A piano ballad, the song is regarded as Keys' response to the police brutality controversies, namely the killings of Eric Garner and Michael Brown, that have caused nationwide protests in the United States.
Keys was one of the many artists who, by releasing a song publicly, reacted to the grand jury decision not to indict the police officer responsible for the death of Eric Garner.
[1][2] In an interview with The New York Times, Keys stated that she was inspired to write the song after being moved by the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson.
[2] Justin Davis of Complex wrote that "We Gotta Pray" is a song that "brings attention to the troubling social issues we live in today".
[6] As described by Vibe, Keys encourages to "keep the faith and continue on a righteous path in life" and "spreads the message of prayer to the world".