Rebel Radio

KC Lights is a house DJ from Scotland whose star is rising quickly. This summer's hit "Better Times" accelerated that process, and when you see him live, you'll understand why. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Crystal Waters is the queen of house music! She was making dance floor killers when most of you were still in short pants, and more importantly her songs still move like they did back then. We talk about her extraordinary journey as an artist and entrepreneur and the new ventures she's gotten herself into. She's wise but not jaded and I'm sure you're gonna enjoy listening. Go get it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brand partnerships in music has become more and more important in recent years. It's been a big part of my business — putting partnerships together for brands like Scion, Mazda, 7UP, and for artists like Linkin Park — and today's episode is with two people at the top of the game. Joe Belliotti and Rebecca Jolly (are the authors of How Music Grows Brands — a field guide to building successful partnerships. The book is incredibly insightful into what it takes to make these relationships work, how and why they often go wrong, and contains a number of practical tools for measurement, analysis, selling, planning, etc. You should definitely get a copy if you're in this business: https://www.amazon.com/How-Music-Grows-Brands-Field/dp/1544537824 We dig into their unique journeys in music, events, and corporate brands. Joe was formerly former head of music at Coca-Cola, and Rebecca publisher of Mixmag, Kerrang, and The Face, and head of partnerships at SFX. They both consult major brands on everything related to music. Time for class... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's show is less of an interview and more of a wine-fueled roundtable where we talk about music, friendship, business, and how they all fit together. My co-host is Dennis White aka Latroit. He was my guest on the very first episode of Rebel Radio and has made a few appearances over the years. We're interviewing his friend and fellow Berklee alum Ramin Sakurai of Supreme Beings of Leisure. You may remember them as one of the top trip-hop acts of the late 90s/early 2000s. Their hit "Never The Same" was one of the core tracks that bridged hip hop, dance music, jazz, funk, dub, and more into cool vibes. They've been gone from the scene for a while, but came back this year with their first new release in 14 years. Let's get into it. Some links below to check out after you listen https://www.sbleisure.com Check their new album, 22 on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/62oupFZQ9VPJqNBBAEUPuC?si=UEtp1LVvS06o7J2iba0lug Or Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/22/1663402457 Check the latest from Latroit here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4keJDDQx0ac2jhmknbSLFK?si=ctvaWCHQTn2hyY5RjbqamA Or here: https://www.instagram.com/latroit/ And the new Latroit remix of SBL's "Desert": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHv-Eqos20I Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you spend time in Venice, or follow West Coast graffiti, I'm sure you're familiar with the Art of Chase. His eye imagery has become iconic around these parts and he brings a bright playfulness to walls far beyond the beach. Our sometimes co-host Eddie Donaldson from Guerilla One helps us unpack Chase's story, which is way more interesting than you might guess. We touch on the history of graffiti, skateboarding, and hip hop. And how to bring salesmanship into an artistic career. And what it means to be an immigrant in this culture. And prostitution and lawsuits. And Bansky. This episode has it all! Go get it, then check out some art below... Chase: https://www.instagram.com/theartofchase/ Guerilla One: https://www.instagram.com/guerillaone/ Happy No Fear podcast: https://happynofear.transistor.fm OG Slick: https://www.instagram.com/og_slick/ Flying Fortress: https://www.instagram.com/flyingfortress5410/" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back with Part 2 with Evan "Kidd" Bogart. Make sure you listen to part 1 to hear about Evan's incredbile journey through the music industry. He's also executive producer, music supervisor, and composer for the new motion picture "Spinning Gold" which tells the story of his father, Neil Bogart, who discovered Kiss, Donna Summer, George Clinton, and built the most successful disco label in America, Casablanca Records. We dig into some hidden gems about the movie — like why he used all original recordings of his father's music, instead of the versions we all know and love, and what it was like working with his brothers and his mother on this project. Make sure you check https://www.spinninggold.movie to find out how to see it. Don't miss some amazing performances from Jason Derulo, Wiz Khalifa, and many others. