Connection is Magic

In partnership with the 988 national suicide & crisis lifeline, we're dropping this very special episode in honor of world mental health day – October 10th, 2023. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health please call 988 from any cell phone to receive support and access to local resources in your area. *Suicide is not inevitable for anyone. If you or someone you care about is feeling hopeless, displaying extreme mood swings, increasing the use of alcohol or drugs, or isolated from others you or your loved one may be showing warning signs of suicide - but help is available. Call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 for support. The Lifeline is available 24/7 across the United States and is free and confidential. Coaching & Support for Artists - If you are an artist in a transition or struggling on your journey, reach out to book a 1:1 consultation directly with Samson, host of Connection is Magic @ https://calendly.com/connectionismagic Justice Baiden (IG: @justicewearscoolpants) is an entrepreneur, co-founder and head of A&R at ATL's hottest R&B label, LVRN. They are one of the only record labels that offers both its artists and staff access to a mental health program, which includes a stipend for therapy, gym memberships, healthy food and more. Some of his most notable signings include the multi-platinum and Grammy-winning artists, Summer Walker & 6lack, two defining voices of their generation in today's music space. Justice was born in Kennesaw, Atlanta and raised by parents who are both immigrants from Ghana. Earlier this year LVRN received a $100 Million dollar investment from label & publisher, MUSIC, to help scale it's operations and impact even further. HIGHLIGHTS // + LVRN being one of the only record labels to offer a stipend for mental health support to its artists and how this came to be + How Summer Walker was at first super opposed to therapy (sidenote: Justice used to be as well) and how their feelings towards it eventually evolved + how he snuck a therapist backstage and passed her off as his friend to help Summer + Having to sneak his way into Summer Walker's computer, because she was so shy sharing new songs at the time when he was A&R'ing her first project for the label + The pivot Justice made into pursuing the business side ofs music after his failed attempt at becoming a rapper + A helpful mindset on how to use social media as an artist in with a healthier perspective + The importance of having adversity so that we not only appreciate our wins more but to actually end up with a more cool & compelling story to share with others + Justice having to figure out how to navigate the music business prior to having all the information on it that's available today + Discovering 6lack and helping introduce him to therapy and witnessing how much he's evolved as an artist and human being + Helpful tips on becoming more resilient and bouncing back after going through bad deals as an artist + Why it's so important when we feel lost to travel and leave our everyday surroundings to get a perspective shift + Understanding the dynamics of a team environment and exploring the pro's & con's + do's & don'ts when operating within a team + Outgrowing friendships, why it happens and how best to navigate it + How we're taught in school to stay inside the box but paradoxically, all the figures we teach kids about in textbooks are those who have stepped outside the box + Drake helping blowup Summer's career after discovering her song “Girls Need Love” and jumping on a remix after Justice convinced her to ask him via IG + Focusing on the work not the results and how it always, always, always comes down to God's (The Universe's) timing no matter how badly we want it to happen

Coaching For Artists - If you are an artist feeling stuck in your journey, book a 1:1 coaching consultation directly with Samson @ https://calendly.com/connectionismagic Stan Taylor (IG: @_Stantaylor_) is an LA based, super soulful silky-smooth R&B singer, raised in Central California. He moved to LA in 2009, after winning a reality television competition with ABC/Disney. This appearance would lead him to more opportunities to travel the world performing his music and building a fan base. Throughout his career, Stan has collaborated with many Grammy-winning music producers and served as the resident in-house singer for the popular LA night spot frequented by Drake, The Kardashians and many more called Delilah's. Definitely go peep Stan Taylor's most recent project, “Sweet Nostalgia” which dropped in March 2023. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Being super into athletics prior to music and how that drive/discipline served pursuing music + Being friends with the nerdy theatre kids while athletes clowned Stan for his choice of not pursuing sports + Super key takeaway: “Discipline is confidence” + How people get slept on all the time, and how even Kanye initially was slept on as shown in Netflix “Jeen-Yuhs” Documentary + The irony of people being so thirsty for authenticity, but most being terrified to share at this level + Keep a baby picture of yourself nearby so you can be kinder to yourself and remember your true essence + How wins and mini-breakthroughs can be the universe co-signing us and we can use them as signs to keep going + Being friends with people who can bless you with opportunities and the fine line of patience for it to happen naturally and asking for things, remembering, “closed mouths don't get fed” + Snapping yourself out of funks by asking yourself… “how long do you want to hurt like this?” + Insight: “When we build a home in someone else, they have the power to make us homeless”

If you are an artist stuck in your journey, book a "coaching for artists" session directly with Samson @ https://calendly.com/connectionismagic Coodie & Chike (IG: @Coodierock & @Cozah) are Emmy-Nominated and acclaimed producers, directors, and documentarians. They are the directors & visionaries behind Netflix's documentary “Jeen-Yuhs,” the 3-part trilogy showcasing the never before seen, two-decade plus, behind the scenes life of Kanye West, starting from when no one believed in him all the way through launching a multi-billion-dollar shoe and clothing empire. The duo launched their directorial debut with Kanye West's break through single, “Through the Wire” in 2003. Coodie started out as a comedian and was also the co-founder of the legendary 90's hip-hop platform “Channel Zero” which featured some of the biggest icons of the genre early in their careers: Wu-Tang Clan, Bone Thugs N' Harmony, Nas, and many others… Chike, has been a consummate student of the arts from an early age, attending the prestigious, Rhode Island School of Design as well as the Savannah College of Art & Design. Some of their other work includes: 30 for 30 “Benji” Documentary (on the life of an All-American high school basketball phenom who's life was tragically cut short when he was killed in the south-side of Chicago), many iconic music videos including, Erykah Badu's “Window Seat” and they are currently working on an upcoming documentary on the life of Ernie Barns Jr. a prolific, African-American artist, well known for his style of elongated characters and movement. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + How their acclaimed, ESPN 30 for 30 “Benji” Documentary came together + How it sadly takes tragedy to unite us + Being pressured by Hollywood executives into deals they weren't ready to sign + Be patient, it takes time to get good at your craft! + Coodie dropping everything to move to NY to document Kanye prior to his success + Kanye having a habit of exploding whenever he hears someone use the word “Can't” + Creatives with deep chemistry coming together to work & how rare and special this can be + Artists becoming the “character” and abandoning their former selves after success + Drake hitting up Coodie days before the release of the documentary saying he wanted to narrate the whole thing and Kanye saying he wanted Drake instead of Coodie to narrate it + Kanye West's life and career spiraling downwards shortly after the release of the documentary they spent years putting together + The subliminal message of the documentary not really being so much about the Genius of Kanye West but rather to remind us that we all have a unique genius within and to give us the encouragement needed to push through the NO's and resistance to cultivate and express it!

Christopher M. Bailey & DJ Wolvie (IG: @Chrisvsmyself & @DJWolvie) are local LA legendary cats by way of Tucson, Arizona. They're both multi-hyphenate creatives and live on the bleeding edge of culture in both the clothing and music space. Chris established the super buzzing, Last One Left, clothing brand which has been featured in The Los Angeles Times and worn by some of your favorite entertainers. DJ Wolvie is a super talented DJ with a musical palette that spans many genres. He formerly worked at HipHopDX and is a frequent collaborator with the Last One Left brand. Chris's life story was featured in the HBO Documentary, “Fake Famous,” which is a social experiment that highlights 3 up and coming creatives and manufactures turning them into “influencers” by hyping them up and buying fake followers for them on social media. DJ Wolvie was featured in the documentary as well. If you haven't seen it, you should go watch it! Wild stuff! EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Showing up to a job interview thinking it was for Pharrell but finding out it was for Jay-Z + Navigating closed doors and trusting the timing of everything unfolding + Feeling out of place and getting harassed by bros in the party scene of Tucson, Arizona + Chris watching his mom spiral out of control from addiction and watching her go in and out of rehabs + Wolvie leaving Arizona for LA to work at HipHopDX and only getting paid $150 per month + The origins of Chris's clothing company “Last One Left” + The culture and nuances within the thrifting for clothes community and the idea of “compounding karma” within it + Suggesting an indie NYC nightclub to one of Jay-Z's friends and then watching the surrealness of Jay-Z and Beyonce pulling up to the club that same night + Being in HBO's “Fake Famous” documentary and the ridiculousness that Chris & Wolvie observed + Being super mindful of who you keep in your inner circle, and why it's essential to realizing your full potential

