John Legend Excited To Helm Music Direction On ‘Underground’ Slave Series
John Legend and his production company, Get Lifted, will executive produce a plantation-set slave thriller for WGN America called Underground. Legend will also oversee all music aspects of the scripted series, which Kanye West was originally eyed to score back when the show was greenlit in February.
Underground stars Aldis Hodge (Straight Outta Compton) as the organizer of “a group of slaves who plan a daring escape from a Georgia plantation to cross 600 miles to freedom,” TV Line reports. The one-hour drama is currently in production in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and co-stars Christopher Meloni (Law & Order: SVU), Jurnee Smollett-Bell (Friday Night Lights) and her brother Jussie Smollett (Empire), and “chronicles the compelling journey of brave individuals whose fight for freedom still inspires us today,” network boss Matt Cherniss, announced Wednesday during the Television Critics Association. summer press tour in Beverly Hills.
In a statement, Legend spoke of the exciting collaboration with WGN America and Sony Pictures Television on the “powerful project.”
“We are excited to join forces with WGN America and Sony and the talented team of writers and producers on this powerful project that we believe will inspire us all,” the Oscar-and-Grammy-winning recording artist said. “This series has a unique opportunity to speak to the passion and courage of those who risked it all as they raced to freedom. We are honored to bring our creative vision to this thrilling project.”
“Underground depicts a raw and revolutionary chapter in the American story. We wanted an artist who could help us find the light through the darkness, and John Legend was a perfect fit,” said Misha Green and Joe Pokaski, creators and executive producers of the series.
Underground is slated to premiere on WGN in 2016.
Legend, with his songwriting partner, rapper Common, recently won an Oscar for best original song for “Glory” from the film, Selma. John has also been quite vocal lately regarding the ongoing racial bias and police brutality. A previous Inquisitr article highlighted his sentiments on the Charleston shooting, the Confederate Flag debate, and America’s broken justice system.
John Legend also wrote an article for Vulture in which he addressed the death of Kalief Browder, the young black man who spent three years in solitary confinement on Rikers Island after he was accused of stealing a backpack at age 16. He was never tried for the crime. He committed suicide two years after his release from solitary — having been deeply scarred by the experience. Legend said NYPD failed Browder.
You can read John Legend’s full Vulture essay here.
[Image via Jason Kempin/Getty Images/Zimbio/North America]
