We Speak Entertainment
Kendrick Lamar, Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith & Top Dawg Entertainment To Produce Black Panther
Kendrick Lamar, Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith And Top Dawg Entertainment To Produce Black Panther: The Album
Internationally-celebrated Grammy Award–winning global superstar Kendrick Lamar and Billboard Magazine’s Executive of the Year, Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith, are set to curate and produce “Black Panther: The Album.” The album will feature music from and inspired by Marvel Studios’ Black Panther film including the lead single, “All The Stars,” featuring Kendrick Lamar and label mate SZA, produced by Sounwave. “Black Panther” is directed by critically acclaimed filmmaker Ryan Coogler and stars Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o and Danai Gurira, among others.
Lamar and Tiffith will collaborate with Coogler directly in the creation of music specific to the needs of the film. This will mark the first time that Lamar, whom Rolling Stone dubbed “the greatest rapper alive,” will write, produce, perform and curate for a major motion picture.
This collaboration represents the first time in Marvel Cinematic Universe history that Marvel Studios will integrate multiple original recordings created specifically for the film.
Lamar was hand-picked by Coogler for this first film music collaboration. “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. I can’t wait for the world to hear what Kendrick and TDE have in store,” said Coogler.
Lamar added, “Marvel Studios’ Black Panther is amazing, from its cast to its director. 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 Ryan and Marvel’s vision.”
Top Dawg added: “Working on such a powerful movie is a great opportunity. We’re always working on new goals at TDE, so teaming up with Disney, Marvel Studios and the Black Panther film makes perfect sense.”
Kendrick Lamar is one of the most streamed artists in the world with his latest album in excess of two billion combined streams. Fresh off his six wins at the 2017 VMAs, including Video of the Year, Best Hip Hop video, Best Cinematography, Direction, Art Direction and Visual Effects, he is regarded as one of the most important, critically acclaimed and creatively inventive artists globally.
About Kendrick Lamar:
Platinum-selling, Grammy-award winning artist Kendrick Lamar is one of the rare artists who has achieved critical and commercial success while earning the respect and support of those who inspired him. A native of Compton, California, Lamar released his debut album, good kid, m.A.A.d city in October 2012 which debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and earned him seven Grammy Award nominations. His second album, To Pimp a Butterfly, released in March 2015immediately earned rave reviews and topped the Billboard 200 with sales of 325,000 copies within its first week, despite it coming a week early due to a technical accident. The album garnered Lamar five Grammy nominations with a win for Best Rap Album.
On April 14 2017, Lamar released his fourth studio album, DAMN. which sold 603,300 copies in its first week, the largest first week of his career and any other release that year. The album shot directly to number one on the Billboard 200 where it remained for four consecutive weeks. Complex Magazine claimed it is his “most ambitious album to date”, NPR called it “introspective and unforgiving” and Rolling Stone named him “the most gifted rapper of a generation.”
About The Film:
Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther” follows T’Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king—and Black Panther—is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life.
“Black Panther” stars Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, with Angela Bassett, with Forest Whitaker, and Andy Serkis.
The film is directed by Ryan Coogler and produced by Kevin Feige with Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Nate Moore, Jeffrey Chernov and Stan Lee serving as executive producers. Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole wrote the screenplay. Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther” hits U.S. theaters on February 16, 2018.
We Speak Filmmakers
Malhar Talwalkar Releases Award-Winning Short Film Pink Trees, Exploring Addiction, Recovery and Survival in Los Angeles
Director and cinematographer Malhar Talwalkar presents Pink Trees, a compelling short film that takes an intimate and unflinching look at addiction, recovery, poverty, and survival in Los Angeles. Through the story of a recovering addict struggling to stay clean while living in a temporary housing motel, Talwalkar explores the difficult realities faced by individuals attempting to rebuild their lives in challenging circumstances.
Pink Trees follows Matthew “Job” Smith, a recovering addict battling for survival while living in a temporary housing motel surrounded by the harsh realities of urban poverty and crime. His journey reflects the instability and uncertainty that can accompany addiction recovery, particularly when individuals are attempting to overcome substance abuse without the security of stable housing and a supportive environment.
Rather than portraying recovery as a straightforward journey, Pink Trees examines the complicated circumstances that can influence an individual’s ability to remain sober. The film asks important questions about personal responsibility, environment, social institutions, and the systems that surround people struggling with addiction.
“With this film I tried to tackle the shaky and uncertain road of addiction recovery,” says Talwalkar. “My personal history with substance abuse and addiction made me keen to analyze how various individuals, based on their circumstances, deal with addiction and recovery and how much role institutions play in one’s goal to stay clean.”
Talwalkar’s personal connection to the subject matter brings an added layer of authenticity to Pink Trees. Instead of reducing addiction to a single cause or experience, the film considers the different circumstances that can shape an individual’s recovery and the challenges that can make staying clean an ongoing battle.
The short film has already earned recognition across the independent film festival circuit, receiving awards and honors from Indie Short Fest, Indie X Film Fest, LA Indies, New York International Film Awards™ (NYIFA), San Diego Movie Awards, Chicago Shorts, Latitude Film Awards, Independent Shorts Awards International Film Festival, Hollywood International Indie Film & Screenplay Awards, and Los Angeles Film Awards.
These accolades highlight the film’s growing impact within the independent filmmaking community and its ability to connect with festival audiences and industry professionals through its emotionally grounded storytelling.
At the center of Pink Trees is a question that extends beyond addiction itself: What does it really take for someone to stay clean when the circumstances around them make recovery so difficult? By placing Matthew “Job” Smith within an environment shaped by poverty, crime, and instability, Talwalkar invites audiences to look beyond stereotypes and consider the human and institutional factors that influence recovery.
Talwalkar is a Director and Cinematographer who graduated in the MFA Filmmaking Program at the New York Film Academy in Burbank, California. His work reflects a passion for telling meaningful stories that explore complex human experiences and socially relevant issues.
With Pink Trees, Talwalkar delivers more than a story about addiction. He creates a portrait of a person fighting to survive, recover, and find a path forward in an environment where simply staying clean can become a daily struggle.
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