Seano McFarland (IG: @teamseano) is a certified addiction therapist, life coach, and interventionist specializing in chemical dependency, sexual addiction and trauma. He's been a longtime therapist to Mike Tyson helping guide & counsel him the past 15 years. Seano's overall career in recovery spans 20+ years and he's made notable impacts within his frame of work, including national lectures, appearances on Oprah, Dateline, and many other major media networks. Since founding Shell Recovery Center in Venice, CA he has helped celebrities and non-celebrities alike, and has also consulted for the NBA & NFL. To book a coaching call w/Samson (host of Connection Is Magic & Training Therapist) click here: https://calendly.com/connectionismagic EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Seano getting kidnapped as a child in Arizona + Overcoming our adversity and seeing it as a homecoming story + Being in the dark so long that we can run from the light because it's so foreign to us + Staying in “the middle of the herd” / in the middle of community, where we are at our safest + Alcohol & drugs aren't the problem, they are our maladaptive solution to our living problem + Why you should NOT keep secrets…. Seano philosophy: “secrets can kill you” + The shameful things we've done which we think are so unique, are truly not and why we need to share them with trustworthy people to heal + “The world doesn't need to change, we do” + “the only person you suffer from is you” – Seano Sayings

To book a coaching call w/Samson (host of Connection Is Magic & Training Therapist) click here: https://calendly.com/connectionismagic Zalma (IG: @zalmabour) and I sit down for a special birthday episode! :) She is a brilliant singer, musician, producer and model originally from Cleveland, Ohio now based in LA. Over the course of her 15+ years working in music, she has collaborated with many Grammy winning artists & producers. Additionally, Zalma is also steeped in the healing arts and has studied both breathwork and reiki, she is a certified teacher in the latter. Zalma has two forthcoming projects, as a solo artist and as part of an artist collective called, Childish. Both will be dropping in 2023. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Zalma & Samson have a birthday toast! + Why we don't want our dreams to happen too early + Too many artists putting off living to pursue their crafts + What separates one artist from achieving their dreams vs. one who doesn't + Monitoring your energy when you are reaching out to people + The medicinal aspects of music & podcasting + Zalma shares her new mantra… “This time is different” + The more attached you are to a specific outcome the more you can be hindered + No one has your unique DNA signature, and we need to use it to touch others

To book a coaching call w/Samson (host of Connection Is Magic & Training Therapist) click here: https://calendly.com/connectionismagic Che Pope (IG: @wrkshpclub) is an American music executive, record producer and songwriter from Boston, Massachusetts. He is the former COO of Kanye West's G.O.O.D. record label. He also is a multi-Grammy Winning music producer most notably for his work on Lauryn Hill's iconic debut album, “Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill.' Che has worked with and been mentored by some of music greatest minds, including: Dr. Dre, legendary music composer, Hanz Zimmer, and Quincy Jones. Che recently founded WRKSHP, based in Detroit Michigan. It's funded by Cleveland Cavaliers Owner & Billionaire, Dan Gilbert. WRKSHP is a record label, artist development company and media house. After a lengthy career Che is still hungry and seeks to impact culture in a myriad of ways. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + How Che got his start in music with no industry contacts + Being at Biggie's first ever live performance + Losing multiple friends in the music biz to suicide + Theories on why so many rappers are being killed today + Becoming COO of Kanye's record label GOOD Music + Che's thoughts on Kanye West when they met back in the day + The differences between working in Dr. Dre camp versus Kanye's camp + Learning from things going left producing Lauryn Hill's, “Miss Education Of Lauryn Hill” + Life changing advice from Quincy Jones + Things he learned working with Dr. Dre, Hanz Zimmer, & Kanye West

The Making Of Eminem's biggest song "Lose Yourself," discussed in a very rare interview with the producer of the Oscar-Winning track, Jeff Bass. In one of his only on camera interviews ever, we discuss how the iconic song from the classic film, 8 Mile, came to be. The song turned 20 years old on October 28th, 2022. LINKS TO OUR FULL 2-PART INTERVIEW: YouTube | Part 1: https://youtu.be/-RrvZpzfrs8 Part 2: https://youtu.be/brKDQ_xH88E Spotify | Part 1: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6HNvws1dIQj13PLxYnmbZ7?si=473836d7a9fd401e Part 2: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3e8fQFj5IzzPoxaisvQhOw?si=e33ed47de6a94d58 Apple | Part 1: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pt-1-discovering-eminem-rising-to-fame-and-more-jeff-bass/id1537443410?i=1000496140110 Part 2: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pt-2-rise-to-fame-with-eminem-and-the-fall-out-jeff-bass/id1537443410?i=1000496140115 CONNECT WITH ME: Website: https://connectionismagic.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connectionismagic TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@connectionismagic JOIN OUR CIM TEXT COMMUNITY! TEXT "REAL" TO 310-361-5562, GET ACCESS TO NEW EPISODES BEFORE THEY DROP, ANIMATED STORY CLIPS, LIMITED EDITION MERCH AND OTHER SPECIAL OFFERS! BLESS! - TEAM CIM

If you are on a creative path and feel stuck in your journey, click this link to set up a complimentary discovery call with Samson: https://connectionismagic.com/coaching This is a new segment called, "Bars For Breakfast." I will highlight a powerful lyric and share how it relates to my personal life experience. Listening to my share, I hope it conjures up for you how it relates to your own personal life journey and you feel connected / inspired. ** Song: "The Highs & The Lows" Artists: Chance The Rapper & Joey Badass Lyric: "Beware, believe none of what you see and half of what you hear, the best things in life on the opposite side of fear." ** TEXT "REAL" TO 310-361-5562, GET ACCESS TO NEW EPISODES BEFORE THEY DROP, ANIMATED STORY CLIPS, AND OTHER SPECIAL GOODIES & OFFERS! BLESS! - TEAM CIM

If you are on a creative path in life and feel stuck on your journey, click this link to set up a complimentary discovery call with Samson: https://connectionismagic.com/coaching This is a "RUN IT BACK" episode! The episode was originally recorded in July, 2017, when the podcast was previously called, "The Hustle Sanctuary." Koreen Odiney (IG: Koreen) is the founder of the viral authentic connection card game, "We're Not Really Strangers" (IG: Werenotreallystrangers), which teaches strangers how to connect authentically & vulnerably. The game has been featured in Vogue, GQ, Red Table Talk, BuzzFeed, and many more and their social media platforms have millions of followers. Koreen and I sat down for this conversation to discuss the game when it was in its very early infancy and had just a few thousand followers! Super inspiring stuff. Enjoy! EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // 0 - Intro 1:27 - We're not really strangers – break down the game for us! 6:37 - Guest background 8:21 - What's it like connecting with people with different viewpoints? 11:56 - Early days of discovering photo journalism and photography 14:19 - Has a stranger ever changed your life? 16:20 - Did going up to a complete stranger ever go badly? 18:25 - Talk to us about chance/serendipitous encounters with important people in your life. 22:01 - What's a recent career high? 23:19 - Biggest career low? 25:56 - Favorite thing about modeling? 29:21 - How do you achieve internal peace? 32:02 - What comes to mind when you hear the word “LOVE”? 38:07 - Thoughts on people impulsively leaving relationships? 40:03 - Are you lying to yourself about anything? 44:28 - Gem dropped.. “every level has a different devil” 46:36 - Success on the outside, depressed on the inside 48:09 - The value of friends holding us accountable 50:13 - What guides / motivates you to keep pushing + hustling? 53:10 - One of the most powerful quotes I've heard yet… CONNECT WITH ME: Website: https://connectionismagic.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connectionismagic TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@connectionismagic CHECK OUT OTHER EPISODES OF CONNECTION IS MAGIC HERE: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0YRKrzEGPt2ps7qFX8tVSC Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/connection-is-magic/id1537443410 JOIN OUR CIM TEXT COMMUNITY! TEXT "REAL" TO 310-361-5562, GET ACCESS TO NEW EPISODES BEFORE THEY DROP, ANIMATED STORY CLIPS, AND OTHER SPECIAL GOODIES & OFFERS! BLESS! -TEAM CIM