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Part 1 of 2 Evan "Kidd" Bogart seems like he would have had an easy ride to the top. He was born into music industry success — the son of Casablanca Records founder Neil Bogart and Kiss manager Joyce Bogart Trabulus. And today has a Grammy (for Beyonce's "Halo") and a long list of hit songs (see below), and now a movie — Spinning Gold — which he made with his brothers, about his father. In between is where it gets interesting. He tried to break through as a rapper in the 90s. When that didn't work, he started in the music business and became known as the guy who discovered Eminem and didn't get credit for it (you'll hear a bit of that story in our episode). Evan started again, only to have it fall apart and have to move home at 26, and start again. You'll have to listen to our interview to find out how it all turned around for him, and the lessons he learned from the ups and downs. But it should be obvious that never giving up is core for Evan, and that his love and passion for music has driven him through life's challenges. Make sure you come back next week for part 2 where we talk about the incredible movie Spinning Gold, on which Evan is executive producer, music supervisor, and composer. Check it out at https://www.spinninggold.movie Meanwhile, here's just a partial list of the artists Evan has contributed to: Eminem Maroon 5 One Republic Rhianna Styles of Beyond Planet Asia Jason Derulo Sean Kingston Enrique Iglesias Jennifer Lopez Lizzo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Few artists have experienced the extreme highs and lows of Moby's career, from the global dominance of his 1999 album Play and headlining festivals, to the despair of feeling it all slip away. We talk about all of it: fame and fortune, addiction and misplaced expectations, and the perspective you can gain through surviving what might feel unsurvivable. We also talk about Moby's new label, Always Centered at Night, and what it means to forget the algorithms and take an analog approach in this digital world. Oh, and you should definitely check out the label at https://www.alwayscenteredatnight.com And dig deeper into Moby's incredible story with Moby Doc: https://www.amazon.com/Moby-Doc/dp/B095S4X5D1/ Let's go... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny G set a goal to release 10,000 pieces of content in 2022 across all of his channels. That's 28 a day for all our math nerds. That forced him to think differently about his process and to focus on creating momentum with the algorithms, and his career. Scary at first but we dig into how he organized his life and business around this type of growth. Make sure you check out his music and more at https://dannygofficial.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"The future is a mystery," Seun tells us, now back home in Lagos, Nigeria, after his latest world tour. He's been leading his father's band, Egypt 80, since he was 14, stepping up to the mic after Fela's untimely death. Twenty-five years later, he says he never "took over" the band, but instead "we just kept playing... it's always been a collective mission for me." Our interview gets into some real issues of globalization, class struggle, and corrupt narratives that fill public discourse across media and entertainment. Seun's outlook is bleak: "it seems like humanity is hell bent on destroying itself," and yet somehow hopeful at the same time, fueled by his love for his family. Let's get to it... Also make sure you check out his latest project, African Dreams, with Black Thought: https://awal.ffm.to/africandreams Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I reach across the pond to talk to JODA, essentially a supergroup (superduo?) of Jono Grant — 1/3 of Above & Beyond — and Darren Tate — film composer, and producer under the name DT8 among others. They're also both label heads, Jono of Anjunabeats and Darren of Mondo Records. JODA is their side project born out of the pandemic. Maybe a bit of restlessness from not being able to tour, and maybe tapping into the collective energy that led so many of us to feel like it's time to try something different. The record blends modern electronic production with 80s synthwave sounds, courtesy of the guys' extensive and growing collection of analog synthesizers. We talk a lot about collaboration. How they were able to give each other space to experiment and also keep the project moving forward. And about how the tools of the trade (analog synths in this case) influence the output of the final product. Dig in and then check out the JODA album here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5KS3RbR9m98HkNQzJy7dZJ?si=9kKti9hKT8aCmpeqdZdfkA And the JODA Selects playlist for a sampling of some of the music that influenced the record: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7vqcCIUpiVOOz5GBcQjtNl?si=a219e12d638140a6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Eddie Donaldson and I talk to Michael Kirst, an artist on the rise. He gives us some great insight into why his career is progressing so quickly, after years of paying dues, developing a tireless work ethic, and humble, helpful attitude. He also blends a graffiti background with a fine art sensibility. This is a dude to watch. Check out Michael's art at https://www.michaelkirst.com And follow Eddie's hustle at