Kendrick Lamar and Anthony Tiffith Curate ‘Black Panther’ Soundtrack

Black Panther the film is a watershed moment in global culture, bringing T’Challa the noble King of Wakanda to the big screen some 50 years after the forward-thinking Jack Kirby and Stan Lee created the first black superhero for Marvel Comics. Supporting director Ryan Coogler’s groundbreaking film is Ludwig Göransson’s original score, but also a collaborated curation of tunes by Kendrick Lamar and Top Dawg Entertainment’s Anthony Tiffith. Among the top tracks are Lamar’s “Black Panther”; the Michael Jackson–like “Pray for Me,” by The Weeknd and Lamar; “All the Stars,” by Lamar and SZA, featuring the latter on the hook; the chilled-out slow jam “The Ways,” by Khalid and Swae Lee; “Opps,” on which Vince Staples and Yugen Blakrok drop dope rhymes to tripped-out beats; and “I Am,” featuring Jorja Smith’s sultry R&B vocals and a sweet Travis Scott sample. In all, the Black Panther soundtrack showcases excellence from artists at the top of their game.