It’s everywhere, covered in the NYT, WSJ and WaPo.

You see good intentions are no longer good enough.

And celebrities no longer get a pass.

If you stand for nothing, no one is interested.

This is the opposite of the past four decades, when it became about building your brand all over the world and maximizing your financial potential. Now, it’s about saying no as much as yes, and realizing you’re no better, no different from the people on the street.

We used to live in a two-tiered society. Those who had made it, who had power, and those who did not. And there was a very thin layer of those who succeeded, and they thought they were immune.

But as Bob Dylan sang in “It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding),”

But even the President of the United States sometimes must have to stand naked

You see Trump has lost control of the narrative. As have the traditional media outlets. And no one is looking to the words of celebrities for truth.

We saw this first with Gal Gadot’s “Imagine.” It was immediately excoriated:

This ‘Imagine’ Cover Is No Heaven

And now it’s open season to react against those who are well-intentioned but clueless.

Naomi Klein talks about the shock doctrine, how momentous political events allow bad actors, i.e. corporations and the government, to institute change that benefits them and leaves the people out.

We’re experiencing a shock right now, and everybody who does not align themselves with the people, whether it be in the street or in their minds, will be on the wrong side of history.

This is what Mark Zuckerberg doesn’t understand. Even at Snapchat they’re cracking down on promoting Trump:

Snapchat to stop promoting Trump after controversial posts

This is a giant sea change, an end to false equivalencies, if you’re not willing to re-evaluate everything, you’re going to get lost in the shuffle.

And if you don’t have an open mind, you’re going to become a pariah, lose all your relationships and quite possibly your livelihood, like that drummer:

“DW Drums artist Hilary Jones unleashes racist rant online”

Now is the time to get on the side of the people, the masses, who’ve been abused too long.

And the abuse has come at the hands of the employers.

Contract work, gig work? Now is the time to make people employees, otherwise you’re going to incur their wrath. Companies don’t want to hire people as employees because they don’t want to pay the benefits and they don’t want to deal with firing them. But just like California cracked down on Uber and Lyft and other gig work, this cancer on our society will have to be treated or the employers too will become pariahs, just like the aforementioned drummer and Amy Cooper.

Same deal with individuals. Think before you speak, otherwise you could sacrifice your livelihood, your entire career. And sure, cancel culture is unfair, but it’s a backlash over eons of abuse. If you think there’s too much #MeToo, you don’t understand that women are afraid to walk the streets, are on high alert at work, just imagine if you’re an African-American woman!

But the right has been laughing about the special interest infighting of the left for years. And it’s true, the left is not monolithic, but constituents’ hearts and minds are in the right place, and now it’s a time of hearts and minds.

Unlike the heartless Bill Barr. These people have to go.

And it’s not only me, I’m sure you’re aware of George Will’s column:

“Trump must be removed. So must his congressional enablers.”

I’m sure you’re aware of the Lincoln Project, I’m sure you’re aware of the latest ad:

“Mourning in America”:

This is how it was in the sixties, you were either for us or against us. And you’ve got to choose.

I’m speaking to those who straddle both sides most especially. Who are left on social issues and right on fiscal ones. They’re the same. I’m not saying you won’t get rewards from working hard, but if you’re paying a low tax rate, if you’re the beneficiary of the carried interest rule, if most of your income is taxed at capital gains rates, if you make a lot and don’t give enough away because you’re protecting your lifestyle…you’re in trouble. Both the NYT and LAT did stories how rioters have gone to Beverly Hills. Turns out the vaunted BH police force is no match for the people when they organize:

“Beverly Hills, Buckhead, SoHo: The New Sites of Urban Unrest”

And you don’t need to be rich to organize, and you don’t need to be famous. The tools are at your disposal, everybody counts, and if you dismiss someone…there will be backlash.

This does not mean everyone gets to play in the NBA, everyone gets to be rich… But it does mean we focus on the national safety net, we stop blaming people for their poverty and we do our best to lift people up.

People don’t want to change, it’s too hard.

But sometimes events force them to.

You don’t want to evaluate your positions, you don’t want to learn you’re wrong.

And if you live in an echo chamber, it’s to your detriment.

