It’s no secret that recently John Legend has become one of the most prominent celebrities in Hollywood. His 2013 hit single All of Me and appearance in the 2016 film La La Land contributed greatly to skyrocketing his already successful career in entertainment. Like most, I’ve jammed out to Green Light and cried along to Ordinary People without paying much attention to who the artist behind these genius songs were. It was only a little over one year ago when I decided to jump on the John Legend bandwagon. And I’m here to tell you all, collegiettes, that John is truly a legendary man.
Here’s why.
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1. He is multitalented
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Yes, he’s gorgeous. And yes, he has the voice of what I can only equate to as angels singing from the sky above (have you ever heard him sing a capella?!), but John is a man of many talents. He’s dabbled in acting, plays piano impeccably, writes his own songs, writes insightful essays (which we will delve into later), and even learned to play guitar for the filming of La La Land.
2. He is a supporting husband and devoted father
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ICYMI, Chrissy Teigen opened up about her battle with postpartum depression earlier this year. In a Q&A session with Buzzfeed, John had this to say about the matter: “You know it’s not your fault, it’s not your wife’s fault – she didn’t do anything wrong to make her feel this way…You just have to help each other, support each other, and you’ll get through it.” Chrissy has also been featured in John’s most romantic videos, including You and I, All of Me, and both she and Luna appeared in Love Me Now. Finally, his Darkness and Light album features a song that John wrote for baby Luna titled Right by You (for Luna), which he played throughout his tour, complete with home videos and pictures of her. What a man!
3. He uses his platform to actively speak up against societal issues
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In a thoughtful essay for Slate, John calls out Donald Trump and defends taking a knee as a form of protest, stating, “Protest in America has been essential to ending war, to demanding equal rights, to ending unfair practices that keep citizens marginalized. If we quell protest in the name of patriotism, we are not patriots. We are tyrants.” He also initiated the FreeAmerica campaign, to open up a nationwide discussion to help end mass incarceration. And, in an interview with Jorge Ramos, John made his stance on neutrality clear: “You can’t be neutral. If you’re neutral that means you’re complicit.” GO JOHN!
4. He incorporates current political topics into his music videos
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The Penthouse Floor video is filled with references to Donald Trump, Black Lives Matter, the Women’s March, and overpolicing. Also, his Surefire video tells a tear-jerking love story between a Mexican man and Muslim woman — two minorities most under attack since Trump took office.
5. He has a great sense of humor
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I suppose you have to when you’re married to Chrissy Teigen, but Johnny definitely knows how to make us laugh!