Cole wrote the track in honor of Michael Brown, the unarmed teen was shot and killed in Ferguson, releasing it days after the shooting. Along with the track, Cole wrote, "Rest in Peace to Michael Brown and to every young black man murdered in America, whether by the hands of white or black. I pray that one day the world will be filled with peace and rid of injustice. Only then will we all Be Free."

For his performance, Cole sounded on the edge of tears, exhausted, singing over a rather somber piano loop, "All we want to do is break the chains off/ All we want to do is be free."