https://www.instagram.com/guerillaone/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ADE — Amsterdam Dance Event — kicks off this week. Now in its 26th year (with a break for Covid), it's the largest gathering of the global dance music community We sit with the festival / conference co-directors Jan-Willem van de Ven & Meindert Kennis to learn how to build a brand that endures and evolves with culture. We also dig into some of the particulars of how they've built a successful partnership. It's too late for you this year, but head over to https://www.amsterdam-dance-event.nl/en/ and meet us there next year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Francis Mercier is building an Afro House empire by integrating inspiration from classic house, tech house, and the European dance music giants. All he needs is the time to run his multiple labels at the same time as his flourishing DJ career. Listen in to how he navigates it all. Dig into his music at https://solo.to/francismercier Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Comedian / actress / podcaster Helen Hong schools us on why you have to talk about the elephant in the room and get it out of the way first. We also talk about... - Smoking cigarettes at Depeche Mode - Margaret Cho - Connie Chung - Yamenika Saunders - Joan Rivers - What's unique about comedy among the performing arts After you're done, here, make sure you check out Helen's new comedy special, Well Hong: https://www.helenhong.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Terry and his crew at Secret Walls are building a global graffiti brand, with live in-person battles happening all over the world and a growing presence online and soon to be in the metaverse. Behind all the business moves is a love and respect for the culture. Support Your Local Artist is their motto and the driver for everything they do. We dig into Terry's journey as well as his vision for Secret Walls. Dig in. Check out https://secretwalls.world for tour dates and other info, including the opportunity to download a free NFT. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sitting down with multi-faceted artist ToBy (aka Reggie B) to talk about new projects and how he handles rapping, singing, acting, comedy, and more. He's signed to Magnetic Moon, the label owned by Thievery Corporation's Rob Garza, which should tell you something about his level of creativity and willingness to color outside the lines. We loved ToBy's laidback approach. He's sort of taking cues from the rapper-actors before him (Childish Gambino, Will Smith), but there's also a lot of flow to his flow. Check it out and then find ToBy's music here: https://linktr.ee/tobyseason Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Beth Bowen is an exciting new artist. Just a couple years into her career, her work has already been shown in the Louvre, Cannes Film Festival, and a growing list of galleries and collectors' homes. She's also a mom of four and a former reality TV actress. What stands out about Beth is her lack of fear, or maybe her unwillingness to let fear hold her back. "I have nothing to lose" seems to be her mantra, and it's working. Enjoy our interview and then hit up http://bethbowenart.com or https://www.instagram.com/guerillaone/ to buy a piece of Beth's art while you can still afford it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we chop it up with hip-hop and skate photographer T. Eric Monroe about his book series — Rare & Unseen Moments of 90s HipHop — and about his career which has put him face-to-face with some of our culture's biggest stars and underground heroes. Love his stories and the way he just flows in life. Check it out for yourself. Make sure you follow T. Eric and buy some shit from him: http://instagram.com/tdoteric https://tdoteric.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

And another one in partnership with Guerilla One, co-hosted by Eddie Donaldson. Bagel is a Venice legend — documenting skate, surf, and street culture from the inside as a local carrying around his camera since the 80s. We had our conversation on the patio at The Rose Venice, one of the best food spots in the new Venice, and talked about music, art, business, and how this tiny little town of three square miles that isn't even a city has had such a massive impact on global culture. It's a special place and Bagel has been doing his part to document the people and places that make it so amazing. Follow Guerilla One here: https://www.instagram.com/guerillaone/ Follow Bagel here: https://www.instagram.com/jbk_photos/ And check his amazing shots of Venice and beyond here: https://www.jbk.photos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back with my co-host Eddie Donaldson of Guerilla One, I sat down with Guerin Swing, talented artist / interior designer and longtime fixture in LA's nightlife and celebrity culture. Man, this dude has some stories! House of Pain, Pam and Tommy, graffiti battles — we cover a lot of ground. What I found most interesting is the way Guerin connects all of these different worlds, brings beauty and spirituality into the grimier parts of culture. Dig in. Check out Guerin's