The right/left, Fox/MSNBC world no longer holds. First and foremost, because all the mainstream media outlets did not predict this and are not in control of the narrative. Chaos is not only in the streets, but in the national consciousness, what is truth?

And the fact that there were protests in over 140 communities for over a week… I lived through the sixties, protest was never that wide for that long.

As for patting yourself on the back for being so enlightened… Posting on social media… Don’t kid yourself, you’re not that important. Either be a leader, or get out of the way, the social media paradigm of gaining followers and likes is irrelevant. Think about it, none of that b.s. helped spread the word on the protests. It was mostly one to one, you talked with your friends, it was all about dialogue.

But we do need leaders.

But we’re flipping the script. For too long we’ve said if you’re rich you get a voice and your voice matters more than everybody else’s.

Now, it’s about intelligence, insight. The media believes it controls whose story is amplified, whose is boosted. But now, the people do that, the people have been in control of breaking acts, TV shows, every important story for over a decade now. The public broke “The Tiger King,” the national media was caught flat-footed.

So, if you’re resting on your status, check yourself.

You don’t only need to learn the plight of African-Americans, but that of the poor, the underclass, the drug-addicted.

And this is not about voting. That’s how the old guard dupes you into being under their control. Those in control of the system have to bend to the will of the people, like with the civil rights laws and the amendment to the Constitution that allowed women to vote. Those who are saying the Constitution is inviolate, and we must adhere to it, interpreting it as those who wrote it did, are on the wrong side of the future. Like I said, everything is up for grabs, even the Electoral College. The ground is shifting under your feet, this is an earthquake, your edifice might fall.

You might think we’re going back to business as usual, that after we clean up from the protests everything will just be hunky-dory, but this will not be the end, but the beginning, it’s the will of the people.

The will of the people has been subverted for years, how long do you expect it to last? There’s a price for gerrymandering and voter suppression and team playing.

It’s no longer us versus them, we’re all in it together.

Like the cops who kneeled with the protesters, they realized the only way out of this is to all be on one side. Those who have force only will go down in defeat. Hell, even Trump and Barr’s shenanigans are being blasted by some Republicans. Trump might sacrifice Barr, but he’s never sacrificing himself.

But this is about much more than Trump.

We’re sick of hearing about guns being needed by the public to keep order. I didn’t see all those Second Amendment nitwits out in the street on the side of the police, no, they’re just afraid. It’s all puff and no substance.

And we’re sick of hearing it’s our fault that we’re on drugs, that we’re obese, as the government tears down healthy food guidelines in school.

We’re sick of drinking tainted water, we’re sick of climate change.

Yup, it’s all up for grabs. You thought this was just about George Floyd, you’re wrong, that was just the trigger, it’s been brewing for decades.

And what we’ve learned in the internet era is the will of the people always wins. It always goes people’s ways. You might be able to put your finger in the dike for a short time, but you’re still gonna be overrun by the flood.

This is something you feel in your heart. You don’t need to be out in the street, you don’t need to be protesting. You know it’s wrong. We’ve been sold a bill of goods since 1980, that if we just let the corporations run ragged the wealth would trickle down to the hoi polloi and everything would be groovy. But this did not happen, and this is still the paradigm. Hell, look at the most recent tax cuts.

And if you think people don’t know all this, you’re dreaming. People are informed.

Then again, they’re misinformed. And the miscreants misinforming the public are crying now that social networks are cracking down on them.

But the truth is the social networks are going to crack down further. Zuckerberg is gonna cave, just you watch. Because he’s ignorant now, saying there was no history to looting begetting shooting, but as he gains insight and the blowback sustains…

This is the story of today’s America, the pressure. Change first, don’t wait to be forced to.

Don’t just cough up what you need to reluctantly, give workers what they deserve now. And I’m speaking to those self-righteous record companies too. How come acts can’t own their records, writers own their books! How come profits can’t be split 50/50? So Vivendi and Warner Music can make more on the stock market? That’s one thing we’ve seen since Covid-19, the stock market has got nothing to do with economic reality on the street.

And right now, we’re all on the street. You can’t hide. Everybody knows the truth.

Wake up, it’s judgment day.

“When Did Instagram Go Dark” We have mixed feelings about #Blackout Tuesday, too.”

