#135: Dumps Like A Truck, Truck, Truck...
On Fridays, we listen to music.
If this is your first Friday newsletter, a heads up that this isn’t the usual format. On Fridays, we listen to music.
MUSIC THINGS:
I don’t believe in guilty pleasures. This song is amazing and the video is even better. Remember huge video budgets?
Hearing this finally after getting a snippet via Hit-Boy vs Boi-1da’s Versuz, we get to hear new Nipsey on the first single from Big Sean’s Detroit 2.
If anyone knows Sean or anyone on his team, tell him I need an interview!
AZ is one of the most talented rappers ever. Not an opinion, a fact. In this essay, I will…
PLAYLISTS:
A heads up that this newsletter is a Rinny Perkins appreciation account. Quiet as kept, she might have the single-best playlist on Spotify right now: Cool Black Kids.
Scenario: You graduated high school between 2001 and 2006.
This one isn’t even a month old and is almost at 100 subscribers. Updated because I can’t believe this playlist didn’t have the Thong Song, how EMBARRASSING.
Playlist: Older Millennial Instant Party Starter
Scenario: Your thesis “Acceptance to Plural Identities in Art Therapy: Examining Colonization and Multiculturalism Training through Autoethnography” sits on your hard drive, never to be read again. You long for the days of questionable decisions and even more questionable outfits.
Playlist: Art School Alumni Party
Scenario: Look, you started with good intentions. It’s not your fault. There’s a lot going on, nobody can be expected to keep a fiddle-leaf fig alive right now. In this economy?
Playlist: Songs to Kill Your Plants To
Scenario: You were supposed to be at a cool hotel pool right now getting some sun while drinking a $17 cocktail. Instead, the only glow you’re getting these days is from your laptop screen.
Playlist: Hotel Pool VIBES
Apple Music/Spotify
The “Cool” Series: A collection of playlists for retail concepts that don’t exist.
Cool Men’s Boutique:
Cool Dive Bar:
Cool but Overpriced Sushi Fusion Restaurant:
HOW TO HELP BLACK LIVES IN 30 MINS OR LESS:
When it comes to taking the steps needed to create a racially equal America, I’ve heard from many well-intentioned non-Black people over the last two months that one of the most daunting things for them is trying to figure out what they can personally do make things better.
Some folks see these massive issues as a significant problem that cannot be defeated, so they struggle to figure out what one person can do, which leads to them not doing much other than posting to IG. Some of that is not wanting to seem like you’re doing too much, some of that is fear your intentions will be misunderstood.
What if I told you that for only 30 minutes a week, you can help black lives no matter where you are or how much money you make? Here’s how:
Carve out 30 minutes in your calendar this week. Call it “Being A Better Person Time” or “Set a Good Example for my Kid” Time, whatever works.
Click a link and make a call or donate or sign a petition. Just do one thing in that 30 min window.
This weekend, share the above link with your three closest friends and say, “Hey, I’m (calling/donating/signing a petition). I’m worried about how things will be for future generations, so I’m doing something about it. If you’re interested, here’s the link!” If you have a group chat, drop it into your group chat!
Repeat the following week for as long as you can. Do it while you online shop, do it while you’re on an annoying call, hell, you can do it while you poop, I genuinely don’t care! Whatever it takes! It is the absolute least that you can do, but you’ll get a sense of accomplishment and the knowledge that you at least did SOMETHING to help. You have a vision of who you want to be, right? That ideal version of yourself that does the right thing when given a chance and leads by example? This is that chance. You can do it!
BONUS: You won’t have to lie to your kids or grandkids about being on the right side of history! You can be all like, “Children/Grandchildren, we don’t tolerate that racist shit in this house. If anyone says otherwise, send them to me.” and you’ll sound all tough and cool, and your kids or grandkids will respect and love you and not want to be racists…guess what? That means less racist people in the future!!!
Look at that. It turns out you had a bigger impact than you thought the whole time!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The newsletter will now move to Mondays and Fridays. Format will be full culture/music/marketing on Mondays and all-music on Fridays. I owe it to you all to make better stuff vs a bunch of stuff now that I’ve gotten the hang of getting this thing out the door. Speaking of getting things out the door…
The Office Hours with Ernest Wilkins podcast returns in the next two weeks. The podcast will be a paid-subscriber only perk, with free episodes when I feel like it’s appropriate. The more you can support, the more cool stuff I can make! Speaking of support…here are two easy ways that you can support this newsletter!!!!!
Become a paid supporter of the newsletter on an ongoing basis. You have until Monday, September 7th to take advantage of my 50% off paid subscription promotion via this button:
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Office Hours is written and curated by Ernest Wilkins.
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