art here: https://guerinswing.com and https://www.instagram.com/guerinswing/ Follow Guerilla One here: https://www.instagram.com/guerillaone/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daddy Kev is the homie from way back. He's also one of the leaders of the LA beat scene and part of the reason we're bumping cats like Flying Lotus and Thundercat. He's the founder of Alpha Pup Distribution and the new club night Scenario, which replaced the longtime favorite Low End Theory. Kev schools us on how he's trying to make the industry safe for artists and at the same time build a dynasty that he can pass on to his kids. He also puts us up on some fresh new music. Peep game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Pandemic changed everything. It meant the end of some companies, the beginning of others, and for still others — a pivot, or multiple pivots. Perhaps no industry was reshaped more than live entertainment. In many ways, we still haven't reached the other side, as performers, promoters, technologists, and fans continue to reevaluate how they're going to behave, with a mix of in-person and virtual experiences. Chris Korbey's Stage Pilot is one of the many companies who had to / got to rethink what business they're in. The asked themselves, "what would a VIP experience look like with no venue? So we started going to artists and saying, like, what can you not do on stage? Like, what is the thing you've always wanted to do?" Let's dig-in to Chris's journey and how he's building a team that's prepared to take on whatever the future brings us. And check out Stage Pilot's upcoming experiences here: https://stagepilot.live Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eric Hilton is one half of Thievery Corporation, the DC-based duo who made a big impact on the way the genre incorporates electic elements from other genres and parts of the world. They might be considered pioneers of the album format in electronic music, and were among the few artists who could make you dance, chill, and think all on the same record. Eric is now releasing solo projects, including the beautiful new project, Ceremony, in addition to his longstanding second career designing hospitality venues, plus other creative ventures. We get into all of that along with some tips on how he's maintained a successful partnership for more than 25 years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Artist Republik is out to democratize music distribution and marketing, part of the wave of companies supporting the idea of a "middle class" artist through a combination of technology tools and a mindset of transparency and empowerment. Founder and CEO Nick Cianfaglione gives us a bit of insight into his vision, as well as the tireless work ethic and optimism it takes to fight it out in the digital music business. He's still in his early 20s, so the tireless part should be easy, but he also brings the experience of an entrepreneur who has already founded multiple companies — from clothing to concert promotion and music marketing. Check it out to hear what he learned from those early efforts and how he keep his team motivated and engaged. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arrested Youth will outwork you. He writes music every day and says he approaches music the way he approached training when he played soccer growing up. We dig into the relationship between work ethic and creativity and talk about what it was like collaborating with his fans on last year's Arrested Youth & The Quarantiners, as well as being embraced by pop-punk legends Mark Hoppus of Blink 182 and John Feldmann of Goldfinger on his new project, Nonfiction. Check it out now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christie Zee is a force. She's a direct link to the underground and the origins of hip hop. Producing the world's most important turntable battles as CEO of DMC USA. Creating park jams that celebrate the essence of the culture. And more. And more. Dig the stories she shares. A masterclass in vision, passion, and will. Might just make you dust off your turntables, or at least watch a DJ get down on-screen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rob Swift is a turntable legend. He's been a DMC champion, a member of the X-Men (later X-Ecutioners) DJ crew, a solo artist and producer, with a new project out now called Halls of Karma featuring The Real DMT, available everywhere you stream your music. Rob has taught the art of DJing for many years and has recently opened his own school: The Brolic Army DJ School (https://brolicarmydjschool.com). He's also a philosopher, reading self-development books and constantly challenging himself, his collaborators, and his students, to stretch beyond their comfort zones and find new depths. Our interview gets into why anyone should work so hard at DJing when you can just let the machines do it all for you, and why it's so important for DJs to know the history of their craft. Join us as we explore Rob's extraordinary career. https://brolicarmydjschool.com http://www.djrobswift.