I’m sure you’ve heard about the recent and popular movie “Black Panther.” While it may seem based on the title that this album is merely of the movie’s score, it’s not; this album is a soundtrack inspired by the movie. Choice songs from the album are featured in the movie like “Pray For Me” and “All The Stars.”

With the majority of the songs on the top charts, it is clear that the album has been very successful with the public. Along with topping the charts, the album’s genre — hip-hop/rap — is very popular.

Spearheading the album is well-known artist Kendrick Lamar; along with Lamar, the album features contributions by Khalid, The Weekend, Saudi, SZA, Travis Scott and many more.

The way I found this album was by looking through the top charts on Apple Music even before I saw the movie “Black Panther.” The album has an explicit version (for profanity), but there is also a clean version that is just as good, as an option as well. Personally, I would suggest listening to the clean version of the album, because it sounds completely the same either way just without the influence of the explicit version.

1. “ Black Panther”

Kendrick Lamar

“What do you stand for?”

This song differs from the rest because it relies more heavily on classical piano, and it is highly focused on the movie “Black Panther” as far as the lyrics go. It talks mostly about being king of “fill in the blank.” Personally, this song is slightly repetitive and not the best compared to the rest of the album; I would suggest other songs in the album before this one.

2. “All The Stars”

Kendrick Lamar, SZA

“Love, let’s talk about love. Is it anything and everything you hoped for? Or do the feeling haunt you? I know the feeling haunt you.”

This is one of my favorites from the album because of the message and overall sound. The lyric above and the song as a whole reflects how love isn’t everything we imagine it to be. If it ends, the feeling stays with you and, as it says, “haunts” you even after the good is gone.

3. “X”

Schoolboy Q, 2 Chainz, Saudi

“I wear the crown all day, hol’up. Somebody can’t relate, hol’up.”

This song mostly keeps a steady beat throughout the song. The lyric I chose is before the chorus and is saying that the person they are talking about can’t relate. The rest of the song generally repeats and there isn’t much to it.

4. “The Way”

Khalid, Swae Lee

“Power girl, I really want to know your ways…”

This song is for you if you enjoy hip-hop/alternative. It’s really smooth and slightly relaxing. This song is not on the top charts but definitely still worth listening to. It’s one of the slower, almost jazzier, songs of the album, but if you enjoy the others you should like this one.

5. “Opps”

Vince Staples, Yugen Blakrok

“What are you standing on the side for? Roar like a lioness, punch like a cyborg.”

This is another song that is featured in the movie ‘Black Panther.’ It’s talking about how “they” don’t want them to succeed in anyway. When Blakrok starts halfway into the song she talks about standing up and fighting, referring to the lyric I chose. I would personally rate the song right in the middle of the album.

6. “I Am”

Jorja Smith

“When you know what you got. Sacrifice ain’t that hard.”

This is one of the slower songs in the album and its slightly jazzier than the rest. Smith’s voice is smooth and relaxing and along with that the lyrics in the song are also well written. Its talking about having a solid idea of what you really need and have and knowing what you can sacrifice. Overall I would rate this song very well in the album.  

7. “Paramedic!”

SOB x RBE

“No one’s perfect. But no one’s worthless. We ain’t deserving of everything heaven and earth is.”

This song is number 45 on top charts and it is seriously really good. The beginning talks about how we are lucky to have what we have where we live and obviously how it says “that no one’s perfect” but at the same time “no one is worthless” which is always a good thing to remember. Overall a great song and listening to the clean version of this song especially sounds perfectly normal so this is another good choice for that listening option.

8. “Bloody Waters”

Ab-soul, Anderson Paak, James Blake

“He tried to channel balance but never found the remote.”

The song is talking about the world and how messed up it is. With so many horrible people and situations and things on this earth it’s hard to have balance. I chose the feature lyric because I thought it well encompassed the meaning of the song. Based on the song I give it a rating towards the middle of the album.

9. “Kings Dead”

Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, Future, James Blake

“Not your people, not your freedom. Not your baby, not your equal. Not the title y’all want me under.”

This song is number 14 on top charts right now and the line I chose talks about labels that people put you under. It says that people put titles on you and lower you to be what they want you to be. It is also a very good song if you are more into rap than hip-hop and far as this album goes. Its a faster song with a few more mindless lyrics than the others but other than that it is great.

10. “Redemption Interlude”

Zacari

“This time around, theres still time to turn around.”

“Redemptions Interlude” is the shortest song in the album since its just a starter for “Redemption”, with a grand total of one minute and 25 seconds. The feauture lyric is said over and over again in the interlude and is the basic target meaning for the song.

11. “Redemption”

Zacari, Babes Wodumo

“Two wrongs don’t make us right away.”

A interesting part about this song is that it starts out in Spanish. It is one of the most repetitive songs of the album and in my opinion is slightly odd because it repeats some confusing lyrics over and over again. The feature lyric is similar to the popular saying “two wrongs don’t make a right.” This saying contributes to the song by that lyric. The rating I would give this song is toward the bottom.

12. “Seasons”

Mozzy, Sjava, Reason

“They can bluff you, they can beat you.”

This song is mostly in a different language and focuses on slavery. It focuses on how there is still slavery even now and that people continue to deny it. Likewise, it talks about the hard life many African Americans have and have had for a long time. The song is not one of my favorites in the album and it is one of the slower songs aswell. Personally I would rate this great as far as lyrics and meaning go but otherwise I would not rate it as highly.

13. “Big Shot”

Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott

“I had the feeling and forgot about the flow. Ring so big, got my haters on the ropes.”

This song is not on the top charts right now aswell but it is just as good as the others. The lyric I chose is talking about haters and hes basically talking about haveing them under control or not letting them affect him.

14. “Pray For Me”

The Weekend, Kendrick Lamar

“Who gon’ pray for me? Take my pain for me? Save my soul for me? ‘Cause I’m alone you see.”

This song is number 28 on top charts as of right now and there is a definite reason for that. It is one of the songs feautured in the movie “Black Panther” and along with sounding great it talks about being alone and having to handle everything yourself which is something that we can agree alot of people struggle with thinking.

Overall I recommend this album for people who like hip-hop/rap or even alternative. Again, I suggest the clean versions of these songs but whatever way you choose to listen to it I hope you enjoy. Just a disclaimer that over time Apple Music’s top charts change order so some top chart numbers many no longer be accurate.