Light Culture

Maha Sattva is an artist inspired by social media, pop culture and hip hop. The likes of Kanye West, Drake and J. Cole have his portraits in their collection and his reputation is growing, even as he works outside the gallery system from his base in Wisconsin. An active presence on twitter and Instagram has brought him a growing fan base both intrigued by his creative work and the life-coaching that comes with it. We talk about the time he flew to a Kanye concert in the hope of meeting and delivering a painting he'd made to his favorite rapper. How painting people he admires inspires him.Turning losses into lessons. And how he was saved from selling his soul. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

“Goddamnit I am hooked on nicotine again thanks to this fucking Flum!” writes Michel Lhooq. “I can't even fucking deal!!! Just when I thought I'd left my crackhead vaping days behind, motherfuckers pulled me back in with this thing that literally looks like a whippit canister capped by a nipple-shaped teat.” Dubbed by some as “a female Hunter Thompson,” the drug guzzling gonzo writer of yore, Michelle is making a name for herself with her brazenly open cultural commentary and field notes from the fringes of underground nightlife and drugs. The author of “Weed: Everything You Want to Know But are too Stoned to Ask” and the Substack newsletter: “Rave New World,” Lhooq was an editor at VICE in New York covering electronic music and global nightlife before moving to Los Angeles to write about the counterculture and political autonomy. We talk about the shift from alcohol to psychedelics in nightlife culture and the rise of mushroom parties, the transformational power of weed, the false binary of medical and recreational, and pleasure as a tool for transformation. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As both a creative and a business owner, Estelle Bailey-Babenzien sits at the intersection of art and commerce. She's a partner in the clothing brand Noah with her husband Brendon, formerly of Supreme, and the owner of Dream Awake, an interior design studio whose clients have included Adrien Grenier. Born and raised in the UK, and of half Ghanaian descent, Estelle moved to New York in 1999 with a fashion degree from London's prestigious arts and design college Central St. Martins. Responsible for the interior architecture and spatial experiences of the brand's retail spaces in New York, LA, London and Tokyo, she puts sustainability and social conscience at the top of her brand ethos. Today, her company Dream Awake Inc. is a full service Interior Architecture and Experiential Design studio that embodies her philosophy of life and enables her to bring her unique perspective and sensibility to the table. We talk about New York in the early aughts, being inspired by travel, Supreme's incredible success, the travails of the music business – especially for women – and how she'd approach designing a cannabis lounge. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Buff Monster is a street artist who first made a name for himself by pasting thousands of silk screened posters across Los Angeles. Over the 20 years or so that he has been an artist, his colorful Buff Monster character has inspired paintings, stickers, toys, murals, NFTs and private commissions. Born in Hawaii to a family of artists, he went to college in LA to study business, but decided that New York City was the place to be. He is an active presence on social media where he talks directly to his legion of fans eager to hear more about his latest Internet drop, zine or collection of vintage-style trading cards created in homage to the Garbage Pail Kids called The Melty Misfits. We talk about art as business, Kaws, Andy Warhol, his love of heavy metal, collecting art, insider v. outsider, and how to make it in the art world. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's one of those happy moments for the photographer Mark “The Cobrasnake” Hunter. His new book, “The Cobrasnake: Y2Ks Archive,” features a kaleidoscopic selection of photos that helped define the party scenes of Los Angeles and New York at the beginning of the 21st century. As if that wasn't enough, he's also earning kudos (and photo assignments) as a visionary of what fashion magazines are calling “a mid-aughts Indie Sleaze” revival. His relentless pursuit of the next party and the next photo brought him to the edgier fringes of the fashion, music, and art worlds, where he documented LA's burgeoning underground nightlife scene that attracted up-and-coming stars like Kanye, Katy Perry, Jeremy Scott, Beth Ditto, Steve Aoki, Smanatha Ronson, Virgil Abloh and his personal muse Cory Kennedy. Before there was Instagram, there was The Cobrasnake snapping away and capturing the last generation of partiers to predate social media. We talk about his hope for the Indie Sleaze revival; growing up in LA; American Apparel; the return of Interpol, Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs and The Strokes; Paper and Nylon magazines. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Saul Williams is a legend who refuses to rest on his laurels. A pioneer of the Hip hop meets spoken word movement of the 90s, he created a lane that drove poetry from the musty halls of academe into the modern era. As a recording artist, he has worked with Rick Rubin, Trent Reznor, Nas, The Fugees, Erykah Badu, KRS-One, Zack De La Rocha, De La Soul, as well as poets Allen Ginsberg and Sonia Sanchez. Perhaps his most ambitious project to date is Neptune Frost, a sci-fi Afro-Futurist musical movie written, composed and co-directed by Williams. We talk about his love of Broadway, the writing of a modern musical, African e-waste camps where our tech goes to die, hip hop's continued relevance as mixed media, making connections between the ancient and the future and much more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Travis Mills and Nick Gross are Girlfriends. No, not like that. Like the pop punk band Girlfriends that's dropping new singles as we speak with a full-length album out this summer. Once known by the stage name T.Mills, Travis rose to fame as a rapper collaborating with the likes of T.I., Dom Kennedy, and Ty Dolla $ign. He is also an actor and the host of the “Travis Mills Show” on Apple 1 Radio. Nick has produced songs for Ariana Grande and Wiz Khalifa while also playing drums for the band Goldfinger. He's a serial entrepreneur and CEO of Big Noise Music Group. We talk about the resurgence of pop-punk, outlaw culture, the punk-hip hop connection, genre-free music, mental health and giving back. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Valentina Ferrer is half of a power couple with the father of her child, the Reggaeton super star J. Balvin. The Miss Universe contestant and entrepreneur grew up in modest circumstances on a mountaintop in Argentina in a large “hippie” family. Her lifestyle today as a supermodel and co-founder of Kapowder, a “superfood for superhumans,” is very different. We talk about being a businesswoman, raising a son in the age of social media, growing up a tomboy, her baby daddy J. Balvin and her love for Ed Sheeran, Beyonce and New York. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Daily Paper is an unlikely name for a fashion brand founded as a blog by three childhood friends from Ghana, Morocco and Somalia who met while living in Amsterdam. But there you have it. My guest today is Jefferson Osei, who along with his childhood friends Abderrahmane Trabsini and Hussein Suleiman, first started a blog – hence the name Daily Paper – that focused on their shared love for music, art, fashion, and culture. All that changed when they released a small collection of t-shirts that went viral. Today Daily Paper is a growing luxury fashion brand Inspired by African heritage –as well music, art, fashion and culture – translated toward a more western narrative. With retail stores in Amsterdam, New York and London – and fans like F1 driver Lewis Hamilton – it's full steam ahead for this forward thinking brand. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As a teenager, Sevana was in a girl group competing on Jamaica's version of American Idol. She came in third, positioned to take her career to the next level. But that wasn't the path taken by my guest Sevana, at least not at first. For Sevana, the journey from reluctant pop star to a recording artist fully embracing her black female identity is a story of professional and personal maturity. With the result that we are gifted by the presence of an artist who has found her voice. And with breakout hits like “Mango” and “If You Only Knew,” she is ready, willing and able to share it with her growing global fan base. We talk about the changing face of reggae, “Euphoria” Jamaican-style, her love of Marvin Gaye, Gunna and dance hall, starting her own label and raising positive vibrations with her music. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ted Lidie is the man behind the premier west coast cannabis brand Alien Labs. A Cannabis Culture OG, he was born into a family business of growers in Northern California and learned the ropes working his way up from local dealer to dispensary door man to dispensary manager to his exalted position today as an industry elder who was able make the business legitimate in the 21st century. We talk about his preference for black market weed, the end of cannabis culture, the definition of “good weed,” and why New York City is primed to be the biggest cannabis market. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Whitney Beatty wasn't particularly interested in the cannabis plant until a personal, transformative experience turned her around. For Whitney, it was a doctor's suggestion that got her to pivot from entertainment industry executive to founder of Josephine and Billie's – as in Baker and Holiday – the nation's first black women-owned cannabis speakeasy. We talk about her transition from being a Detroit kid who said No to Drugs to an LA “Tea Pad” power player with backing from Jay-Z's social equity fund. It wasn't easy and she's still putting in long hours, a rare black woman executive with a mission to help women connect with cannabis, whether by massage, talks, edibles or a good old fashioned smoke down. Her story is unique but universal, someone to watch as the cannabis world continues to unfold and expand. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

One fateful day Kyle Nelson rolled up to a Sweet 16 party wearing a Versace suit that prompted a friend to call him KSace. It stuck and he's been building his name one improbable success story after another. You might say he's been lucky. At the right place at the right time, naturally swag, fluidly moving from skate punk to Teen Vogue model to TV to rapping to becoming the face of YouTube music to his position with the fashion label When Smoke Clears. Yeah, he's been lucky. But there's more to it than pure luck. People say that when luck strikes you've got to be ready to seize the moment. You might say Kyle Nelson aka KSace was born ready. We talk about his love of fashion, the hard work behind “being lucky” and why 50 Cents is his favorite rapper of all time. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When bling meets hip hop meets cannabis the business synergy can be explosive. At least that's what Alex Todd of Saucy Farms and Extracts is counting on. Better known as a “celebrity jeweler” to clients like Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kevin Hart, he's feeling his way into a business which is very much of a moving target as rules and regs wind their way from local to state to national approval. We talk about his pivot to cannabis and its future in New York; east coast v. west; being an indie; and why it's so hard to make money in this rapidly growing industry. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Once upon a time the British synth-pop group Tears for Fears sold over 30 million records with anthems like “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” and “Shout,” peaking in the late 80s before the duo of Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal decided it was time to break up the band. Reuniting in 2000, they're back with a new album that's energizing their passionate fan base as well as those who discovered them through samples and covers by The Weeknd, Kanye, Lorde and Nas. We talk with Curt Smith about New York back in the day, on not being a fashionable band, writing from the heart, the cult TV Show “Psych,” staying true to your roots, cannabis and California, getting sampled and dealing with Kanye. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

If you have a picture in mind of what a typical stoner looks like, Brett Heyman is here to prove you wrong. Married with children, she is the founder of the irreverent handbag company, Edie Parker, and its cannabis and smoking accessories brand Flower by Edie Parker. A red carpet regular who has her home featured in Architectural Digest, she's a veteran of the fashion world who has worked for Gucci and Dolce and Gabbana. While the rest of the fashion world sits on the sidelines of cannabis, Brett has made it her crusade, from both a personal as well as a social advocacy point of view. Dubbed the Coco Chanel of luxury cannabis by Forbes, she continues to literally make a statement by incorporating words like “Weed” and “Dope” into the design of her irreverent bags worn by the likes of Kacey Musgraves and other cannabis lovers attracted to her brand ethos: “For a good time, call Edie Parker.” We talk about New York as the epicenter of cannabis culture, the likes of Gucci and Chanel getting on the cannabis bandwagon, children and weed, and lighting up at the CFDA Awards. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Olympic snowboarder, musician, artmaker, streetwear designer, filmmaker, NFT creator, Trevor Andrew is perhaps best known today as the man behind the fashion brand Gucci Ghost. What started as a playful hack using bootleg Gucci fabric caught the eye of the fashion brand's creative director Alessandro Michele who brought him on board for an official collaboration. Andrew's amazing journey from world-class snowboarder to prolific creator includes recuperating from a terrible snowboarding accident with his then-girlfriend, now wife, the singer Santigold. She encouraged him to make music. The rest, as they say, is history. We talk about skateboarding and creativity, Gucci's Michele and Dapper Dan, his love affair with NFTs and the ongoing influence of his mentor Jake Burton. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