“Opinion: Blackout Tuesday Backfired spectacularly. Five ways to support Black Lives Matter”

Why Some Black Lives Matter supporters are upset about those black squares on Instagram – Use the hashtag #BlackoutTuesday, not #BlackLivesMatter, they say, so vital voices are not drowned out.”

DEUTSCHLAND ’83

This was recommended by “The Week.” And I recommend “The Week”

But it’s expensive.

The magazine world has completely changed, and it’s even worse in the era of Covid-19. I.e. advertising has fallen off dramatically. But “The Week” was never based on advertising. So now, every magazine is expensive, look at the price of “The New Yorker” or “Rolling Stone”! Furthermore, you can get so many overpriced journals via Apple News+. But I recommend subscribing to “The Week,” especially if you don’t subscribe to many periodicals.

Anyway, “The Week” combs through all the news of the week and distills it down. Kinda like a Zagat guide, but more comprehensible.

I subscribed years ago, but thought there was a right wing bias. If there ever was, I no longer believe this to be the case. But be wary of the long condensed article at the back, oftentimes there’s no context and you don’t get an accurate picture.

Now I have subscriptions to almost all of the publications they quote, the NYT, WaPo, WSJ…but not all of them.

You can avoid all TV news (which you should, other than for images that are breaking) and all periodicals and just read “The Week” and be more informed than almost anybody you know. Buy it!

Now “Deutschland ’83” has a tone problem. As in is it humorous or serious? It’s about an East German spy invading West Germany. But it’s not a James Bond movie, it’s more of a delineation of the viewpoints…and the landscape is amazing! Makes you want to go to Germany.

And the story is true.

Not the set-up, with the characters, but the basic framework. I don’t want to give anything away, but I didn’t know the truth of this story, and I doubt many people will.

You get hooked.

And, East Germany is the land of the true believers. Kinda like Trumpworld, they’re wearing blinders. Unfortunately, I think the Republican party is following Trump right off a cliff. What he did yesterday was indefensible, even the bishop was offended, and by defending him… What did the Beatles say, “Think for yourself”? This is the time of iconic leaders, those who stand up for what is right, followers will be burned. Everything is up for grabs and we’re experiencing a giant reset. The ball is being moved as we speak. Zuckerberg is gonna stand up. The NYT is taking a firmer stance against Trump. And the Fox people have no idea what is going on outside their bubble. Which is why you want to get “The Week,” to see what’s going on outside your world. Information is power. Challenge your parents’ precepts. Make your own decisions.

Do what’s right.

Actually, that’s the ultimate message of “Deutschland ’83.”

DEUTSCHLAND ’86

I didn’t know it existed. I thought “Deutschland ’83” was a one time shot. But it turns out there’s going to be a “Deutschland ’89”! Word is it’s going to be on Amazon, not Hulu like the previous two. And speaking of platforms, it’s unfortunate the new Laurel Canyon documentary is on Epix. If you know nothing about the scene, you must see it. But you don’t come away beaming and needing to testify. But there is so much more here than has been focused on previously. The impact of the Monkees, the players more than the TV show. And this doc takes you all the way up to the seventies, Manson and beyond, to the Eagles and when acts were making so much money they embraced more upscale digs and wanted more safety.

So, there’s no tone issue with “Deutschland ’86.”

Its focus is on Africa and apartheid. East Germany was on the side of the oppressed.

Once again, the landscape makes you want to go there, South Africa is so beautiful!

“Deutschland ’86” portrays the cracks in the East German system.

That’s why you should listen to “The Big Steal” podcast. We don’t realize what chaos existed in Russia between the fall of Communism and Putin. Everything was up for grabs. Watch the Showtime documentary now on Netflix “Operation Odessa” for further insight. “Operation Odessa” is nearly a romp, you’ll have a hard time turning it off, but maybe that’s another newsletter.

DOUGLAS

Hannah Gadsby’s latest on Netflix.

No, it’s not as good as “Nanette,” but I still recommend it. Hannah Gadsby is so damn LIKABLE! She talks about being an autistic lesbian, but even if you’re straight, you’ll be drawn to her. And at the end she says we’re all somewhere on the spectrum, which is probably true.

