Beyoncé really is The Gift that keeps on giving. Not only has the Houston legend given us endless certified bops over the last two decades that will stand the test of time, she was also gracious enough to give the next generation of music fans their own icon, one Miss Blue Ivy Carter. At just 7 years old, the vivacious Blue Ivy is already racking up accolades, the most recent being her 2019 BET Soul Train Award for her songwriting contribution to the melanin anthem “Brown Skin Girl.”
In tandem with the theatrical release of the live-action remake of The Lion King this summer, Beyoncé released an Afrobeats-inspired companion album titled The Lion King: The Gift. The 25-song album featured major African artists such as Burna Boy and Tiwa Savage as well as verses from Jay-Z, Tierra Whack, and Kendrick Lamar. One fan favourite, “Brown Skin Girl,” received critical acclaim (and a spot on the Billboard Top 100), its pro-Black lyrics fighting back against colourism by celebrating the beauty of dark skin.
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On the track, Beyoncé and Afrobeats superstar Wizkid sing the verses and the hook, but if we’re being honest, the real star of “Brown Skin Girl” is Blue Ivy; Bey's firstborn sweetly opens and closes the unofficial Black girl magic anthem with her own rendition of the now iconic verse. As the child of musical geniuses, it was only right that she would have this much talent at such a young age.
The 2019 BET Soul Train Awards recognised this budding talent and made sure to pay their awarding it respects by giving Blue Ivy the Ashford & Simpson Songwriting Award for her first hit. She does share the award with the other artists featured on the song, but who are we kidding? It's Blue Ivy's world.
Since birth, Blue Ivy has been been destined for greatness. At just a few days old, she was featured on Jay-Z’s “Glory.” Her cries at the end of the track mean Blue is the youngest rap sensation in the game. Years later, she would once again show off her lyrical chops in an especially fire freestyle featured on her dad's 4:44 album. "Never seen a seen in my whole life," rapped the young virtuoso. "Boomshakala, boomshakala. Everything in shaka, everything in flocka."
An icon in the making — we love to see it.