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In these parts of the world, the options children are typically given are doctor, lawyer, astronaut, firefighter, police officer, and weatherman. Then the teacher or parents make some joke about everyone always hating the weatherman because their forecasts are never right ⛈️

I can tell you one job I’m certain no one ever used as an answer when asked what they wanted to be when they grew up: email.

I’m not talking about email in the way that I’m writing this email because I love to do it, and I send it to you to read for fun. I’m talking about the “email” jobs of today that consist of sitting behind a computer sending emails back and forth providing updates on projects that someone else is doing and jumping on a quick call that actually lasts two hours trying to get everyone aligned on how we’re going to get back on schedule and deliver on our objectives before we wrap up this quarter.

Yes, it seems like the most realistic aspiration for people today who don’t want to be influencers or content creators or start a podcast is to find a job where you can sit comfortably behind a desk and generate shareholder value by sending emails and jumping on video calls.

I’m not gonna hate on people who earn a living and lead a good life because of their email job (I’m lucky to be one of them). More power to you. It’s just interesting to me that the corporate life this society has conditioned us to aspire to can make some people feel like they’re living their best lives—while others feel like that very life is slowly being stolen from them every single day so they can keep paying for subscriptions they need to stay alive that didn’t exist 10 years ago.

The 9-5 life and commute are so bad for some, even the Taliban are complaining about traffic, rent prices, feeling unfulfilled at work, and spending too much time on the internet with a spiraling Twitter addiction.

Do you know what I wanted to be when I grew up?

I never really had an exact answer. There was nothing that called to me and said, “That’s what I was meant to do.” I’ve always loved movies, TV, and books. I always thought I would end up in media and entertainment somehow. But it was never something specific like actor, director, or screenwriter. I always felt I could do a little of everything.

While my choices in life didn’t lead me in that direction, there was a dream that was lingered in the crevasses of my heart and mind: I wanted to be a rapper.

I wanted to be a rapper because I love hip hop so much, and I listen to so much of it that I felt there were countless rappers I could rap better than. Sure, they had great beats and flow, but their lyrics were trash. The things they were saying were wack. The ideas were unoriginal. I could easily write something better than this. So that became my plan. Inspired by the story of Lil’ Dicky, who worked as a copywriter in an advertising agency and quit his job to pursue his dream of rapping—I told myself I’d do the same thing. As I worked through grad school and continued my career, I was biding my time, saving up money, and getting ready to make the leap.

Unfortunately, it never happened.

But it was never for a lack of dreaming or writing. Yes, I wrote rhymes, memorized them, and practiced them, but I rarely let anyone read or hear what I was working on.

I’m not sure if that dream will become a reality, but I do know I have some good shit that shouldn’t stay gathering digital dust on my notes app. So, here it is for you.

You might think my rap name would be 2nosabe or david not david because they’re already part of the brand, but that’s not the name I wanted.

My rap name would be: JOHNNYGALT42

42 because I love The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Johnny Galt because “Atlas Shrugged” and “The Fountainhead” are tied for my second favorite books ever. Now, let me be very clear: Ayn Rand was a hypocrite and a loser, and I don’t believe in objectivism. It’s a selfish and dangerous way of looking at the world. I believe this world thrives with community, not individualism. The books resonated with me because I actually misunderstood them completely and took everything she was trying to say in the complete opposite direction. Ayn Rand, I bite my thumb at you 👎

I started writing this song in 2017 and had it fully finished the way you see it now probably around 2021. I hope you enjoy it:

Take It Easy (tekirisi) by JOHNNYGALT42

I hope you enjoyed that. I bet you’re probably wondering what it would sound like if I actually rapped it into a mic 🤔

Only one way to find out:

1. Spotify

2. YouTube

3. Apple… Sorry, the ‘Podcasts for Creators’ website hates me and doesn’t let me log in. Once I figure it out, I’ll make sure it gets uploaded there too.

PS

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