If I were to make a modern day version of the Kevin Costner-Whitney Houston movie “The Bodyguard,” it would be based on the life of Kenny Hamilton. His experience handling security for a 14-year old Justin Bieber, would give writers plenty of material to work with. In his current incarnation as managing partner at thet CSH group, Kenny focuses on artist development and music management. We talk about fan mania, what he learned from Bieber, how Jerry McGuire changed his life, cannabis and his stint with the Navy, Atlanta as a rap music breeding ground, the art of keeping safe at big festivals and the secret of his friendship with then-on-the-rise mega mogul Scooter Braun. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

JR is the famous photographer who shoots larger than life portraits and pastes them on buildings and walls for the local residents to see and be seen. JR's disruptive hands-on collaborations and interventions get the treatment they deserve in his new documentary, “Paper and Paste” which takes us on a journey through some of JR's most impactful activations -- a Paris ghetto, a supermax US prison, the Mexican-American border and a favela in Rio. We talk about what inspires him, how he deals with dangerous situations, his own immigrant background, creating art around the Pyramids of Egypt and JR's belief in the power of art to manifest change, both in the private as well as public space. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With cannabis legalization for New York a done deal, there's an ancillary economy growing around the fringes of the industry that's rarely tabulated and has little to do with the growing, buying or selling of the plant and its CBD offshoots. Millions more go into the economy thanks to all the creative businesses and financial spinoffs cannabis generates -- consulting, publishing, the arts, legal, fashion, finance, design, influencer, media and home entertainment among others. That's where LA cannabis fixture Tammy Pettigrew comes into the picture. Better known as The Cannabis Cutie, she's armed with an MBA and the blessings of Snoop Dogg. We talk about her mentor Snoop, cannabis and sex, the importance of authenticity in the cannabis world and why celebrity brands don't really cut it in the quality department. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

While Hollywood pursues it's blockbuster driven agenda, filmmaker Jim Jarmusch continues to do it his way, most recently the zombie-com “The Dead Don't Die.” Whether casting accomplished actors Tilda Swinton, Bill Murray, Johnny Depp and Adam Driver or musicians Iggy Pop, Neil Young, Joe Strummer, Tom Waits and RZA, his off-beat movies never fail to enchant and surprise. A Cannes Film Festival regular, Jarmusch's low-budget 80s trilogy “Stranger Than Paradise,” “Down By Law” and “Mystery Train” established him as a new voice of American cinema and he's never looked back, spinning off a growing body of idiosyncratic music and, most recently, art. We talk about his obsession with collage, Adam Driver, Neil Young, avant rock, Spike Lee and why Bill Murray gave him the keys to his car. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With LA the epi-center of cannabis and hip hop, it's not surprising to find the two worlds cohabiting in the music and mindset of Problem. Immersed in LA rap royalty that includes Wiz Khalifa, Snoop and Kendrick LaMar, the one-time party bad-boy from Compton “changed the narrative” and it shows in his dress, demeanor and desire to transcend labels, set tables, and still stay true to his community and ongoing relationship with cannabis. When he's not dropping mixtapes like “Coffee and Kush'' and inhaling its eponymous cannabis brand, he's building a superteam to create nothing less than a “new future.” We talk Nipsey, Kendrick, Compton and his favorite set-in-New York TV show “Billions,” its new season centered around the emerging world of finance and cannabis. We caught up with him at Chace Infinite's Harum Coffee Shop in Leifert Park See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Along with cannabis, psychedelics like Ayahuasca, ‘Shrooms, MDMA, LSD, Ketamine and other mind altering substances are resurgent, finding their place as part of the plant-based health and wellness movement. Spurred on by medical studies and the support of the psychiatric community in search of answers to PTSD, depression and a growing list of mental problems, the movement to legalize these previously outlawed psychedelics is rapidly advancing what many have suspected all along: that far from being the killer portrayed in the war on drugs, what we today call plant based medicine, is actually good for you. As a journalist and cofounder of Double Blind Magazine, Madison Margolin is a leading figure in the 21st century movement to benefit from these plants and their off-shoots. We talk about psychedelics, spirituality and religion, Ayahuasca's potential for world peace, microdosing and the legacy of 60s LSD evangelist Timothy Leary. