Rihanna Being On ‘Wakanda Forever’ Soundtrack Was ‘Divine Timing,’ Says Ryan Coogler

The director spoke to HipHopDX about the much-anticipated upcoming Marvel sequel.
EXCLUSIVE – Rihanna‘s involvement on the new Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack was nothing short of “divine timing,” Ryan Coogler told HipHopDX in an exclusive interview.
The director said that just as the circumstances of his life and career made Kendrick Lamar the right artist to create a theme song for the first Black Panther film, Rihanna’s recent journey into motherhood made her the perfect choice to do the same for the sequel with “Lift Me Up.”
if(isMobile){
window.catalyst.cmd.push("loadAds", [["incontent", "contentUnit“200”", "section_post_inarticle"]]);
}
“It felt right for us because motherhood is a massive theme in this movie,” Coogler said. “And that was kind of timing up for her. In a similar way, when we were finishing the first film, Kendrick was kind of inheriting this crown. What was the chances of us making this movie and Rihanna becoming a mom?”
As evidenced by the film’s trailers, Chadwick Boseman’s death has been worked into Wakanda Forever as the death of King T’Challa. The film centers on how the women in his life, particularly his mother Queen Ramonda, move Wakanda forward even through their grief.
if(isMobile){
window.catalyst.cmd.push("loadAds", [["incontent", "contentUnit“300”", "section_post_inarticle"]]);
}
According to IndieWire, following the film’s premiere in Los Angeles on Wednesday night (October 26), critics applauded how adeptly Ryan Coogler managed to introduce the necessary story lines and characters to continue to move the cinematic Black Panther franchise forward, while still celebrating Boseman’s legacy.
Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” plays an important role in honoring the late actor. And that was intentional on her part, Coogler said.
#BlackPantherWakandaForever is a beautiful tribute to Chadwick Boseman. Visual stunner, with Angela Bassett commanding every scene she inhabits. Rihanna's "Lift Me