Common and John Legend have just released the official music video for their track “Glory.” It features on the soundtrack for the upcoming film Selma, which is based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches led by James Bevel which culminated in President Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories of the Civil Rights Movement.
Despite taking place 50 years ago, the parallels between the oppression they faced then and that many face today is glaring. As Common goes on to state, “That’s why Rosa sat on the bus / That’s why we walk through Ferguson with our hands up.” Although the track may be clumsy and overly obvious in parts, it still shines a light on how little things have changed.