There’s a big focus on Gadsby’s haters. She doesn’t wince and crumble, she pushes back, but the fact that she spends so much time on them is noteworthy. If you’re in the public eye, you’ve got haters. And they hate so much that you become inhibited, you think before you write or speak, for fear of the backlash. You know exactly what the triggers are. And the haters are professionals, they’re working the refs 24/7, especially the Trump supporters, I know from experience. Those on the other side? They’ll complain, but not as vociferously, not every time, and they won’t make it personal.

But that’s the world we live in today. Everybody’s gun-shy. Politicians and artists and… Whereas the public resonates with the truth. It’s kind of the reverse of the Nixon era, the silent majority is actually left!

And, once again, like in “Nanette,” Gadsby focuses on art, there’s a whole section where they flash paintings and she whips out her pointer and makes comments. She needs to do a whole special just on art. She’s very knowledgeable and her sensibility is unique and she makes art history come alive. Made me want to know more.

THE GIRLS FROM CORONA DEL MAR

The Girls from Corona del Mar: A novel

I could not put this book down. Not initially, but then I got hooked and had to sit and finish it all in one marathon session.

No, this is not as good as Rufi Thorpe’s latest book, “The Knockout Queen,” but in “The Girls from Corona del Mar” you see a reflection of how people really are. Their choices and the results. Life is long, you may think it’s over immediately, but you can pivot, you can make new choices.

Not that there are no consequences of these choices. What is your character, what is your responsibility?

Thorpe’s books are SoCal focused. And that’s quite a different mentality from the east coast. On the east coast everything’s serious, important. Parents hover over their kids, especially when it comes to education. On the west coast it’s life and life only. On the east coast, it’s about notches in your belt, as if at the end you’ll get acknowledgement from the committee in white robes. Education does not insure success in labor life.

But that’s another screed.

Once again, I refuse to delineate the plot, I don’t want to ruin it for you. Books are private adventures, that you luxuriate in. When someone tells you what is going to happen, the experience is hobbled, you’re ripped off.

When this book ends you’ll sit there stunned with the truth. It’s not so much what happens, but the reflection on life. You think you’ve got the game figured out, you think you’re winning, you jumped through all the right hoops and…you find out at the end that you know less than you did at the beginning.

DEAR FANG, WITH LOVE

Don’t read this. This is Rufi Thorpe’s second book (out of three), it misses the mark, it fails. But the reason I mention it here is I became so enraptured with Thorpe’s writing and viewpoint that I wanted more, I needed more, I wanted to explore, and that’s why I kept plowing through her books.

Twenty five years ago, I cut out a quote in “Newsweek,” when that was “The Week” of its day. I kept it right by my computer. It was inspiring. It was by Mitsuko Uchida, the Mozart pianist/expert. And I can almost quote it by heart, but the essence is she tells all her students to practice really hard, because there are very few great things out there, and if you’re great, people will be drawn to you.

That’s the absolute truth.

We’re trying to find a new streaming series. Been through about three that haven’t met the mark. Stopped after seven episodes of one. And there are some on Sundance Now and MHz and Britbox but I refuse to sign up for one more streaming service, it’s an insult. It’s worse than the cable bundle. Just quote me one price for EVERYTHING!

With the plethora of TV shows, it’s stunning how few are truly great. And that’s all I have time for. And when something is great, I want to go deeper, check out everything the artist has ever produced. It’s no different from the sixties and seventies, there’s just more stuff. There are very few gems. And I know, people e-mail me their mediocre material all day long. If it was truly that great, OTHER PEOPLE would be e-mailing me about it. In our self-promotional culture purveyors don’t realize this. If you made it and you’re telling me it’s great, I ignore it completely, it’s got no value, I need to hear it from someone else. But it’s easier to promote online than to create great work. Every artist thinks they’re entitled to time and eyeballs, but very few deserve attention. But if we find one who does, we tell everybody we know!

Like I’m doing with Rufi Thorpe.

Show Playlist:

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Tune in today June 2nd, to Volume 106, 7 PM East, 4 PM West.

Hear the episode live on SiriusXM VOLUME: HearLefsetzLive

If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app: LefsetzLive

Could the music industry do any LESS?

I’m talking about the recorded music industry, the live business has been blacked out for months, with no light on the horizon.

