In the wake of the civil unrest happening across the United States, Tyrese and CeeLo Green have teamed up for a new song titled “Legendary.”
The socially-conscious track specifically addresses the public health crises of police officers killing Black Americans at a higher rate. The song runs 8:46 minutes, the same length of time Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kept his knee on George Floyd’s neck, which ultimately killed him.
“You can take my body / But you can’t kill my soul / Cause a soul of a man lives beyond this world,” Tyrese sings in the first verse. Green contributes his soulful vocals on the song’s chorus, singing, “If I die tomorrow / You can take my breath away / O, I said if I die tomorrow, I’ll still be legendary.”
An accompanying visual, directed by Deon Taylor, has also been released. The dramatic clip includes a mix of reenactments, as well as footage from Black Lives Matter protests. Although the video may be triggering, Tyrese and Taylor offer an alternative ending that viewers would appreciate.
Tyrese issued a statement about his new stirring single with Green. “‘Legendary’ is powerful because the music and the video are meant to shift how we are seen,” he said. “We’re in the middle of a revolution. As Black people, we are fighting two pandemics: COVID-19 and Systemic Racism. The video painfully underscores the plight of our community, while asserting that Black Lives Matter. As for the music? The proudest moment of my life is when attorney Benjamin Crump said, ‘Legendary’ is the new anthem of the movement.”
“Legendary” arrives on the same day as the 57th Anniversary of the March On Washington. Today, thousands of people gathered in the nation’s capital to demand racial justice and police reform.
Listen to “Legendary” by Tyrese and CeeLo Green below.
