John Legend shares his thoughts on the racially-charged world around us on his latest track, “In America.” Known for his social activism, there is no surprise that Legend would take such a personal interest diving into a song that highlights the progress still needed to be made in the country.
Produced by Dave Tozer, “In America” finds Legend singing about change and hope. This song, which is featured on Legend’s TV series Underground, touches on the deeply rooted issues that have rocked society to its core including the controversial case of Eric Garner.
“In America, in America / I still can’t breathe in America / Watch them squeezing my neck / Watch them bullets connect / We still gonna fight in America,” Legend sings.
Legend explained the concept behind the song and how he felt this song stood with regards to todays’ society.
“It’s a song I was writing while thinking about the duality of America, where it’s known to be this place of freedom, equality and where anyone can make it,” he said. “The song points out the tension between the promise of America, the ideals of America, and sometimes us not living up to those ideals in practice.
He continued, “‘In America’ was perfect song for Underground, a series I’m incredibly proud to be a part of, and one that does a beautiful job of portraying a challenging time in our nation’s history while reminding us that change is possible.”
Tozer added, “When John and I were writing ‘In America,’ we wanted to give voice to the frustration that some people have been feeling in recent times.”
Listen to “In America” below.
