A memoir by Beyoncé’’s father, Mathew Knowles, is to become a feature film, detailing his early years as a student activist.
The renowned music executive and father of global pop icons Beyoncé and Solange, has inked a significant deal to bring his memoir, Racism From the Eyes of a Child to the big screens.
The project is now under the purview of Say Unkel Entertainment.
In the book, Beyoncé’s father describes his early years in pre-Civil Rights Alabama, where he claims to have attended “all-white” colleges and high schools.
“I had been beaten, I’d been electrically prodded, I’d been spit on, I’d been humiliated—all sorts of trauma,” Matthew Knowles wrote.
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Mr. Knowles received his degree from Nashville’s Fisk University, an HBCU (historically black college or university). The first section of the book—which will be covered in the movie—was inspired by civil rights movement titans such as Coretta Scott King, Albert Turner, Martin Luther King Jr., and Ralph Abernathy.
Plans for Beyoncé’s father’s story first surfaced in 2022, following Knowles‘ sale of his Music World Entertainment Group to investment fund APX Capital.
The story, which centers on Matthew Knowles’ management of his daughters Beyoncé and Solange’s musical careers—including Beyoncé’s ascent to fame in Destiny’s Child—is presented as a “King Richard-style origin story.” Up until 2011, when they parted ways due to “a mutual decision,” Knowles was Beyoncé’s manager.
In addition to exploring historical events, Beyoncé’s father’s memoir looks at the personal development and resilience he went through as a result of those experiences. With a young Mathew Knowles navigating the intricacies of a segregated South, the film adaptation aims to offer viewers a nuanced perspective on racism.
Matthew Knowles is praised for his contributions to the music industry, even outside of his journey. He was a very successful manager who had a significant impact on the careers of renowned performers like Chaka Khan and chart-topping groups like Destiny’s Child, in addition to Beyoncé and Solange. His varied career has made a lasting impression on the entertainment industry.
A thorough examination of Beyoncé’’s father’s life is suggested by the choice to turn his memoir into a feature film and a limited series, giving viewers a better understanding.