But the labels…

Let me see… Warner, Sony and Universal. Keep congratulating yourself as you only sign and promote hip-hop and pop. Oh, don’t tell me about the exceptions, own the truth. You’re leaving out a whole swath of America, to the point that the “hit” music business means less than ever before.

Music has gone tribal. And the labels and the streaming services, everybody in the food chain, to a great degree the same players who were there pre-Napster, act like nothing is different. We’ve got forty hits, and the rest don’t matter, just like black people in America.

Don’t you get it? That the killing of George Floyd was just a flash point, and the hardships African-Americans must bear are only a part of the picture.

You see the U.S. is screwed-up.

There, I said it.

We’re first in almost no category. But we keep hearing about freedom and comparisons to “socialist” countries that have health care and high taxes and…you wouldn’t want that, would you? OF COURSE WE WOULD!

The music business is just like the Democrats and the Republicans and big media, they’re following the story, they’re not prepared to get ahead of it, they’ve been blind to the future for decades.

Come on, black music is the bread and butter of these three big labels and it took this to get them to say something? Where were they when Trayvon Martin and Eric Garner and the rest were killed. NOWHERE!

And this is not 1992, this is not the L.A. riots. Back then the first thing that occurred to me was Ice-T WAS RIGHT! N.W.A. too. They’d been telling us about police abuse for years, finally we woke up and confronted the truth.

In Los Angeles. The rest of the country thought it was a local problem. That it couldn’t happen there. And now they’re protesting in Salt Lake City? Have you been there? Cities and states don’t come any more white. It’d be like preschoolers agitating for abortion rights, completely incomprehensible.

But maybe foreseeable.

Forget those that disagree with you. NOW! Of course Trump is still president, of course Fox News still has power, of course there are white nationalists, but the truth is there are more of us than them, but we let them set the agenda, whether it be reopening in the wake of Covid-19 or immigration or…

It’s like parents complaining they’re at the mercy of their children. When are left wingers gonna look themselves in the mirror and man-up?

Well, a whole bunch of them just did, and D.C. and the media think it’s an isolated event, that will blow over.

No way!

They’re protesting for change at Facebook today:

Facebook Employees Stage Virtual Walkout to Protest Trump Posts

Workers want Zuck to grow a pair and do the right thing. Ever hear of the right thing? I don’t think so in today’s mercenary culture.

So, where are today’s anthems, that we can all rally around?

THEY DON’T EXIST!

I’m not sure if they could ever exist today, but the recorded music business has its head so far up its rear end that it can’t see what is going on, that it’s lost purchase on most of the public. This was proven by Adele, she sells ten times the number of records as anybody else but do we get more Adeles? NO WAY!

And now I’m in dangerous territory, you can’t say anything against hip-hop or black people in the music business.

But I will.

Where are all the tracks speaking to the human condition, auguring for change? No, it’s all about getting rich, the lifestyle, accumulating enough money to live behind a gate.

Except for the struggling. We don’t hear from struggling basketball players, why do we keep hearing about struggling musicians? Maybe they’re just not up to snuff, don’t have the talent!

So why don’t the black acts refuse to record for their labels until they hire more African-Americans? One thing is for sure, the artist has the power, ALWAYS! Where have the artists been as incomes go down and the white man rules? Crickets. Of course there are exceptions, but…

We just hear that Jay Z called the governor. Nothing wrong with that, but what does that mean?

The only words that have mattered have been those of Killer Mike:

But he was co-opted by the powers-that-be, he asked for calm when the protesters were not ready to be calm, unlike Kareem Abdul-Jabbar:

Op-Ed: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Don’t understand the protests? What you’re seeing is people pushed to the edge

No one likes to be criticized, but it’s the only way you can hear the truth. Sycophants feel good, but the truth is what’s important.

Kinda like Lady Gaga… She’s being criticized for being out of touch with the times, wanting to dance and party while our cities are burning. Well, that was just timing. But, her album is being criticized everywhere for being a return to what once was, that it’s safe. This is not what artists do, they keep pushing the envelope, changing, getting ahead of the audience. If you give people what they want they’re gonna forget you. Because you’ve got to give them what they NEED!

