Grammy Noms, Awards in general, Bad Bunny and More ...

Billboard Magazine "Grammy Edition" 2025

"For your consideration" this year, the long awaited posthumous release of my friend John Trudell's verse and poetry has been nominated for a, "Special Historical Album" category of Grammy. What makes this so bitter sweet is that in all of the chaos of immigration raids, ICE and National Guard deployments in Chicago and Portland, I mean WTF? John Trudell of throwing red paint on Plymouth Rock, Free Alcatraz fame and a veteran of so many battles with a corrupt American justice system has left the building, leaving behind his final message for US in, "Wounded Indians". A true Native American warrior whose roots were earned in his endless fight for "the cause" for his people and now is gone. How is it that a fool, a felon, a convicted rapist and his cult, sycophant fellow Maga't republican congress, along with a partisan SCOTUS can destroy all that is good with America and try and impose a "Strong Man" government, coronating a moron like DJT and yet we lose a voice for equality and true justice like John Trudell? It's like the perfect storm of a Third Reich bad dream, complete with Brown Shirts, extradition of American citizens and complete abandonment of our Democratic Republic in favor of Fascism? The answer is "Payola"! Surely we have erred in our ways, turned our backs on justice and all that is right, moral and good and deserve this chaos and stupidity to rule our once great country. I miss John, but thankfully his voice is in full form on, "Wounded Indians" Produced by none other than Jackson Browne and released on Inside Records.

For your consideration, I don't pretend to know how the inner workings of GRAMMY (Payola) achieve success in determining who actually receives the golden statues (Payola) but, I will confide that I know for a fact it's very expensive (Payola). The Billboard Magazine photo above was easily a $10-$20K, full page adds and special inserts and that double magazine weighing in at a whopping 1.5 lbs. chocked full of adds by labels, artist, Indies and you name it (Payola). That's well over a couple million bucks not to mention the artwork expense just so that maybe, if the academy and its patrons of the arts deem your work worthy of "consideration" (Payola), a "Nomination" in and of and by itself is considered an honor while the ultimate prize in Music and the dream and purpose of all of these (Payola) magazine add dollars spent is receiving a golden calf of a statuette, considered the ultimate representation of achievement in music! Are we paying attention folks? In the immortal words of Robin Williams, "It's Ironical"!

In both cases, our government (Payola) and our institutions (Payola) and traditions have apparently "Sold Out', (Payola) bought and sold, carved up by a grifting, wannabe mob boss, selling off America (Payola) one piece at a time and taking "his" cut, feathering his own bed and Grammy, pretty much acting in like kind of the mob's once outlawed Payola scheme, feathering their own nest in support of musicians and poets, artists globally, is a stark reminder of what we have become (Payola), who we are and here is John reminding us in his inimitable voice and verse of our folly. Most definitely, "Ironical".

I miss John! I weep for what was done to him by the "Brown Shirts" of American Intelligence and law enforcement and I admire the relentless pursuit of his cause, his tenacity for justice for his tribe, "the Water Carriers" and his family (RIP) and yet his sweetness as a human being. I miss him greatly as I face an uncertain future on the back nine of the mortality trail. I miss him dearly and hope to join him and hear that voice again as we too now as a country face a purge of what once was the American Dream. I miss john Trudell.

Did I mention that we have become so racist as a nation that a fellow American citizen of Puerto Rico, "Bad Bunny" has caused a ruckus for being invited to perform at Half Time in this years, Super Bowl? Why? Because he is an, "Immigrant"? Last I checked Puerto Rico is an American territory, right? Bad Bunny who speaks fluent english and yet sings/performs his material in Spanish, is deemed an immigrant? Now that is "Ironical"! The spectacle, the pinnacle of entertainment achievement in live TV is now the focus of bitter division and racial screeds and rants by the new Alt Reich MAGA minority over, of all things, "immigration"? Truly "Ironical"! Surely, John is rolling over in his grave as a once proud Native American who spent a lifetime warning US, that our pending demise is a self inflicted wound, caused by hubris and greed. I miss John Trudell.