Artist and activist, John Legend returns with the powerful new song and video “Preach,” addressing social issues of today.
“The idea behind the song is that sometimes we can get so frustrated by the news and what’s going on and there’s this scatter going on in ourselves,” Legend said in a statement. “Do we become apathetic? Do we become engaged? Do we just talk about it, or do we do something?”
The Dominique DeLeon-directed video opens with the singer lying awake in bed beside wife Chrissy Teigen before taking a harrowing look at a handful of issues taking root in America: School shootings, children being separated from parents at the border, law enforcement’s aggressive tactics toward African-Americans during traffic stops and more.
“Heaven knows I’m not helpless / But I’m only human / Can’t see the use in me crying / If I’m not even trying to make the change I want to see,” Legend sings on the track.
The video also employs YouTube’s fundraising feature to set a goal of $50,000 in donations for FreeAmerica, which “exists to amplify the voices of individuals impacted by the criminal justice system and those who are working to change it. By challenging stereotypes, breaking down barriers, and uplifting solutions, we are helping to end mass incarceration and invest in just, equitable, and thriving communities across the United States.”