Ron Leshem is an Israeli-American television producer and writer, best known for creating the first incarnation of HBO's hit teen drama "Euphoria," in Israel, before the show was ultimately cancelled after one season in 2012. Ron is currently an executive producer of the US version of Euphoria. Additionally, one of Ron's first writing projects EVER, "Beaufort" was nominated for an Academy Award in 2007 for Best Foreign Language Film. Ron has also co-created and written the television series No Man's Land (Hulu), Valley of Tears, and The Gordin Cell. In addition to his career as a television executive. He is also a bestselling author, having had his works translated into 20 different languages. As a novelist, he has won some of the top Israeli literary awards, among them the prestigious annual Sapir Prize for Literature in 2006. Ron shared that production on Season 3 of Euphoria will begin in October, 2022. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Euphoria getting rejected by all the major networks at first in the US, including HBO, where it would later end up. + The process Ron went through, releasing Euphoria in the Israeli market at first and getting called into a government office and chastised for not portraying their youth in a better light. + D.A.R.E's open letter to HBO and Euphoria cast and crew for negatively influencing today's youth and Ron's thoughts on it. + Avoiding the wrong partnerships and harvesting the right ones. + The metaphor for characters always banging on doors and being indicative that the characters are always looking outside of themselves and pointing fingers vs. looking within. + The problem with networks mandates and creating generic algorithms new shows must fall into, and how that ends up with out of the box shows succeeding. + The original life experience that lead Ron's first draft for Euphoria. + How today there are so many different distractions that we are unable to have any long thoughts anymore. + What separates those who sustain success and lose it.

Peter Paterno started out his career writing software for NASA and would eventually transition into pursing music law. He since became a FORCE in the music industry and over his career has represented Dr. Dre, Pharrell, Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Soundgarden, Skrillex, Frank Ocean and many more…. He also had a stint running the Disney owned, Hollywood Records where he signed Queen for $10 million dollars when no one believed they had any success left in them in the US market and they soon after exploded back onto the charts with “Bohemian Rhapsody” featured in Wayne's World quickly recouping the deal. Peter is a founding partner at the formidable law firm King, Holmes, Paterno & Soriano and was legal counsel on two of the biggest landmark cases in music business history… The ”Blurred Lines” copyright lawsuit representing both Pharrell & Robin Thicke against the Marvin Gaye estate, as well as representing Dr. Dre & Metallica in the lawsuit against Napster that would mark a watershed moment transitioning the industry from physical to digital consumption. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS – PART 2 + Peter Shares a hilarious Easy-E Story + Having to hustle quickly to secure the Eminem deal for Dr. Dre + Why both Peter and I are attracted to outlier, 1 of 1 type artists + Signing Queen when he ran Hollywood Records and no one believing they had any success left in them in the U.S. or Canadian Markets, and them blowing up again after the classic movie Wayne's World + Peter starting the domino's falling to get Dr. Dre performing at the 2022 Super Bowl halftime show + Rehashing details of the "Blurred Lines" lawsuit between Pharrell/Robin Thicke and Marvin Gaye's estate + Hilarious story from when Peter representing Gun's N' Roses in an early meeting with David Geffen + The story behind the inception of Beats By Dre + Peter's advice to new artists trying to make it in music today

Peter Paterno started out his career writing software for NASA and would eventually transition into pursing music law. He since became a FORCE in the music industry and over his career has represented Dr. Dre, Pharrell, Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Soundgarden, Skrillex, Frank Ocean and many more…. He also had a stint running the Disney owned, Hollywood Records where he signed Queen for $10 million dollars when no one believed they had any success left in them in the US market and they soon after exploded back onto the charts with “Bohemian Rhapsody” featured in Wayne's World quickly recouping the deal. Peter is a founding partner at the formidable law firm King, Holmes, Paterno & Soriano and was legal counsel on two of the biggest landmark cases in music business history… The ”Blurred Lines” copyright lawsuit representing both Pharrell & Robin Thicke against the Marvin Gaye estate, as well as representing Dr. Dre & Metallica in the lawsuit against Napster that would mark a watershed moment transitioning the industry from physical to digital consumption. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS – PART 1 + Peter's journey from software engineering & math major into being a lawyer + Rejecting his rejection letter sent to him by one of the first law school's he applied to + How as an artist you need to have good business acumen for longevity + Getting assigned, a still unknown, Prince as a young lawyer at his first firm + How Peter first got involved with Dr. Dre and the impact of the Chronic + Writing the original 125 page contract for Geffen Records + Meeting Metallica for the first time and discovering they were all living in an apartment with no heat in Brooklyn + Artists changing after going from broke to successful + Watching James Hetfield go through alcohol addiction and the added difficulty of going through your problems in public + Recalling the Napster debacle and representing both Dr. Dre & Metallica in the lawsuit again Napster + The reason behind the fall out between Easy-E and Dr. Dre + Running Hollywood Records for Disney and the chairman getting angry with Peter for not signing Dr. Dre.. before hearing some of The Chronic lyrics… haha

Shawn Setaro (Twitter: @sameoldshawn) is a writer and reporter for podcasts at Complex. Throughout his prolific career he has written for The Atlantic, Vibe, The Source, GQ, Forbes, the Sondheim Review, and many more outlets. He was formerly, the Editor-in-Chief of Genius.com. He was the writer and reporter on Spotify x Complex podcasts…. Infamous: The Tekashi 6ix9ine Story, narrated by NYC radio legend Angie Martinez; a second season of Infamous about Florida rapper YNW Melly; and Complex Subject: Pop Smoke, a biographical series about the late Brooklyn rap star. Shawn created and hosted The Cipher, a podcast that featured interviews with over 200 legendary figures in hip-hop and is a newly published author with his book, Complex Presents: Dummy Boy, Tekashi 6ix9ine and the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods, available wherever books are sold. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + How Shawn first got into journalism + Stumbling across and working at RapGenius.com when it was just in embryo form + How rap music can assuage feelings of PTSD + Getting signed to a record label and then it falling apart and the trauma that can leave artists with for a long period of time + Lack of proper resources within the music industry to deal with emotional and mental health + In a society that glorifies hustle mentality and productivity, it's crucial to avoid burnout + What got Shawn so interested in the Tekashi 69 saga + Our fascination with celebrity culture and the history behind it + Shawn's biggest adversity in his own journey and what he learned from the experience

Sophia Esperanza (IG: SophiaEsperanza) is an activist, chef, model, vegan, and all around amazing human being. She grew a viral following across her social media channels and is using her platform to make a meaningful difference, promoting health + wellness for both animals and humans alike. She is the founder of the popular vegan recipe site, “Elbows On The Table” because the food is so good you cannot help but throw your manners out the window, put your elbows on the table and stuff your face off! She gained TONS of wisdom along her journey of leaving the traditional modeling space and shares much of it with us in this episode! The episode is a MUST listen! EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + We can't escape ourselves, wherever we go there we are… + Why we shouldn't put other people on a pedestal, especially those we admire + Wanting connection so badly growing up, turning to drugs as of form of maladaptive connection to others + When Sophia recognized the modeling industry was out of alignment for her + How witnessing a dairy cow being lifted and dropped on her head alive in a trash bin was her moment of awakening to transform not only how she treated animals, but how she was treating herself + How things can begin with pure intention but can become corrupted when power sets in + How the media works to keep us angry and divided so we can be manipulated by those in power + Change happens when we finally feel enough pain and can no longer bear it - then we take action + How Sophia blew all of her money at first helping animals who were in desperate need + Spending years in the modeling industry and realizing the negative impact of not being mentally stimulated or challenged - and not growing or expanding for a lengthy period of time. + The intense journey of Sophia getting her breast implants removed and having to do this in phases vs. all at once + The inherent problem with cancel culture + Carving out more time in silence, day-to-day, to see the landscape of our lives more clearly + What we can learn from animals

