Soul star John Legend has signed on to executive produce upcoming slavery-centred TV drama, Underground.

With his production company Get Lifted, the Grammy and Oscar winner is set to take on a key role for the one-hour drama for WGN America.

Legend will also oversee the score, soundtrack and all other music aspect of the programme, a position show bosses had initially eyed Kanye West for, according to TVLine.com.

Underground follows a group of plantation slaves who band together to plan a risky escape to freedom, and stars Law & Order: SVU actor Christopher Meloni, Aldis Hodge, Jurnee Smollett-Bell and James Lafferty.

The series is slated to premiere next year (16).