About Ben Harper's Black Beauty
Ben Harper has released “Black Beauty”, an original song for the 2020 film ‘Black Boys'.
“It was an honor to have been asked to write a song for this culturally vital documentary,” Harper said. “After watching ‘Black Boys’ and discussing it in depth with [director] Sonia Lowman, I went immediately to work on composing ‘Black Beauty.’ I am old-school and still love getting players in a room together, so a production of this scale during a pandemic was challenging, with quarantine. I was fortunate that the incredible musicians in my circle have taken it upon themselves to become circumstantial recording engineers, and thanks to modern recording technology and some FaceTime sessions, I was able to work by sending tracks back and forth over the Internet.”
A film for this historic moment in a nation still struggling to rectify its racist legacy, ‘Black Boys’ illuminates and celebrates the full humanity of Black men and boys in America. It is a love story exploring the body, mind, voice, and heart through intimate, intergenerational conversations and stories.
At the intersection of education, criminal justice and sports, ‘Black Boys’ reveals the emotional landscape of racism—of how it feels to walk through the world seen as something to be feared. Deeply moving and profoundly beautiful, ‘Black Boys’ serves as a rare glimpse into the emotional landscape of Black men and boys, illuminating their full humanity, vulnerability and resilience. The film is available to stream for free on NBCUniversal’s streaming service, Peacock.