*Grammy-award winning John Legend has previously called out police brutality and social injustice, and now he’s weighing in on Colin Kaepernick’s ongoing peaceful protest.
In an interview with Complex, Legend was asked what he thinks of the backlash against Kaepernick’s decision to not stand during the national anthem. Legend said the backlash isn’t surprising given the way people fill with rage anytime blacks have called for equality — as history has proven.
“Dr. King was unpopular while he was alive ― he’s only popular now because he’s dead and not a threat to anyone,” Legend said. “But he was a threat to the status quo back then and the people, the so-called ‘moderates’ used to say, ‘Well, we’re with you, but you gotta be more patient. We’re with you, but you shouldn’t protest like this.’”
READ RELATED STORY: John Legend on Colin Kaepernick: The National Anthem ‘Is a Weak Song Anyway’
The singer and activist went on to explain that the problem with the reaction to Kaepernick is, “they’ll police your protest more than the things you’re protesting against, which is the real [source of] oppression.”
“The reality is [Kaepernick is] protesting black men and women ― people of color ― getting shot by police when they’re unarmed, and those police facing no consequences,” Legend added. “Think about how corrosive that is for a society if we allow that to continue to happen? You’re upset that he’s kneeling down in peaceful protest, but you’re not upset by what he’s protesting against?”
During the same interview, Legend also explained how his approach to making a song has changed over the years.
“I’m probably tougher on myself than I used to be. I’ll revise my lyrics more. Part of that is working with the right people and producers who will say, “How can you make that better?” Allowing yourself to collaborate with people will push you toward transcendence. ”
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