Chase Anthony (IG: Chasecomedy) is an American actor, comedian and former college football player. He's had notable appearances in the films Journey of a Goddess, Love & Trust and Hidden Treasure as well as television shows Grey's Anatomy, Lethal Weapon, TheBkdwn, Deal With It, Netflix & Chill and starred in the web series A Whole New Irving, which won him the Best Male Performance from the International Academy of Web Television award. He is presently a leading role in the BET series Bigger, produced by Will Packer and Devone Shepard. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + The importance of having at least one person who sincerely believes in us in our corner + Dealing drugs for a short time period… and being terrible at it + The first time Chase saw flyers he was handing out thrown away and stepped on right in front of him + Already being at rock bottom and final straw being on the freeway and a rock hitting his windshield at this time + Meeting and learning from comedy legend Sinbad + The messaging portrayed as a young black man of utopic happiness being money and how untrue he found it to be when he got money + The transferable skills of being an athlete with working in the entertainment industry + Differences between Gen Z and Millennials and evolution not being linear

Russell Brand (IG: RussellBrand) is an outlier, activist, actor, author, podcaster, spiritual teacher etc. His YouTube channel has amassed more than 5.3 million subscribers. Amongst all of the divisiveness and polarization in today's zeitgeist he has quickly become a mainstream voice for meaningful change and antidisestablishmentarianism (say that 3 times fast!). EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + What the aim of engaging in spiritual and personal development should be + Why volunteering is not only good for others but also good for us too + "Listening to the whispers of the wind" and staying in tune w/what life is asking of us + Reorganizing what society could look like for us + How technology might evolve from here + The duality of things in life, how they could work for us & also against us + Getting taken over by our ego's has become the cultural norm + How connection is the antithesis to addiction + We discuss how our addictions kept us going until we could address what was underneath, driving them + Why it's so hard for leaders who want to change things to actually do so, because systems are SO static + stagnant and don't create space for them to do so + Using our greatest adversities to become better, more evolved, freer versions of ourselves

Tara Savelo (IG: @Tarasavelo) is originally from Massachusetts and moved to Los Angeles at the age of 19 to pursue a career in acting before getting a degree in beauty and hairstyling at MUD Makeup Institute in Burbank, California. Tara ultimately became Lady Gaga's make-up artist after the make up artist she was assisting left, and so Tara stepped into the role, very fortuitously, just prior to her rise to global superstardom. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Leaving her home state with her friends with no money and leaping to LA super young + First discovering the magic of makeup + How she got her dream job working for Lady Gaga + The odd feeling of seeing Lady Gaga's fame grow from the inside vs. the outside + Dealing with critics online + Tara's most surreal moment on the 6 year journey of working with Lady Gaga + How when mentally struggling on tour, telling people on the outside, often gets little to no sympathy, because they can't see past the glamour of it + How & why her time working with Gaga came to an end and the rollercoaster of emotions + Her health declining and the journey to finding healing, including a surprise Lyme Disease diagnosis + The importance of balance and self-care especially when pursuing what you love + What the early days of life were like after leaving the Lady Gaga whirlwind + Being a superstar in today's world vs. when Lady Gaga broke + More gems on what her experiences have taught her…

David Hernandez is a fellow podcaster, he created THE PUSH PROJECT Podcast which digs deep into vulnerable and compelling conversation, he's also a veteran on-air radio personality and licensed social worker. Zalma is my guest co-host, who's a brilliant singer, artist & music producer. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Breaking generational trauma cycles + Losing our fathers and the impact it had on us + The power of real conversation + Having patience for ourselves in the middle of outgrowing an older version of ourselves and not yet embodying that new version of ourselves yet + Being OK with surrender and change, “we change by design or by disaster” + Having grace for people who transmit their pain onto other people + David losing a foster child to a drive by shooting, not long after his wife filing for divorce + Unpacking the phrase "it's not personal, it's just business" + The trials and tribulations of artists signing record deals in the music industry

Jamey Heath (IG: @wearemanenough) is the co-host of the ever popular podcast on vulnerability, realness, and redefining masculinity, "The Man Enough" Podcast along with Justin Baldoni and Liz Plank. He's also a longtime successful film composer and award winning musician. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + The Man Enough Podcast Genesis & Mission + How being part of the podcast has helped shape Jamey + How Jamey welcomes slings and arrows from those he's hurt in the past + How our individual actions ripple onto everyone around us + Accountability being key to our growth + How subtle & pernicious things can undermine our life and our progress + Committing infidelity, going through multiple divorces & hitting rock bottom + Realizing he wasn't evil, but he was broken, and that could be fixed + Rainn Wilson having his back when all was lost and holding space for him to turn his life around + Flipping the switch and looking for the similarities vs. the differences in 12 step meetings, and beginning to turn his life around + Eventually understanding how he could love yet still betray those he loved, realizing that behavior was modeled in his home growing up + The importance of joy on our path to spiritual growth

D Rock (IG: @Drock) is a New York based filmmaker turned storyteller. He creates compelling content around people & brands. He has worked closely with Gary Vaynerchuk as a videographer, editor, & producer for the last 8 years. He first met Gary, before he was an online sensation, while giving a free talk at Columbia University on business and entrepreneurship. He was also born with a bi-lateral cleft lip and needed multiple surgeries from the day he was born, this adversity contributed to getting him on the path to becoming who he is today. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + How he first met Gary Vaynerchuk via serendipity + Offer massive value for free to those who you want to meet + Why you shouldn't "clout hop" + The duality of today's world & social media democratizing opportunity but but people giving up if it doesn't happen overnight + Always stay humble despite what success you achieve + The importance of "casting" and matching a person to the right role, if not a fit, how pivoting within an organization may allow you to flourish + Try seeing yourself as a human experiment, always try different things to find what you like and don't like so you can grow as a person + How when he first met Gary Vaynerchuk, Gary did NOT want to do motivational content, and how at first he got nudged into trying it + Rejection can 100% fuel you to achieve your dreams & goals + D Rock being at first a beneficiary of serendipity, can now pay it forward and has become more of a driver of serendipity to others + D Rock discusses his multiple surgeries and health ailments he surmounted from a very early age and how it has shaped him + How Gary's path to success was SUPER slow, over 5 years of constant content that didn't blow up, but people think it was overnight + We discuss on keys to networking without feeling cheesy + Major cheat code to life is viewing life more MACRO vs MICRO, and why we need to zoom out more often

Shamiqua Wilson (IG: shamiquasmp4) is a brilliant up and coming artist & songwriter from Staten Island, New York. Go check out her latest album titled, "The Show Goes On" available on all streaming platforms. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Picking ourselves back up after rejection and closed doors + Quick success fades quickly + Having to delete her Instagram account after building it and beginning again + Being more aware of not comparing herself to other artists + Finding our "flow" and clues that let us know we've found it + Healthy vs. unhealthy ways of depending on others + Not approaching life as fear based + Tons of labels / music managers reaching out to her and then it stopping and how she dealt with the up & down feelings of this experience + Paying attention to signs from God and The Universe

Austin Brown (IG: @austinbrown) is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. He has collaborated with many notable artists, including Pharrell, Q-Tip, Macy Gray, Diddy among others and has released several of his own albums. His most recent release "Heart Over Mind" was written about rekindled romantic relationship that ended for a 2nd time. Austin grew up learning & infusing much of the musical genius within the Jackson family. Link to "Heart Over Mind" Latest Album Release: http://smarturl.it/HEART.OVER.MIND EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + What Austin Was like before / after the pandemic + A rekindled relationship that went sideways that was super painful + Why you shouldn't put pressure on your creative channel + How Michael Jackson taught him early in life that "our thoughts are incredibly powerful things" + Getting treated differently as a child being part of the legendary Jackson family + Losing his father as a child and wisdom his dad passed along to him + 2nd hand life gem from working with Pharrell + Thoughts on the Travis Scott show tragedy + Focusing more on your message vs. your "following"

