Troubled times do call for troubled songs, songs that unsettle our souls and our spirits unapologetically.

There are enough bad films coming out of this town already without the process being more democratized. I'm a guy who loves democracy. I'm all for democratizing any process, but I think there is a price to pay for that.

I don't want the Obama era to be more about symbolism than substance when it comes to black people. I love him, but I love black people even more.

I'm talking about France and Germany and Italy and Spain - new friend Germany - and I love that story, how they lead the world in some things that the world needs leadership in. Amongst them we're the only ones without national healthcare. Can't go to a hospital and not worry about falling into bankruptcy. They go to university free. We're killing our students with debt. That scares me.

I believed that President Obama was a good choice a couple of years ago because I felt that, as a black man, if he could win, it would open up progressive possibilities in this country for a lot of people. That was my major reason for believing his candidacy was a good thing. However, I don't endorse candidates, given the type of work that I do. My job is to hold people accountable.

I think when I stop fighting, I die in a sense.

The storm came. Lives were washed away. Ancient pains resurfaced. Now it is time for a sea of change.