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mia Martina is a real-life overnight success story. Her first time in a recording studio was to record vocals for "Stereo Love" for Edward Maya. The song was an instant hit and now has over 50 million YouTube views and has been streamed hundreds of millions of times all over the world. It was the opposite of grinding your way to success. But for Mia, that was only the beginning. She quickly had to figure out the rest of her career, and made some mistakes along the way that are completely understandable. "Read your contracts," was one of the big lessons she learned the hard way. We talk about Mia's journey, which has led her to co-author "Boss Up Your Life" with Ky-Lee Hanson to help women turn their talents into money making machines. Pick up a copy at https://bossuptips.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Find out why Audiomack was named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies. Founder Dave Macli gives us some insight into how he goes about competing with the world's largest companies. "If you came up with a list of companies you don't want to compete against, it would be like Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon. And that's pretty much what we're going up against every day." Hint: It's all about finding a niche. As we say, play the game you can win. We also get into some great lessons about hiring and building a team. Come on now... Some favorite tracks found on Audiomack https://audiomack.com/peruzzivibes/song/matrimony https://audiomack.com/superboycheque/song/history https://audiomack.com/richassani/song/thunder-fire-you https://audiomack.com/dave/song/titanium https://audiomack.com/zo3hree5ive/song/the-ride Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tritonal's Chad Cisneros gives us some insight into how he and his partner have stayed at the top of the electronic music game for over a decade. First, it's about productivity: "You produce when you're sad and you produce and you're mad. You produce when you're lonely and you produce when you're inspired and you produce and you're uninspired and you produce every day because that's what you need to do." It's also about purpose. Their new album, Resonance, is an hour-long meditation record. They stepped away from dance-floor bangers and trance epics to dig share a bit of the personal transformation they've been going through. Chad explains the value in taking a break from the success formula they've been following: It allowed us to slow down, go back home to roots. And now it's so fun again to really approach songwriting because we really have become better songwriters and we work with amazing songwriters. The difference now is now we have a really focused message." Check out Tritonal's Resonance here: https://tritonal.ffm.to/reverence Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marcus Welch co-founded Quadio as a streaming music platform for college students, and quickly found that his audience wanted much more than that. He's currently re-launching as a community around music and musicians, helping them network, learn, collaborate, and build their careers. He also created Quadio Records and Quadio Music Distribution as further outlets for helping young artists. We get into some of the details of Marcus's journey as a DJ, working at tech companies, to becoming an entrepreneur and the lessons he's taken from each of those into his business. This episode features music from: R.A.P. Ferreira (https://www.instagram.com/hipcatscience/) Nicolas Jaar (http://nicolasjaar.net) Check out the Quadio Records roster here: (https://www.quadiorecords.com) and learn about Quadio Music Distribution (https://www.quadio.com/distro) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

LaRoyce Hawkins is our guest this week. For eight seasons, he's been in your house as Officer Kevin Atwater on NBC's Chicago PD. Turns out he's also a talented rapper, comedian, poet, and has a strong sense of his "assignment" in life and business. I loved his story about how he chose acting as a career path, and how he relies on mentors like his grandfather and Eriq La Salle to help him stay focused and out of his comfort zone. Some good stories and big lessons in this one. Chicago P.D. airs Wednesday nights at 10/9 central on NBC. The full series is also available on Peacock. @nbconechicago https://www.nbc.com/chicago-pd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Part 2 of 2. If you missed it, go back to last week's episode where we dig into the journeys of hip hop journalists-DJs-political activists-college professors Jeff Chang and Davey D Cook, authors of Can't Stop Won't Stop: A Hip-Hop History. In part 2, we dive deeper into the political and social context that has driven the worldwide explosion of hip hop culture and how it continues to impact politics. Click now for great hip hop stories. Make sure you pick up a copy at https://cantstopwontstop.