Trace Bell (IG: Tracebelll) is a spiritual teacher and coach based in the Bay Area. He is the son of famed author and spiritual teacher Rob Bell (voted Time Magazine's most 100 influential people). He grew up in both Michigan and LA. He graduated from UCLA with a degree in political science and became interested in how the modern academic system is failing currently and fueling despair and nihilism by teaching based on limited perspectives and paradigms. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Midwest vs. LA comparison + First hip hop album that got Trace into the genre + Life happening for us vs. happening to us + The magic and inspiration behind hip hop music + Trace discusses his frustration with his schooling experiences and what he felt was lacking + What fascinates him about studying consciousness + How to use pain for our growth + Adversity used for good an everpresent theme in hiphop music + Realizing the difference between being in a difficult chapter of your book vs. thinking it's the whole book of your life + Things he has learned from his highly regarded father, Author & Spiritual Teacher, Rob Bell

Cory Litwin (IG: Cory_Litwin) is a Toronto native, based in Los Angeles and currently Executive Vice President of Hallwood Media. He manages super producer Murda Beatz (Drake, Migos, Ariana Grande and more), he also co-produced the Drake smash "Nice For What" and has a roster of 30+ clients. He is also the Founder of 2wenty 2wenty Music Group and co-founder of Psychedelic Water. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Early come up in Toronto and being a part of a city that shifted the landscape of popular music + Becoming successful as a club promoter and leaving it all behind to pursue the music business + Creating a grills company called "Goldie Rocks" in an effort to break into music + Bottoming out in addiction and the road back + "If someone tells me I've changed, I say thank you" - Cory + How he met and began developing Murda Beatz + How our minds can spin us out and simple advice on how to not let it do that + Trusting that failure, rejection, closed doors are all a part of success + What it's like being a new father and how thats changed his outlook on life + Good message about the need to differentiate yourself in whatever field you are in + Spending time around Drake and what he has observed from him and the OVO camp

Jared Evan (IG: @Jaredevan) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and rapper originally from Great Neck, New York. He was signed to Zone 4 (Polow Da Don's label)under Interscope Records. The song "Frozen", which Evan wrote and produced, appeared on the LeBron James documentary soundtrack entitled Music Inspired by More than a Game. Jared also had a song featured prominently on HBO's hit show Entourage. In 2013, his album Boom Bap & Blues with Statik Selektah peaked at No. 8 on the iTunes Soul charts independently. He has been thriving as an independent artist since he left the major record label system and has a newly release project called "Dark Days" about his time in the traditional music industry. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Nearly Getting Signed By Diddy + How/Why labels get excited about a new artist but just monitor it and don't make a move + Getting signed off of a song he made off his laptop + Meeting all of his musical idols during his come up and signing to Interscope + Jimmy Iovine wanting Jared to re-shoot his music video with the newly created Beats By Dre headphones + A new song he wrote, that he wasn't feeling, caught like wild fire within the building, and even though Jared wasn't feeling it, he went with it, Interscope pushed the song and it did not succeed commercially. + Getting to record with Dr. Dre for his highly anticipated / unreleased Detox album + A/B ing life as an independent artist vs. major label artist

Zalma Bour (IG: @Zalmabour) is a brilliant singer, musician, producer and model from Cleveland, Ohio. She has collaborated with many Grammy winning artists and producers. Yonas Michael (IG: @lovechakraa) is an amazing rapper, producer, DJ and created the clothing line, Earthy Surfy Rock & Soul. His former group U-N-I, was a successful endeavor, MTV VMA appearances, he has done multiple SXSW shows and shows around the world with artists such as Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole opening up for his group. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Everyone is waiting for the other person to drop their armor first so they can actually connect + Why it's so important to pull back often when you're on your grind + Ego death = Freedom + Learning to balance internal validation with needing external validation to become “successful” as a creative + How being able to unplug is the new swag + How we aren't given a playbook for when bigger success hits and how many people stumble through that process + Having healthy boundaries as we continue to grow & evolve + Seeing and getting to know famous musicians early before they blew up and seeing that spark in them before it happened + Yonas's low point, being driven by his ego and hanging onto an old version of himself that was in the ashes and nothing working for him. Then finally being able to let go, step into a new version of himself and things flowing again

Christian Clancy is a legendary dude & music industry outsider very much on the inside. He is the co-founder of 4 Strikes management along with his wife Kelly. They manage the careers of Tyler, The Creator, Mac Miller's Estate BROCKHAMPTON, Domo Genesis, Raveena, Boylife and formerly Solange and Frank Ocean. Clancy also formerly headed up hip hop marketing at Interscope Records in it's gangster rap heyday, helping promote such artists as 50 Cent, Eminem, The Game and more... || Please sign up for our text community where you can receive CIM episodes in advance, exclusive outtakes from interviews + discounts on CIM merchandise and events by visiting our Instagram page: @CONNECTIONISMAGIC on IG, click "TEXT" and then text the words STAYCONNECTED to be signed up! || EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + The facade he wore at Interscope ultimately weighing him down + Why music is so powerful + Clancy explains what 1st drew him to Tyler, The Creator + The curious dance within artists between ego and insecurity + Why a slow build career beats a hit single, or immediate success + Reflections on being on the receiving end of road rage + What were the catalysts that helped you grow into this version of yourself? + Leaping from Interscope into 4 Strikes with nearly no money + How the music business rewards facades and caricatures + Clancy's gratitude practice + Seeing depression as a movie in your head to get space from it + Meditation as a major key to our well being + Personal pain hopefully leads us to more empathy + The GIFTS of aging + Evolving internally and externally + Judging Mac Miller before meeting him & their first meeting + Recalling where he was when he got news Mac passed away + Clancy's favorite Mac Miller memory + When your old ceiling becomes your new floor, the magic of growth + Getting trapped in anger & missing a) solution b)the blessing within it + Horrible breakup prepping Clancy to become the man who attracted his wife + "The things that aren't right for you, will give you up" + Everything has its opposite ie. the lower you go the higher you can go + Gem advice for up and coming artists... + Clancy's relationship to money, having grown up with none + How great artists / entrepreneurs can easily get dismissed & overlooked + Why tragedy unites us + Frank Ocean's brilliance and impact on pop culture + The magic and appeal of the underdog

Benjy Grinberg is the founder of indie label powerhouse, Rostrum Records. He got his start in the music business working for LA Reid at Arista Records. He was instrumental in the breaking + establishing the careers of both Wiz Khalifa and Mac Miller. In 2017 Benjy wrote a 3 page article in Billboard opening up on his battle with OCD titled “We Have To Erase The Stigma of Mental Health Issues.” He is based in Los Angeles, married and a father of two. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + How did you first meet Mac Miller + Mac's exponential growth between each project + What made Mac so unique in his artistry? + Mac Miller's influence on his peers and next gen artists + Finding out Mac passed: where he was and the emotions he worked through + Pharrell's impact on Mac's artistic direction and what he saw early in him + Going #1 for most albums sold with “Blue Slide Park” and garnering acclaim for doing it independently + Will the pandemic have a lasting positive impact on humanity? + What caused Benjy to open up about his mental health struggles, being diagnosed with OCD + The often ever-present façade of the “music business” not being conducive to opening up + How a lot of calls stopped getting returned after Benjy left LA Reid's office + Why we should not bottle up and keep our challenges to ourselves + Benjy's fledgling new career as an artist and plans to release his own music soon!

