Chains

Album: Single release only (2015)
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Songfacts®:

  • Usher recorded this track to raise awareness for the victims of racial injustice and police brutality. The R&B star worked with rapper Nas and singer-songwriter Bibi Bourelly on the tune. "In writing this song, I was motivated by the events involving prejudicial injustice that are still happening today," he said. "The reality is that racial bigotry diminishes the lives of too many people in our country. We have to come together as a country to solve these problems and this is one way I can contribute."
  • The song is accompanied by an innovative interactive visual experience dubbed 'Don't Look Away,' which uses a camera with facial recognition technology to allow viewers to look into the eyes of the unarmed victims. The video stops playing when it senses the viewer has stopped staring directly at the screen.
  • Usher, Nas and Bibi Bourelly debuted the song live on October 20, 2015 at the TIDAL X: 10/20 event, a charity concert held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn that celebrated Tidal's one millionth subscriber.

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