While millions of Americans head to the polls today, there's at least one Milwaukee musician who won't be among them: songwriter/rapper Elvis Thao, who last week released the election-themed epic "I Don't Know" to YouTube. It's a protest song in the spirit of John Lennon, if Lennon had ever recorded a protest song stressing the importance of not exercising your right to vote. "The message: If nobo...

Milwaukee native Elvis Thao, an actor in Clint Eastwood’s recent film Gran Torino, also lists rapper, community activist and record-company owner among his credentials. We talked to him about his multiple careers. How real to life was Gran Torino? I think the critics would know...