Benjy Grinberg is the founder of indie label powerhouse, Rostrum Records. He got his start in the music business working for LA Reid at Arista Records. He was instrumental in the breaking + establishing the careers of both Wiz Khalifa and Mac Miller. In 2017 Benjy wrote a 3 page article in Billboard opening up on his battle with OCD titled “We Have To Erase The Stigma of Mental Health Issues.” He is based in Los Angeles, married and a father of two. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Difference between superficial and REAL connection + Growing thicker skin and becoming more resilient in music biz over time + Benjy's very 1st job in the music industry + Reason people should take internships seriously + Benjy's early days at Arista with LA Reid + Leaving Arista and the scary / humble beginnings of Rostrum + Passion can numb fear when taking risks + Discovering and signing Wiz Khalifa + Wiz label + team having no clue “Black & Yellow” would be a #1 smash + Wiz getting dropped from their first major label deal + Learning hard way you can't solely rely on a label once signed + Almost leaving his music business path when things got rough + When lucky breaks we could never predict happening happen

Andy Steinway is a Los Angeles based music manager with Hallwood Media. He manages superstar writer/rapper Jozzy and British artist Raissa (signed to Mark Ronson's label with Columbia Records) among others. He nearly left the music business after much heartbreak and many years of false starts before fate would intervene and open up the right door. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Growing up in North Carolina and the lack of a “unique" music scene + His transition from wanting to be on the musician side to wanting to be on the business side of music + His intrigue with watching people evolve and grow + The legendary Steinway Piano empire being part of his bloodline + Navigating being bullied in high school and how those who are bullied often go onto great things + Life at Berklee College Of Music in Boston + When he realized he didn't have what it took to make it as a musician + Getting fired from his first exciting gig at ICM… after just 2 weeks + Almost leaving LA after grinding for years, to go back home to North Carolina and get a job laying cement + Life changing redirect moment, trying to sign Sara Bareilles, admittedly way above his paygrade at the time… + Getting hired by legendary UK manager / publisher duo, Tim and Danny (Stellar Songs)and that opening all the right doors for him + Discovering Jozzy and the path leading to the mega hit record “Old Town Road” + The wisdom he has gained throughout his journey

Jozzy is a Grammy Award winning recording artist and songwriter signed to Columbia Records. Jozzy has been long celebrated for her strong pen game; she is the woman who penned Billy Ray Cyrus's verse on Lil Nas X's chart obliterating, Grammy Award winning track Old Town Road, as well as tracks for Coldplay and Pharrell Williams. Stay tuned to my conversation with Jozzy's manager Andy Steinway, available tomorrow on all streaming platforms!

Mr Pink is a self-proclaimed “Covid-Investor” (i.e. those who picked up learning the stock market during quarantine) based in France. He quit his full time job during the pandemic in hopes of becoming financially independent through learning to invest in the stock market. He initially grew his portfolio value trading solid, fundamentally sound, companies but got swept up in the Gamestop frenzy and proceeded to lose -$35,000 of his account in a 24 hour period. He is now on a new life path as a result pursing YouTube content creation to help others learn from his mistakes and knowledge he has gained from trading. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Starting out as a normal investor focused on companies with good fundamentals, not meme stocks + Reddit / WallstreetBets community blasting stocks and turning them into sinking ships + How leveraged stock investing works + What intrigued him and got him into Gamestop + Experimenting with going “ALL IN” with his portfolio and it working in his favor every single time before Gamestop + Quitting his job to become a full time investor + Actually being up $3,000 dollars on his Gamestop investment initially for a minute, but greed setting in and not taking his profit + Fear and Greed, the two emotions that run the stock market and Greed being a stronger force + Needing to be with his friend when he lost almost $40,000 in one day on Gamestop because it was too much to handle alone + When life turns from our plans it can often be a good thing with new blessings

Angel Lopez is a Grammy winning music producer and songwriter who has worked with Sam Smith, Coldplay, Kanye West and many more. He has been groomed and mentored by his musical idol, legendary producer Timbaland. Angel nearly missed his calling. Before he found success in the music business, he came within inches of leaving his path in music to pursue what would have been an arduous career to becoming a gemologist. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Gaining Timbaland's trust, and working on his 1st record with Tim, Justin Timberlake & Wiz Khalifa + His wife and him growing up on Coldplay and getting to meet and work with Chris Martin + Getting a text in middle of the night from Chris Martin saying he urgently needed to come to the studio to work on a song that just came to him + Chris Martin explaining to him that creating songs together is like “going on a fishing trip” and you never know what size fish you are gonna catch and to be loose about it + Angel going to see Coldplay perform after working in session and getting shouted out by the band at the show and his wife's surreal moment standing next to Chris at the shows after party + Angel achieving his first #1 record with Saweetie, “Back to the Streets” + His manager texting him out of the blue saying Kanye is rolling up to the studio to listen to and discuss music for the YAHNDI project, and him and his team scrambling to prepare music + Angel explaining how influential Kanye was in his life and how listening to 808's and Heartbreak helped get him through some of his darkest days as a kid + Kanye meeting Team Timbo for the first time at Hit Factory and after hearing their music, very quickly asking if the studio had showers so they could lock out and finish his album right away + Getting phone call in the middle of the night when he was in Ohio from Kanye saying he wanted to start a church and wanted Angel's help + Not rushing God's blessings in your life and trusting the process even when things get rocky

Angel Lopez is a Grammy winning music producer and songwriter who has worked with Sam Smith, Coldplay, Kanye West and many more. He has been groomed and mentored by his musical idol, legendary producer Timbaland. Angel nearly missed his calling. Before he found success in the music business, he came within inches of leaving his path in music to pursue what would have been an arduous career to becoming a gemologist. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Moving around and not learning English until age 10 + First hearing Timbaland and having his mind blown + Being intimidated playing a huge concert super early in his career + Working with Josh Dun (21 Pilots) at Guitar Center in Ohio + Thinking we are ready for our break before we actually are + Giving his beat tape to Timbaland's manager and thinking this was his big break + Asking for his girlfriend's hand in marriage and his girl's mother not approving + Having NO money and his now wife, having to work double shifts at Applebee's to keep them going + Fortuitously crossing paths with Timbaland at Miami airport on his way to getting married in Cancun and this being a BIG sign for him to keep going + Almost leaving his music path to go to Gemology school in his family's footsteps + Getting the first out of the blue phone call from TImbaland and nearly passing out from excitement + God/The Universe putting people on our path at the right moment to keep us going when we are in the darkness

Matthew Baus (also known as Matthew Adesuyan) is co-founder of Bad Habit Records, home to breakout artist & 2021 Grammy Winner, Burna Boy, as well as several more exciting artists, both established and up and coming, including The Neighborhood, IDK, Umi, Yeek and more… Back in the day, Matthew was once biz partners with creative and multi-media artist extraordinaire, SusBoy (who's gone onto to do live concert visual graphics for some of music's biggest artists including Skrillex, ASAP Rocky and more) full circle moment, Matthew and SusBoy did my very 1st website for my music management company, 5AM Collective. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Being at The Brit Awards and having full circle moment of seeing Tyler The Creator and Burna Boy both there + A gun being left at the Neuro mansion leading to Matthew and his partner SusBoy losing their cushy gig + Doing creative production for Live Strong x Nike during the Olympics and Lance Armstrong scandal happening which lead to the shutting down of their project and their money getting put on hold + Developing the popular LA group Chill Black Guys and it culminating into a near deal with Polo Grounds (ASAP Rocky etc) but it going left at the last minute + How do you handle running into people today who did not believe in you back in the day? + Having to move back in with his parents and them making him go back to school + Attending LMU and not connecting with the kids there at all + Coming up with Billy Walsh (Post Malone, Rihanna etc) in early days in LA + Collaborating with Rhude founder early + Bad Habits early days and how he first came to discover Burna Boy + Matthew winning a Grammy with Burna Boy but feeling like he's just getting started + Following macro thinking vs. micro thinking