And Lady Gaga is white, but Marvin Gaye was and Stevie Wonder still is black. And Marvin put out “What’s Going On” and Stevie gained control of his recording career too and amongst his gems was “Living For The City.” Ever listen to the break in that song? Same as it ever was. Blacks being arrested. But we’ve never heard Stevie say I’M A BUSINESS, MAN! It was always about the art.

And with Kanye it’s all about himself.

And the white acts are just as bad. It’s our selfish culture imbued with braggadocio. But the truth is not everybody can be famous, not everybody can be rich, WHAT ABOUT THEM?

And statistically African-Americans get the short end of the stick, but god forbid a white person sacrifice.

What exactly is the sacrifice in Blackout Tuesday? People won’t work for ten minutes? What does that do? Where’s the call to action? Nowhere, because the recorded music industry doesn’t want controversy, it just wants to go on raping and pillaging like it always has. With opaque royalties.

As for the Viacom channels… This is free press, MTV and VH1 haven’t meant anything in music for eons. What next, record stores going dark?

Do you really think ten minutes of silence is gonna change anything? Do you really think the public at large IS EVEN GONNA KNOW?

Music has power, but it’s been totally abdicated. It’s about having hits so you can get sponsorships, maybe even your own line of clothing and/or perfume and living a high lifestyle in St. Bart’s. This is what you’re selling? Many are even proud of their privates, even when they do them for dictators.

As for another concert, another charity single…

Concerts only appeal to a slice of the audience and singles flop, because they’re always a bad song, usually a creepy ballad, a kumbaya moment for different genres to get together when the truth is they never coexist anywhere else, on concert stages, on radio… Bonnie Raitt always had legendary blues people opening her show. Laura Nyro employed Miles Davis. We don’t see that cross-culturalization anymore.

But black music drives the youth, is the most defining musical culture, even though it’s not as pervasive as the labels, radio and press tell us it is. So that’s the conundrum, the youth love hip-hop but their parents seem ignorant of this. That’s right, not only the president of the United States must sometimes have to stand naked.

So the whites control the corporations and the blacks are big in entertainment but entertainment doesn’t matter. But last I checked, entertainment WAS ALL that mattered! Without culture, a country is hollow. Then again, they’ve eliminated all the music and art programs from public schools as Betsy DeVos gives money to the private schools.

But that story doesn’t get spread.

But the protesters CAN FEEL IT! Their futures have been sold down the river! Do you really think this many white people would be out protesting with African-Americans if it was only about George Floyd? NO WAY! There were race riots in the sixties, but they were localized, and there were very few white faces, you’d only get white faces at antiwar protests.

Everybody keeps thinking they’re immune. But no one is immune.

The hoi polloi get $1200 and all we keep hearing is about corporations that don’t get enough. The focus is on the big companies, the economy must be saved. How about saying jobs must be saved? How about a living wage? How about free child care so those in poverty can be lifted up? How about free health care so breadwinners can continue to work?

No, these are all takers.

You see the government and media have been selling us falsehoods for decades. You’re a winner, if you pull yourself up by your bootstraps you’ll make it! But we can’t even get the government to forgive school loans to veterans who were hoodwinked by for-profit institutions.

CAVEAT EMPTOR!

Yes, America is all about ripping you off. And selling an image that makes you feel worse about yourself. What’s the latest, Kylie Jenner cheated and she’s not really a billionaire? Is that really the role model we want, a young, uneducated nincompoop who just happens to be rich?

And Barack Obama is elected president and we think we’ve made headway. But he’s so afraid of appearing the angry black man that he lets the whites walk all over him. Look at his pronouncements now, there’s little emotion, little anger, because he’ll be excoriated by the commentariat. WHO CARES ABOUT THE COMMENTARIAT? They’re not in control of the country!

That’s what we’ve learned in the past week. There’s not enough government to control the mob. As for obeying curfews…let me see, Trump told all his followers not to wear masks, what makes you think people are gonna obey curfews?

The little people have to obey the rules, whereas the big people break them and go scot-free.

It gets worse and worse. Zuck is so myopic he can’t do the right thing. And Jack Dorsey does the right thing and even the left gives him a hard time. Baby steps first. Unless you’re so slow that you engender revolt. Yup, it’s those in the public eye who have to make the first move, not some faceless people at the label going out for a smoke break.

