Iconic R&B group, The O’Jays have announced the release of their final studio album. This revelation comes with the release of their newest single, “Above the Law,” a politically charged track that will serve as the lead offering for the upcoming album titled, ‘The Last Word.’
“Above the Law” was composed by soul music legend Betty Wright and Angelo Morris, and produced by Steve Greenberg, Betty Wright, Mike Mangini, and Sam Hollander. “Living in a climate of surreal reality TV, etc., I decided to address subject matter on subjects that matter in the REAL world,” said Betty Wright. “‘Above the Law’ describes the habits and habitat of true menaces to society.”
The song takes a critical look at the precarious state of social and criminal justice in America. Nothing out of the norm for a group whose discography is filled with social commentary. As elder statesmen, the group has experienced much throughout their lives, from the civil rights movement to rising economic inequality and erosion of democratic norms. On this new single and upcoming album, they are sharing their perspective on the state of the country as well as the world; offering up some words of wisdom for the next generation before exiting the stage.
“If you listen to the lyrics, it answers the question why we chose to release this song first,” said Eddie Levert Sr. “The song speaks for itself. And whether it’s us saying it or any concerned person: nobody is above the law. The law is there to punish the guilty and protect the innocent no matter who you are.”
“We live in an extraordinary but troubling time. The opening verse of the song states ‘the man with a pen in his hand changes the lay and the law of the land,'” said Walter Williams Sr. “We are all blessed to live in this great country, but to keep it great it requires us to be vigilant in preserving our democracy. This means voting regardless of the obstacles put in front of us and also making sure that our laws are followed. Nobody is above the law, and we need to keep it this way.”
The OJay’s is made up of Eddie Levert Sr., Walter Williams Sr. and Eric Nolan Grant. Together they are a Multi-platinum selling group and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees.
With over 50 years of touring and some of music’s most beloved hits under their belt, The O’Jays remain one of today’s seminal music acts. The group scored their first number 1 in 1972 with “Backstabbers.” Subsequently, they had other various chart-topping pop and R&B singles including “Love Train”, “Put Your Hands Together”, “For The Love of Money”, “I Love Music”, “Darlin’ Darlin’ Baby (Sweet, Tender, Love)”, “Livin’ For The Weekend” and “Use Ta Be My Girl.” This success propelled The O’Jays to be the first black vocal group to perform in arenas throughout America during the 70s and 80s.
After almost 20 years, their final studio album The Last Word, is set for release on February 22, 2019.
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