The 'No One' hitmaker covers Sam Cooke's monumental song in the clip featuring LeBron James which promotes equality.
- Feb 16, 2017
AceShowbiz - Nike released a powerful equality-themed promotional ad on YouTube. The shoe company released the ad after an extremely divisive election that was faced by the United States' citizens. The LeBron James-starring ad also features Alicia Keys singing "Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke.
Directed by Melina Matsoukas who won two Grammys for directing Rihanna's "We Found Love" and Beyonce Knowles' "Formation" music video, the clip sees Keys wearing white suit with only a white Nike sports bra underneath. She sings in front of a white piano, while actor Michael B. Jordan's voice can be heard narrating, "Is this the land history promised. Here, within these lines, on this concrete court, this patch of turf." Jordan recites lines about equality and diversity in sports as he says, "Here, you're defined by your actions. Not your looks or beliefs."
Jordan continues, "Equality should have no boundaries. The bonds we find this should one passed these lines. Opportunity should not discriminate. The balls should bounce the same for everyone. Work should outshine colors." Jordan ends the clip by saying, "If we can be equals here," and James finishes it, "We can be equals everywhere."
The black-and-white ad aims to promote sports as "society's equalizer." The video shows athletes from different races, genders and religions practicing various sports including soccer, American football and basketball. The promotional clip also stars famous athletes such as Serena Williams, Kevin Durant, Megan Rapinoe, Dalilah Muhammad, Gabby Douglas and Victor Cruz.
Nike also released a behind-the-scenes video of the ad, which shows Keys explaining what equality really means. "[Equality is] basically the opportunity to do anything and to have access to everything and to not ever be held back or stopped from doing anything because you are different or you believe something different or you love different," Keys says, before adding, "It's that simple. I don't know why it seems so hard for people to get sometimes."