So what we’ve learned here is the music business has lost its power. It used to reach everybody and there was no greater influence. Today, streaming TV gets all the attention and generates the most influence. Because that’s where risk is taken, where outside voices are amplified, where real life is reflected.

Let me see… Have you ever even seen a Rolls? Unless you’re in L.A. or Atlanta, probably not. Do you own a yacht? Do you even have a college education?

The recorded music business gets younger and younger… Tell me again what Billie Eilish knows about life, she was even home-schooled! She’s got no clue what’s going on, but we keep on lionizing her.

The Grammys kick out their female boss because the old men want no change. And you’re surprised the doors in business are closed to outsiders? I thought entertainment was supposed to be fluid!

And the NFL’s got few black coaches.

Yup, there’s systemic racism.

But there’s more than that.

There’s income inequality and disinformation…

You’re worried about Trump getting re-elected, by those who want law and order. Do you really think he’ll stay in office and everything will be hunky-dory? OF COURSE NOT! You haven’t seen riots in the street like you’ll see if Trump wins, this weekend was just a dress rehearsal. And don’t tell me these protests can be contained, they’ve been going on for days!

Those in power are clueless. You’ve got to fall in behind the negatively affected, learn and then take charge, support people.

But that’s not what happens. Enlightened lefties self-flagellate, the right goes underground and there’s no change.

Meanwhile, we keep hearing in the media that they nailed Harvey Weinstein.

Did they nail my boss at the trucking company?

You can spread any word you want to now. Whether you’re with or against the protesters, whether you’re for change or you’re not. DOESN’T MATTER! The proletariat suddenly took control of this country. Trump couldn’t see it and hasn’t known how to react as he’s huddled deep in the White House bunker. We keep hearing politicians’ hands are tied, there’s nothing they can do, and if you’d just vote…

I’m gonna vote, but I’m not hopeful for change. Because the truth is the elite of this nation have pushed the hoi polloi down so far that there’s absolutely no way people can pick themselves up. But it’s worse, they left people behind and then pissed on them, and told them they could be rappers or athletes. How much opportunity do you have in the inner city? They took money from the schools and you endure bullies and gangs outside your domicile and if you move to the suburbs the whites want you to leave your culture behind, to be just like them.

I DON’T KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN!

Can you find one person who predicted the riots and protests of the past five days? I can’t. But I am a student of history, and it’s all about flash points. We’re in the middle of one. And one thing is for sure, we’re not returning to where we were, no way. A new society will arise and I ask, are you part of the problem or part of the solution?

If you make 400k and pay all your taxes… That’s not enough, you should be paying more, you should be giving money away, the system worked for you, make it work for everybody else.

If you’re rich and you made it through your own hard efforts…CONGRATULATIONS! But just because you created some snappy software that does not mean you can solve the problems of the inner city.

Zuck gave money away…TO HIMSELF! I’d recite the details, but the truth is he avoided taxes, the money is not spent and he’s still in control of it. That’s what the government allows you to do. What does the government allow poor people to do?

You must obey the rules, stand behind the lines, when the media keeps clapping for outside rule-breakers like Elon Musk. What message are we sending here?

Oh, that’s right, socialism for the rich, capitalism for the poor.

It’s not only the music business that is out of touch. All our institutions have lost touch with our citizens. So, they don’t know what to do. They’ve been running unfettered for decades. They kept their cash overseas and when they were forced to bring it back they paid pennies on the dollar in taxes.

Meanwhile, you got $1200. How far will that go? That’s dinner for music business people, if it even covers the bill.

You were lucky, think about those less fortunate.

Revolution always comes from the bottom. And the truth is we’re in the midst of the revolution right now. WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?

I want to see Rob Stringer in the streets. Stephen Cooper. I want Blavatnik to offer up his private jet to fly leaders to D.C…

I want Fox News and the president and other elected officials to stop saying it’s a few bad actors, antifa, white nationalists…there aren’t enough of them everywhere to have been protesting in all these cities these past few days. This is the same logic they’re using to hobble voting by mail…all those miscreants who are gonna abuse the system. Who are these people, aren’t they the ones in office?

So if you want to do something, work towards a solution. Take a stand. Be unafraid of the man. Say you can do as opposed to you cannot. Lay down your money but speak with your mind.

This is judgment day.

Get ready.