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Can you imagine how it must feel to be serving a 13 year prison sentence for possession of two joints in the midst of a gold rush in the growing, selling, and marketing of weed. Well, Bernard Noble can. He was that guy, but now he's in the cannabiz thanks to the efforts of, among others, filmmaker and hip hop legend Fab 5 Fred Brathwaite. How Bernard got released and went into business with Brathwaite on BNoble prerolls is both a cautionary tale and an inspiring rare example of justice served better late than never. Both blessed with gifts of gab, their story is recounted here in vivid detail that will make you both jump for joy and gasp in alarm. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

One art world Insider called him “the most charismatic artist since Jean Michel-Basquiat.” Like the great Basquiat, Dash Snow was a graffiti writer who showed in galleries, was dismissed as a lightweight clown, became an international art star and died a drug-related death in his 20's. There's more, much more to the story of Dash Snow, an heir to a fortune who immersed himself in New York's art world demimonde of the early 2000's. Now, Cheryl Dunn's long-in-the-making documentary begun with Snow's cooperation, “Moments Like This Never Last,” is out and destined to add to the legend of this self-destructive bad-boy artist. I talk to the director about what drew her to Snow, his impact on the art world, how the legend grew and its impact on the world. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Frenchy Cannoli's legendary life came to an end on July 18th. Recognized world-wide as an evangelist for Hashish, he was also a throwback to another era when adventurers trekked the Himalayas in search of ancient wisdom. Having him on my podcast was one of my career highlights. We honor his life as we rerun this classic Light Culture podcast from January, 2020. RIP Frenchy Cannoli. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ricky Powell was a living legend who died earlier this year. A photographer who documented popular culture including hip hop, graffiti and pop art, he toured with the Beastie Boys and took some of the most iconic photos of that era. He was also very funny as you will hear in this rerun of one of my all time classic Light Culture podcast episodes from 2019. RIP Ricky Powell. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jeremy Elkin's documentary “All the Streets Are Silent” tells the story of New York in the 90s, a decade in downtown history when hip hop met skate and set off a combustion of energy that catapaulted a youth culture to stardom and mainstream appeal. We talk about Elkin prepping at Vanity Fair; finding vintage vids of Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes and Method Man; Eli Gesner's legendary Zoo York “Mixtape”; the influence of Larry Clark's “Kids” on the scene, and much more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

From his unlikely casting in Larry Clark's movie “Kids” at 16 to his cult status as an actor and consummate art world outsider, Leo Fitzpatrick's don't-give-a-shit ethos has worked, landing him a role in the Wire and a co-director gig at the blue-chip Marlborough Gallery. Though he recently shut his St. Mark's Pl. gallery, his commitment to youth-driven culture continues unabated. We talk about New York's mean streets and the tragic loss of his friend, artist Dash Snow, his reverence for Larry Clark, the “Beautiful Losers” generation, and being the father of a five-year-old boy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What would make an editor/writer with a Conde Nast and Huffington Post pedigree chuck it all to start a cannbis-centric lifestyle magazine? As the co-founder of Gossamer, von Pfetten has channeled her love for travel, design, art, culture et al into a print venture that looks to update the stoner aesthetic for the 21st Century. We talk with the Vancouver born von Pfetten about her pride for BC Bud, her love-hate relationship with “wellness,” women in weed and why she thinks we make fun of Gweneth Paltrow and Goop. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jason DeLand has been selected to both Adweek's list of “20 Most Influential People Under 40” as well as High Times “Top 100 Most Influential People in Cannabis.” As the founder of the ad agency Anomaly and the popular Dosist e-pen, he's a defacto futurist who looks into his crystal ball to talk about the coming world of cannabis in New York, building brands in today's changing world, CBD, sleep and his personal journey and the scientific learning that came with it. