The Never-Made Music Video for Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On'

Written by
The Root

The Never-Made Music Video for Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On'

Written by
The Root

The Never-Made Music Video for Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On'

Written by
The Root

On Friday, Motown Records and Universal Music Group UMG debuted the first in its series of “Never-Made Music Videos."

When Motown Records came up with the idea to celebrate its 60th anniversary by creating visuals for songs that preceded the music video era, perhaps no other song in the label’s legendary catalog was more prescient and time-appropriate than Marvin Gaye’s 1971 hit single, “What’s Going On.” Director Savannah Leaf’s reimagining uses Flint as a backdrop for Gaye’s immortal tune that became a protest anthem, a rallying cry and a call to action. While the water crisis plays a prominent role in the video, Leaf manages to remind the audience of the widespread poverty in the majority-black city that fuels crime, police brutality and a struggling education system.

Read The Never-Made Music Video for Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On  appeared first on TheRoot