Prior to recording the '' What 's Going On '' album , Gaye recorded a cover of the song , " Abraham , Martin & John " , which became a UK hit in 1970 . Only a handful of artists of various genres had recorded albums that focused on social commentary , including Curtis Mayfield . Despite some politically conscious material recorded by The Temptations in the late 1960s , Motown artists were often told to not delve into political and social commentary , fearing alienation from pop audiences . Early in his career , Gaye was affected by social events such as the 1965 Watts riots and once asked himself , " with the world exploding around me , how am I supposed to keep singing love songs ? " When the singer called Gordy in the Bahamas about wanting to do protest music , Gordy cautioned him , " Marvin , do n't be ridiculous . That 's taking things too far . " Gaye was inspired by the Black Panther Party and supported the efforts they put forth like giving free meals to poor families door to door . However , he did not support the violent tactics the Panthers used to fight oppression , as Gaye 's messages in many of his political songs were nonviolent . The lyrics and music of '' What 's Going On '' discuss and illustrate issues during the 1960s/1970s such as police brutality , drug abuse , environmental issues , anti-war , and black power issues . Gaye was inspired to make this album because of events such as the Vietnam War , the 1967 race riots in Detroit , and the Kent State shootings
Kent State shootings
Kent State shootings
Marvin Gaye