HIP-HOP John Legend Plays Ohio Club Show for Clinton: 'Our Future is at Stake'

While presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were trading barbs in a nationally televised debate some have dubbed the nastiest in history, John Legend was trying to spread some love on Sunday night (Oct. 9) during a rally for Clinton at an intimate club date in Cincinnati, Ohio. The gig in the crucial swing state -- which happens to be Legend's birthplace -- unfolded at the 1,400- capacity rock club Bogart's near the University of Cincinnati campus, just hours after Legend spoke at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a newly renovated theater in Springfield, Ohio, named in his honor.

Legend opened the show with "Tonight (Best You Ever Had)," asking the crowd, "are you ready to vote this year? Are you ready to vote for Hillary Clinton this year?" Sitting alone on stage at a grand piano, the Oscar- and Grammy-winning singer also worked through his first hit, "Used to Love U" and last year's Meghan Trainor collabo "Like I'm Gonna lose You," telling the audience, "you can't take your loved ones for granted, right? And we can't take this election for granted Cincinnati, am I right?"

Legend said he took the stage in Ohio for a very good reason. "I came back home today because we all know how important Ohio is for this election. We know how important it is that we elect Hillary Clinton our next president," he said to cheers from the audience. "We know how important it is that we don't let Donald Trump any closer to the White House than that hotel down the street. We know that he is temperamentally unfit. We know he's unqualified. We know he's incurious. We know he is unprepared. We know he is a racist... He's spent his whole political career demonizing black and brown people, demonizing immigrants, demonizing women, objectifying women. He doesn't deserve to lead this country. He doesn't deserve to be elected dog catcher in your local county."

Watch footage from the show below:

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Local Clinton supporters were sent an email urging them to attend the evening gig, which was one of the rare times during this highly contentious election when a major artist has played a show in support of Clinton (or either candidate, for that matter). Legend went further, saying we need to elect a Democratic Congress as well, telling the room, "Our future is at stake." The gig was documented on Twitter by Ohio Together staffer Nicholas Kitchel, who posted a series of photos and videos from the show, starting with fans lining up outside the venue.

At one point during the gig, Kitchel quoted Legend saying, "Trump wants to erase all the progress we've made. Hillary says, 'Why turn around now? Let's keep making progress.'"

"Trump wants to erase all the progress we've made. Hillary says, 'Why turn around now? Let's keep making progress!'" —@johnlegend #OHHillYes pic.twitter.com/h1ABojD1A1 — Nicholas Kitchel (@nicholaskitchel) October 9, 2016

He also posted a snippet of Legend playing "Green Light."

Thank you @johnlegend for all that you do for Hillary and the country! #OHHillYes pic.twitter.com/a2c3Rtla0A — Nicholas Kitchel (@nicholaskitchel) October 9, 2016

Some other voices from the crowd.