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On the popular serialized music podcast Dissect, Cole Cuchna geeks out on iconic hip-hop albums, focusing on one song per episode. This time it's a deep dive into Kanye West's 2013 album Yeezus, looking at the life, times and music of this iconoclastic shape-shifter. We talk about Kanye in terms of Dylan, Stravinsky, Wagner, Nipsey Hussle and Kendrick Lamar. We also learn the fascinating backstory that birthed the Dissect podcast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In her popular YouTube and Instagram videos, Eunice Chang’s found a lane that allows her to be serious and lighthearted about her greatest passion -- skateboarding. Her infectious personality shines through with her version of the skatepark community’s fun-filled antics. We talk about her love of the Jackass movies, defying Asian-American stereotypes, social media’s impact on the sport’s fanbase, and why she wants to move to New York City. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Shaun Ross has a great story to tell. Born black, gay and albino, he defied the odds and became a super model. Featured in Vogue, GQ and Paper, he walked the runway for Givenchy and Alexander McQueen and appeared in videos with Beyonce, Lana Del Ray and Katy Perry. Today he’s focused on a music career and his recently released album Shift show he’s got what it takes. We talk about the inequities of the fashion world, making a difference with music, fitting in, his love of voguing and his dream audience for a life performance. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Over a long career, he's been an L.A. rapper, worked with A$AP Rocky and currently manages the Buffalo-based rap collective Griselda, which includes Westside Gunn and Benny the Butcher. We talk with the founder of Agency 78 and L.A.'s Harun Coffee about making emotional connections, Kendrick, Drake and J. Cole as conscious rappers, hustling weed and what he learned running a streetwear brand/hangout on New York’s Lower East Side. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When the author of the best-selling The Marathon Don’t Stop: The Life and Times of Nipsey Hussle began work on his biography little did he know that LA’s iconic rapper, entrepreneur and social activist would be shot and killed on his beloved streets of Crenshaw. We talk about what made Nipsey special, how he worked to transcend and build on his street life and whether we’ll ever know the truth behind the murder of this man who made a difference. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Called the world’s first bionic pop artists, Viktoria Modesta lives at the intersection of science,tchnology and the arts, She’s also performed at the Paralympics and been a fellow at the MITMedia Lab. I speak to the one-time fetish nightlife queen about her years at London’s TortureGarden, post-disability sensitivity, Artificial Intelligence, selling a video as an NFT and herfriendship with Nadya of Pussy Riot fame. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The soundtrack of Adrian Younge’s mind includes Ennio Morricone, blaxploitation movies, Jay Z, Kendrick and Wu Tang recorded in his studio on analog where he plays all the instruments. Also a filmmaker, it all comes together in The American Negro, the multi-media project he describes as James Baldwin hooked up with Marvin Gaye produced by David Axelrod. We discuss the aforementioned, the sorry state of pop and why he thinks the past is a blast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jay-Z, Dr. Dre, The Fugees, Pharrell all wanted a piece of Philly’s Most Wanted, but then the dream fell apart, forcing Al Baseer Holly to go back to the beginning, finding comfort and success in his first love, painting. We talk about the early days, what went wrong, how he’d do it different and why painting Rita Ora’s Birkin Bag changed everything. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Lila Iké rocks to her own melody, a fusion of contemporary reggae with elements of soul, hip hop, and dance hall. We talk about her producer/mentor Protoje, the enduring legacy of Lauryn Hill and how she and fellow women recording artists like Koffee, Sevana and Jaz Elise are changing the game. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Josh Madden has an outsized role at MDDN, a management and production company founded by his brothers, Benji and Joel Madden. Living at the intersection of art, music, and fashion, he launched Nylon Men's Magazine and is a creative director of streetwear brands X-girl and X-Large. We take the cultural temperature and talk about growing up in Maryland, when he knew his twin brothers were superstars, why print magazines matter and the eternal appeal of Michael Stipe. