Praying Man

Album: Live From The Underground (2012)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • K.R.I.T collaborates with his personal hero, the blues legend B.B. King, on this soulful religious allegory. He told Artist Direct: "I got to actually sit in the studio with him. I didn't just send the record to him. It's him playing!"

    He added to MTV News correspondent Sway: "I think doing a record with B.B. King allowed me the opportunity to blend two different generations across the board and make a song that I hope is extremely impact."
  • The song finds K.R.I.T. rhyming from the perspective of three different slaves who are each facing death. He explained to The Boombox: "The first verse is about somebody that's hanging in the tree; someone that's already been lynched. The second verse is about a slave that jumped off the boat and the third verse is about somebody running from a lynch mob. The thing about the record is that all three of these people are dead and the praying man is coming to take them away from the situation. So when you listen to the record, you can kind of hear the atmosphere aspects, the wind blowing in the first verse, the water splashing in the second verse, the dogs and the horses, you can hear just all that happening in the third verse."
  • K.R.I.T told The Boombox this poignant story-driven rap reflects his own beliefs, as he's "definitely a God-fearing man" and "a praying man."
  • K.R.I.T. explained to MTV News that he felt it was his duty to tell such tales on Live From The Underground after hearing stories about the civil rights movement from his grandmother. "It's important that I talk about all that," he said. "It's a lot of people that died for me to have the opportunity that I have now, just the freedom. It shouldn't be forgotten as far as the past is concerned." His grandmother features on Live From The Underground's closing track singing some hymns.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Oliver Leiber

Oliver LeiberSongwriter Interviews

Oliver Leiber talks about writing and producing hits for Paula Abdul, and explains his complicated relationship with his father, the songwriter Jerry Leiber.

Harry Shearer

Harry ShearerSongwriter Interviews

Harry is Derek Smalls in Spinal Tap, Mark Shubb in The Folksmen, and Mr. Burns on The Simpsons.

Don Dokken

Don DokkenSongwriter Interviews

Dokken frontman Don Dokken explains what broke up the band at the height of their success in the late '80s, and talks about the botched surgery that paralyzed his right arm.

Gene Simmons of Kiss

Gene Simmons of KissSongwriter Interviews

The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."

Meshell Ndegeocello

Meshell NdegeocelloSongwriter Interviews

Meshell Ndegeocello talks about recording "Wild Night" with John Mellencamp, and explains why she shied away from the spotlight.