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This song was born in a particular context. After Zack de la Rocha's departure from Rage Against the Machine, the remaining members sought a new singer. Producer Rick Rubin suggested contacting Chris Cornell, even sharing Soundgarden's song, Slaves & Bulldozers, to showcase his talent. At that time, Cornell was working on material for a solo album. The supergroup Audioslave was formed in Los Angeles, California, in 2001, uniting Cornell with the instrumental core of Rage Against the Machine: Tom Morello on guitar, Tim Commerford on bass, and Brad Wilk on drums. The band's characteristic sound was forged by mixing 70s hard rock with 90s alternative rock, with Morello contributing his distinctive guitar solos. A peculiarity of their process was the insistence on not using samples, relying solely on the direct sounds of instruments and vocals recorded in the studio. The debut album, Audioslave, released in November 2002, was a success, achieving triple platinum certification in the United States and spawning singles such as Cochise, Like a Stone (nominated for a Grammy Awards), Show Me How to Live, I Am the Highway, and What You Are.