Former military intelligence officer offers fresh perspective on world issues with new single ‘Headlines’
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As a former elite member of the U.S. military intelligence community, Michael “Intellect” Dowd is in a unique position to provide perspective on the multiple ills and injustices of the world. He has access to many platforms and could demand an audience with some of the country’s highest-level officials, but he’s chosen to pass on his message to the world through his favorite artform: music. His latest single, “Headlines,” is the perfect marriage of his experience and his natural talent. It’s a song that gives listeners a taste of the raw reality of where the U.S. is today as a country, both politically and socially.
“As a black man in American who has traveled the world extensively working for the government, I’ve had the privilege of seeing other nations and cultures and their interactions with poverty and affluence,” Intellect said. “I’ve also seen race and other ethnic differences at play in other places of the world – the mistreatment of people in general. The premise of the song talks about some very raw and real things that have happened recently.”
With “Headlines,” Intellect depicts a raw, emotional, and real reality of the mainstream Black and Brown minorities in America by law enforcement officials. At the same time, he pleads for peace and justice for everyone. It’s a song that speaks directly to the Black Lives Matter movement and the atrocities that have happened to George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin, and so many others who have been killed unnecessarily.
“Today there are a lot of outlets for advocates, but what I feel like has been lost is clarity,” Intellect said. “Because of today’s technology and how we receive information, there’s just an abundance of noise. It used to be that there were these central voices that were easy to seek out for guidance when it came to seeking justice for the mistreatment of people. But because there’s so much data out there, people have gotten lost in the noise. Music has always been a way to connect a mass of people to a common idea, and if this record can reach a mass of people and bring them together to help us start speaking in unison, then so be it. Mostly I hope it can galvanize people and create a common dialogue.”
Intellect said he hopes “Headlines” will encourage people to sit down and have intelligent conversations. As a former member of the intelligence community, he has a lot of experience with bringing disparate parties to the table for peace talks. Through his service with government agencies and the military, Intellect has developed high-level expertise in a broad range of disciplines that include man hunting, geo-location, cellular infrastructure, human intelligence, counterterrorism, and counter-narcotics. These are just a few of the raw materials that coalesce in his art to create his expression. Over the years he has served as technical advisor and actor for NBC’s series “The Enemy Within” and was the technical consultant for ABC’s hit show “Quantico.” But it’s music that is his true passion, and with “Headlines” he continues a journey that has included multiple successful EPs and albums to date.
“Ultimately I want to be known for making a difference in the world,” he said. “Previously I did that in the military, but now I’m doing that through music and entertainment. The point is not to divide people – we have enough of that today. The point is to give a non-biased view of what’s happening in the world and encourage people to make positive changes together.”
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxHVOdm23Wk]
To listen to Intellect’s music, or to follow him on social media, please visit the following links:
https://soundcloud.com/intellectmusic1/headlines/s-cKpWNUnjGhN
https://youtu.be/wyESO26p_RE (
www.xgproductions.com/michael-dowd
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2O3YsbvnDo3F2o8IOPm56q
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/intellect/1411591495
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