Matthew Baus (also known as Matthew Adesuyan) is co-founder of Bad Habit Records, home to breakout artist & 2021 Grammy Winner, Burna Boy, as well as several more exciting artists, both established and up and coming, including The Neighborhood, Umi, Yeek and more… Back in the day, Matthew was once biz partners with creative and multi-media artist extraordinaire, SusBoy (who's gone onto to do live concert visual graphics for some of music's biggest artists including Skrillex, ASAP Rocky and more) full circle moment, Matthew and SusBoy did my very 1st website for my music management company, 5AM Collective. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Mental health issues creating some of the biggest artists + We take a trip down memory lane and both of our come ups + Congratulating Matthew on the Grammy win with Burna Boy + Immigrating to America and learning English through music and popular culture + Neuro soft drink founder / gazillionare funding his 1st company with SusBoy, and paying for a $30,000 per month presidential suite at the Sunset Marquee + Directing The Neighborhood's “Sweater Weather” music video with SusBoy, which today has over 460 million views on YouTube + Getting to know Skrillex before the fame + Being a mentor to Earl Sweatshirt and getting to know Tyler The Creator in the early days of him hanging around Fairfax + Dropping out of college without his parents knowing to pursue his music path

Corey Smyth is a music industry veteran and visionary executive, whose entrepreneurial drive has always remained unmatched. Corey has guided the careers of world- renowned artists including: Dave Chappelle, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, De La Soul, Vince Staples, Lil' Jon, and more. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Corey has showcased his expertise in the areas of artist management and development, international touring, production, and forging game-changing global partnerships on behalf of his portfolio. Corey's talents have transcended artist management as his impact has been recognized throughout music, film, contemporary art, television and more. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Full circle moment getting to present during crown forum at Morehouse + Early bumps in the road setting out to begin his career + Working at a skate shop with his friends Lil Jon & Baby + How Corey has often felt like Forest Gump throughout his career + His views on the difference between doing business in NY vs. LA + Meeting Dave Chappelle and being introduced to the comedy world for the first time + Putting together the movie, Block Party, flying by the seat of their pants + Going through the difficult chapter of The Chappelle show ending + The ultimate gem for artist to make sure the person representing you has more revenue than just you so they can advise from an unselfish / unbiased place + The cold truth on how most of the industry does not care about artists

Ellie Laks founded The Gentle Barn after adopting a sick goat from a run-down petting zoo in 1999. Now, thousands of animals later (including cows, chickens, pigs, goats, horses and many more), The Gentle Barn has become an extraordinary nonprofit that brings together; volunteers and at-risk children & teens to rehabilitate abandoned and abused animals. The Gentle Barn aims to inspire people through stories and interactions with their animals, so future generations can see reverence for all life, protect our planet, live good healthy, happy lives, and be one step closer to having peace on earth. The Gentle Barn has a second location in Nashville, Tennessee, and a third in St Louis, Missouri. It's Ellie's mission to open a Gentle Barn in every state so that everyone in America can hug cows, cuddle turkeys, give pigs tummy rubs, and look into the eyes of these animals and know for certain that we are all the same, and deserving of the same rights, respects, and freedoms. To date, The Gentle Barn has saved thousands of animals lives and hosted over 500,000 people. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Her first memory of being drawn to the animal world + Getting bullied and enduring a rough upbringing, attempting suicide at age 7 + How hard things in our lives got us both into the fields we were meant to pursue + Getting through the passing of a dear animal ways she has learned to do this more gracefully + The behind the scenes story of “Dudley” the viral Gentle Barn cow who Ellie rescued and helped get a prosthetic limb + How Ellie first learned to communicate with animals + How going through our biggest challenges can gift us beyond measure + Being highly sensitive souls we need to be aware of finding healthier ways to cope + We share our near death experiences + Why Connection Is Magic + Cow hug therapy and mediation at Gentle Barn explained

Felicia La Tour is a celebrity make-up artist, entrepreneur, mother of 2 (aka a mom-preneur), and creator of the popular clothing line and IG page “MIndfulFee” where she regularly posts and updates her community with the day to day realness of her journey and process of growth, attaining wisdom. She pays forward positivity and gems she picks up along the way. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Main differences between the bay area and LA + Chasing spirit pulling you versus ego pulling you + Getting paid to simply be who God put you here to be + Giving more brings you more abundance + Money helps our soul fully express itself in the world + The importance of being honest about our bad days + Her mission with her platform MindfulFee + Growth can be scary even what its positive and how to navigate it + Making room for new things to enter our life and discarding the old

Tim Storey is an acclaimed author, speaker and life coach, well known for inspiring and motivating people of all walks of life, from entertainment executives, celebrities and athletes to adults and children in the most deprived neighborhoods in the country. He has coached Kanye West, Robert Downey Jr., Stevie Wonder among many others… Tim has travelled to over 75 countries and spoken to millions of people. He often meets privately to counsel high-profile leaders in various industries. Tim helps people create the future they desire. He has inspired people from all walks of life, from entertainment legends to professional athletes. From executives to deprived children in third world countries. Using seasoned foundational principles and humor to get honest with people so they can overcome the obstacles that are holding them back. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + What did you observe first hand working with Kanye West? + My affinity for Kanye encouraging us all to be our authentic selves + Tim's thoughts and observations working with Robert Downey Jr. + Tim's vote of confidence in me and why he's a fan + Tim's background growing up in poverty in Compton with 7 people in a single apartment + Me discovering Tim's book at my lowest rock bottom point in life living with my Uncle + Tim being with Kanye in the studio when he was writing “Everything I'm Not Made Me Everything I Am” + Society wants everyone to walk in one straight line or cadence together and those who step away from that get judged at first and later on become praised + Not getting offended by those who did not understand you on your way up + Protecting our dreams like they are a petri dish in a sterile lab + Check out Tim's new book “Miracle Mentality” available everywhere

Evan Berger is a viral TikTok Star with over 2.3 Million Followers as well as a Breathwork Teacher. He gained notoriety for his incredible Trump and Obama parody videos which you can find on TikTok @heyberg. His videos have been featured on BuzzFeed, HuffPost, and many other outlets. He also does product design for big tech companies, starting this journey working for Facebook. He currently lives in Los Angeles, California. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + How we both discovered Transcendental Meditation and how impactful it has been for us both + How he got into the practice of breathwork after a soul crushing break up + Some of the best people he knows have been through horrifically painful experiences + His many false starts with getting traction for his Trump & Obama impersonations + Getting a job in tech makes the world your oyster + Creating a daily excel spreadsheet checklist to stay grounded and constantly expand + Chasing fame & money is a never ending rabbit hole

Wax is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, musician, producer, and comedian. He became a YouTube sensation after uploading several videos of himself rapping and singing. Wax was signed to Def Jam Recordings by then president L.A. Reid, however, they would eventually part ways before releasing an album. Upon getting dropped, Wax released his hit song “Rosana” independently, which topped Billboard charts globally. The music video for “Rosana” has amassed over 45 million views to date. Wax recently relocated from Los Angeles to San Diego, California, where his twin brother Herbal-T also resides. Wax is also the 1st ever artist I managed during my music career and we take a trip down memory lane! EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + More money = more problems + During the time when he had most money he was never more suicidally depressed + Coming up with Anderson Paak (who played drums for him on tours) and getting to witness his ascent to super stardom first hand + How we can't all be Michael Jordan but society gives us messages we can + His perspective on giving up alcohol and the difference it's made + Our parting of the ways after getting the Def Jam deal + Blowing most of his record deal advance money on lawyers fighting me after our split + Wax's advice to new artists… don't ever have two managers! + How most up and coming artists end up firing managers they come up with + Being able to come super hard from the heart & the brain when writing songs + How the record labels are racing to be 2nd not 1st! Just copying what's already popular

Wax is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, musician, producer, and comedian. He became a YouTube sensation after uploading several videos of himself rapping and singing. Wax was signed to Def Jam Recordings by then president L.A. Reid, however, they would eventually part ways before releasing an album. Upon getting dropped, Wax released his hit song “Rosana” independently, which topped Billboard charts globally. The music video for “Rosana” has amassed over 45 million views to date. Wax recently relocated from Los Angeles to San Diego, California, where his twin brother Herbal-T also resides. Wax is also the 1st ever artist I managed during my music career and we take a trip down memory lane! EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + The genesis of his shows, chain reaction and snacks with wax + How he hates getting credit for making leap to LA + How his ex-girlfriend leaving him pushed him to get his act together + Seeing his neighbor, a road worker in a dead end spiral, and how it inspired him not to want to end up like that + Life at audio engineering school + Our meeting with the guy who signed Lady Gaga and how excited I was afterwards (not so much wax lol) + Shitty day job experiences + Lawyers finding sneaky ways to overcharge people + Record labels vision for you vs. your vision for you