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's extremely rare for a 21 year-old of any race or gender to shoot the cover of a fashion magazine such as British Vogue, especially when it’s Beyonce on the other side of the lens. Carter still doesn’t quite know how she came to be one of our era’s most sought-after photographers, but we kick some theories around. We talk about her love of the south, black cowboys, personal v commercial work and, of course, The Queen Beyonce. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jason Calacanis likes to play high stakes Poker and bet on tech startups like Uber when it was little more than a penny stock. Perhaps best known for Launch, a meetup and schmoozefest for aspiring entrepreneurs, he also hosts the podcast This Week In Startups, is a regular on Squawk Box, an intimate of tech moguls, an adversary of Mark Zuckerberg, and an all-around gadfly. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Of Malaysian royal birth and a celebrated fashion entrepreneur back home, Tengku Jamidah decided to ditch it all and move to America where she has emerged as a cannabis activist advocating for its use in wellness and spiritual growth. We talk about her youth in a country where possession of cannabis can lead to a death sentence, its long history in Asian religion and medicine and how she went from a non-smoker to where she is today. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Marketing maven Shawn Gold has launched Pilgrim Soul, a company engineered to optimize human performance around cannabis and creative thinking. We talk about a workbook he published and the special cannabis blend he created to facilitate the process, the financial challenges of being ahead of the curve, psychedelics in the tech world, getting high with the Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir, what he thinks of Snoop Dogg’s weed and why you shouldn't email your boss when you’re stoned. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Caribbean born, Bronx raised, Ambrose is responsible for some of hip hop's most iconic images: Jay-Z, Missy Elliott and Nas have all benefited from her creativity. Newly appointed creative director of Puma, she has a slew of “projects'' in the works and her first collection coming this fall. We speculate about the future of athleisure post Corona, laugh at her brief stint in finance, and ponder the meaning of Jay-Z’s suit v. Mark Zuckerberg’s hoodie. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Music comes first for this visionary entrepreneur. Even if it means taking risks with artists like Joey Badass, Nipsey Hussle and Yungeen Ace. Graduating from the school of hard knocks, Shipes has parlayed his street cred into a growing empire of media plays, including his new cannabis venture The Smoker's Club. We talk about the role of luck, instinct and basketball in the making of a modern day mogul. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Designers, artists, rappers, models and stylists galore traipsed in and out of Colette, the legendary Parisian concept store founded by Sara Andelman. Whether to see the latest exhibit at the gallery or explore the boutique café, Water Bar, or just people watch and make the scene, there was something for you, from watches and phones to sneakers and couture fashion. We talk about Paris then and now, Karl Lagerfeld’s shopping habits, a recent Kenyan safari, why she closed Colette and her new consultancy, Just An Idea. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Just a kid, he was already celebrated for his subway artistry and for being the city’s most wanted vandal. Recognized as a grand master of the spray can, Lee talks about surviving on the Lower East Side, riding the graffiti wave to pop culture history as the star of the iconic movie Wild Style and emerging as an artist with work in major museums and private collections. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Denisse Ariana Perez is an artist for our times. Her photographs feature a beautiful range of portraits and still lifes that have themes of earth, water, love, family, and relationships. Both personal and universal, Peréz’s work defies and defines our existential moment. Join us for a glimpse into her process and inspirations. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

69 is a phenomena well worth understanding. Gandhi, the director of the new documentary, “69: The Saga of Danny Fernandez,” tells us what he’s learned about the rise and fall of the controversial Bushwick rapper who rode social media and criminal behavior to fame and fortune, only to lose his friends, family and wind up in prison. The film’s director talks about Bushwick, pop, politics and the attention economy; the dangers and seduction of fame; and how his years at Vice News prepared him for his career. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.