Disney honors Black experience

NEW YORK — Disney is celebrating this year’s Juneteenth with a new EP about the Black experience featuring actor and activist Yara Shahidi, Chlöe Bailey of Chloe x Halle and rapper YBN Cordae, who is donating his proceeds to students attending historically Black colleges and universities.

“Music for the Movement Volume III – Liberated,” which was released Friday, is the third volume in Disney’s four-part series of EPs honoring Black lives and social justice under a joint venture between Disney Music Group and The Undefeated, ESPN’s platform for exploring the intersections of race, sports and culture.

Shahidi delivers the original spoken word track “To Be A Black Girl” on the EP, while Bailey covers Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good.” The Grammy-nominated Bailey performed the track on “Juneteenth: Together We Triumph – A ‘Soul of a Nation’ Special Event,” that aired Friday on ABC and marked her first solo TV performance.

Cordae and Common join forces for “What’s Life,” and Cordae agreed to donate his proceeds from the album release to fund scholarships for students from underrepresented communities attending HBCUs. As a result, Disney Dreamers Academy and The Undefeated agreed to match his donation.

“So many people need the money more than I do. I feel as though when you’re in such a blessed position, it’s important to pay that forward to be a blessing to others. It’s especially important to me to invest in our youth and the future,” 23-year-old Cordae said in a statement. “Young people are the future of our society and the world, so we must do all we can to ensure they are properly positioned to succeed. If I can spark the brain of a few future world leaders and geniuses, I’ll die a happy man.”

“Music for the Movement Volume III – Liberated” also features songs by R&B singer Lucky Daye and jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington.

Disney’s first volume called “I Can’t Breathe/Music for the Movement” was released in October and featured songs by Rapsody, Bilal, Robert Glasper, Terrace Martin, Alex Isley, Jensen McRae and Keedron Bryant. “Black History Always — Music for the Movement Vol. 2” was released in February and included songs by Tinashe, Freddie Gibbs, Tobe Nwigwe, Brent Faiyaz and Infinity Song.