Kyle Nicolaides led the Led Zeppelin influenced garage punk band Beware of Darkness, before releasing his own rousing indie rock as a solo artist beginning in 2018. He signed to Warner Music / Bright Antenna Records and his debut album was produced by Grammy Winning producer Dave Sardy (Killers, Rage Against the Machine) and he has toured around the world opening for huge acts such as Smashing Pumpkins and The 1975 etc. Recently, Kyle relocated back to his hometown of Santa Barbara, California and is working on a book about depression, hoping to shine a light for others along their own journey's through anxiety & depression. Episode Highlights // + Being a vessel for channeling songs + When coming from ego nothing works, when coming from spirit everything works + How the tortured artist making better music is actually bullshit + Intentions of doing something and that being essential regardless of how it looks on paper + Kyle writing a book on depression now + Kyle's personal favorite books and takeaways + Being told to kill himself by team members when he went to then to say he was depressed and nearly suicidal + The magic of chemistry on teams & how to put together the right team + Exploring our subconscious relationships with money + How I experience Kyle's energy today vs back in the day and how he experiences my energy today vs back in the day

Kyle Nicolaides led the Led Zeppelin influenced garage punk band Beware of Darkness, before releasing his own rousing indie rock as a solo artist beginning in 2018. He signed to Warner Music / Bright Antenna Records and his debut album was produced by Grammy Winning producer Dave Sardy (Killers, Rage Against the Machine) and he has toured around the world opening for huge acts such as Smashing Pumpkins and The 1975 etc. Recently, Kyle relocated back to his hometown of Santa Barbara, California and is working on a book about depression, hoping to shine a light for others along their own journey's through anxiety & depression. Episode Highlights // + A healing and clearing of the air from Kyle firing me soon after I secured a record deal and team + Ego and depression haunting Kyle when we met and me having no idea how dark it was for him when we met + People in his immediate circle telling him to kill himself when he opened up to them about his deep depression + A phenomenal Abraham Twerski quote / excerpt + Discussing the ending of his band and moving back home to Santa Barbara, California + Bottoming out after moving back home and having thoughts of suicide daily + The pandemic hitting and Kyle feeling like now the world knows what his daily life was like for so long in constant anxiety and depression + Discovering Yoga & Ayahuasca - both helping him turn the corner to healing + Kyle's amazing point about humans being treated like computers when really we are like flowers each blooming in our own time

Zalma Bour is an artist, singer, creator, Reiki practitioner and host of the online platform, "Safe Space" (titled after her last album)where she leads heart centered conversations with other open souls. She is originally from Cleveland, Ohio. In 2011, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue her career in music. Since then she has received both critical acclaim for her solo work and has written songs for several chart topping artists. + Leaving Ohio for LA and right when she arrived, getting a eerie phone call from her doctor about a new diagnosis + Not letting others change or rob you of what your soul is here to do + A legendary music producer, who produced Michael Jackson reaching out but them having different creative visions + The gifts that can come to you as a result of health challenges + The drug prednisone having awful effects on her and healing with Chinese medicine + Being a bow & arrow, pulling back to gain clarity to see where you are supposed to go next + Losing her father and relationship very close together and having a new song she created as medicine to get through + Check out her music, follow her page on IG: https://www.instagram.com/zalmabour

Tony Ferguson is from the U.K. and one of the very first hires at Interscope Records before the label even existed. He's also a consummate musician, music producer and all around good human. He was also my mentor when i worked in the music business. He signed and discovered Gwen Stefani / No Doubt and fought to keep them on the label when the label wanted to drop them(Gwen and No Doubt would go onto sell 50+ million copies worldwide). EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Interscope wanting to drop Gwen Stefani & No Doubt + Jimmy wanting to make Gwen a solo artist and ex the band + Discovering Alanis Morrissette and coming so close to signing her + Finding a back door through Trauma Records under Interscope to get No Doubt more love +The idea of nothing personal just biz being bullshit + Things got harder, and tony began to think he made a mistake signing the band + Chance meeting with Kevin Wetherly who runs KROQ LA + Gwen and the band becoming upset with Tony + Gwen's wedding at Jimmy's house and a funny moment w/Brad Pitt + How Tony managed to stay so grounded even after huge success + Tony's thoughts on the underhanded nature of the music biz + How Tony secretly holds the world record for longest A&R guy position in the biz + An INCREDIBLE story about a swarm of cops, a new rap group barging into Interscope's office and Suge Knight going crazy! + Jimmy's different style of doing business + Fame actually NOT changing Gwen or band after success + A heartfelt thank you to Tony for opening up so many opportunities for me + What Tony saw in me that made him want to be my mentor

Tony Ferguson is from the U.K. and one of the very first hires at Interscope Records before the label even existed. He's also a consummate musician, music producer and all around good human. He was also my mentor when i worked in the music business. He signed and discovered Gwen Stefani / No Doubt and fought to keep them on the label when the label wanted to drop them(Gwen and No Doubt would go onto sell 50+ million copies worldwide). EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + Growing up playing in bands in London + Touring with ZZ Top and going through the racist south as a Brit + Where he was when he heard the john Lennon had been killed + Touring post riot Detroit + Getting the unexpected / fateful phone call from Jimmy Iovine + Managing bands with Jimmy Iovine + Ted Fields wealthy financier comes in to back Interscope + The very first hit Interscope had.. a cheesy Latin hip hop song + Signing Gwen Stefani & No Doubt, Jimmy wanting to break up the band + How Tony was harshly judged by his peers for signing No Doubt + How Tony ended up discovering No Doubt and how ZERO Producers wanted to work with Gwen and the band at first

Samson Shulman is from Detroit and was accepted to law school in 2004 and chose instead to take a leap of faith, at age 23, moving to L.A. to pursue a career in the music business. Since then, he's worked for Interscope Records, Atlantic Records, The Tonight Show, and secured multiple major record deals for up and coming artists under the talent management company he founded, 5AM Collective. He is currently pursuing a Master's in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University in Los Angeles. Today's co-host, Yung $tanny, is originally from Cambridge, Massachusetts. He has worked for Island Records, BMG and Interscope Records and is also currently pursuing a Master's in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University in Los Angeles. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + How the music industry resembles casino gambling in Las Vegas + Gabor Mate's philosophy that we should not be asking ourselves why the addiction but rather asking, why the pain? + What happens when we are fully driven by our ego + Samson's history with Gambling addiction, his darkest days and how he grew and eventually benefitted from having gone through his addiction + How important motives are and what really subconsciously drives us + How a deep feeling of connection is found both in music and in the recovery rooms of 12 step programs and how all people should have access to some version of this

Sky Keller (aka Amber Jones) is an artist, singer, and a registered travel nurse. She has had several songs buzzing on music blogs, played live to packed out audiences, and auditioned for American Idol. She has also spent much time in 2020 working to help victims of COVID-19 in crowded hospitals. She grew up in Connecticut but through a chance encounter with Tai Bo legend, Billy Blanks ended up moving to Los Angeles and building a whole new life. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS // + A random invite from her mom to a fitness studio leading to meeting Tai Bo legend Billy Blanks and moving to L.A. + A Cancelled Uber driver, leading to a different driver, leading to meeting one of Maroon 5's managers, working with Samson and finding an amazing group of new friends + How she deals with the ups and downs of pursuing her music career + Auditioning for American Idol and not making the cut + How its ok for music to be a fulfilling hobby in the way bicyclists who spend money on the leisure of biking get enjoyment and fulfillment + The life changing experience of her playing an intimate show and the power of the emotions hitting her and the audience + How some of our BIGGEST blessings in life are unanswered prayers + A play by play description on how she gets herself out of her darkest places in life and things others can also do to help themselves + Her biggest blessing / takeaway from the year 2020