musical road trip mirroring the characters’ journey together. It is also meant to be a bold artistic statement — a modern take on the history of Black music in the U.S.
“I wanted the soundtrack for Queen & Slim to showcase the historical evolution of Black music, from its roots in blues and soul, to modern bounce, hip hop and R&B — much like we used to see in film soundtracks in the ‘90s,” Matsoukas said in a statement.
Queen & Slim hits theaters on November 27.
By: Samcilla Baakojr (NetbuzzAfrica.com) With Insights from ALEJANDRA SALAZAR (Refinery29.com)
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