Strombo, always the sharp interviewer, furrows his brow as he leans in.
“Compound interest? That’s modern-day slavery?”
Madonna nods. “Absolutely. The financial system is built on debt. You can’t escape it. Just like the old empires had chains, the new ones have credit scores.”
George strokes his beard. “And the old man in ‘Batuka’? Who is he?”
Madonna smirks. “I figured you’d ask that. My webmaster, JCJ, put together a video that might help you connect the dots.”
George glances at the screen behind them, where the video begins to play. A montage of Greece’s economic collapse, austerity riots, and IMF bailouts flash by. Over it, a rhythmic chant builds—Batuka’s driving beat—while grainy black-and-white footage of an elderly banker appears, his name obscured by time, yet his legacy etched in every crushed economy.
Strombo watches, wide-eyed. “Wait… Are you saying the old man represents—”
Madonna just winks. “Watch the video, George. Everything you need to know is there.”