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Part 1 of 2. There's so much good stuff in this interview we had to split it into two parts. Jeff Chang and Davey D have written the definitive hip hop history. They should know. They're both hip hop journalists, and DJs, and political activists, and college professors. Dave has been tearing the Bay Area airwaves and the internets since like forever. As we discuss, his charts and playlists played a big role in spreading the knowledge of underground hip hop around the world. Jeff was a founder of the SoleSides Crew responsible for bringing us artists like DJ Shadow and Lyrics Born and helped Josh get his first job out of college. So there's that. Our interview tracks the development of their careers along parallel paths before converging on the re-imagining of Jeff's book — originally published in 2005 — for young adults. They may have cleaned up some of the language, and also added some pivotal stories from hip hop's evolution from then until the present day. In particular, the new version expands on women's role in hip hop as well as how the culture has spread to literally every corner on earth. We also uncover some things they learned through the writing process, and how they leaned on each other to produce a product that's truly inspiring. Make sure you pick up a copy at https://cantstopwontstop.com Check out some other links mentioned in the show and learn about the authors here: https://www.instagram.com/rockyrivera/ http://jeffchang.net http://daveyd.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe Conzo was there — with his camera — at the very beginnings of hip hop. He was homies with The Cold Crush Brothers and became the documentarian for the group, and the scene, at a time when they were setting the pace. In our interview, we dig into the twists and turns life has thrown at Joe. They are many and severe. Might have crushed a lesser man. But Joe comes out wiser and appreciative of the lessons and opportunities this culture has shown him. You're gonna like this one. MAKE SURE you also pick-up a copy of Joe's book, Born In The Bronx while it's still available: https://www.1xrun.com/run/joe-conzo-jr-cold-crush-photoshoot-signed-book-combo/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

J Boogie has been an important part of the Bay Area underground music scene for over 25 years. His DJ sets, remixes, and his artist project J Boogie's Dubtronic Science bring together hip hop, jazz, funk, soul, reggae, Latin, Afrobeats, house... and ya don't stop. Our interview touches on both the upside and downside of exploring such diverse interests. We also talk about what it means to a creative career to also work outside of his artistry. In addition to his production, DJing, club nights, and radio shows, he was previously Head of Hip-Hop and R&B Programming at Pandora and is currently music curator at fitness-tech startup www.hydrow.com. Their rowers look dope. Hit us up if you buy one and let us know how you like it. After the interview, you can learn more about J Boogie http://jboogie.com Also check out https://www.om-records.com for the 25th Anniversary compilation featuring Body Language "Start It Up" (J Boogie's Dubtronic Science Remix): https://ingroov.es/start-it-up-k Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Panos Panay and Michael Hendrix are the authors of Two Beats Ahead: What Musical Minds Teach Us About Innovation. Through conversations with artists including Pharrell, Hank Shocklee, Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, and more, they explore lessons in leadership and decision making that we can all use. They should know: Panos is SVP of strategy and innovation at Berklee College of Music and Michael is global design director at IDEO. He also teaches at Berklee and makes music in his spare time (imagine having spare time). They're also founders of the Open Music Initiative which is set to change the way creators are compensated by bringing concepts from open-source software to the problem. These guys are busy and have an eye toward how creativity and technology can make things better for us all. Some of the lessons are obvious but things we never stop learning: take inspiration from everywhere, never give up. But we also talk about how to keep up with the changes. Some things get easier while others get harder. Even writing the book together gave them the opportunity to practice some of the concepts. Dig into this one and then go get yourself a copy at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1541730585?tag=hacboogrosit-20 or wherever you get your books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zuli Jr. is dropping his second album — Stop It God — next month. So it gave us a great opportunity to dig into the details of how to build a career as an independent artist. In a time when there are seemingly infinite tools and channels for building your business, deciding where to focus your energies is more important than ever. We explore what that looks like in an up-and-coming artist career. Check him out at https://www.zuli-jr.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eddie and I chop it up about what it's like raising kids and how their attachment to music is different from ours, how perceptions of gay artists have changed, and what Virgil Abloh stole from him. It's a fun, short talk. Check it out and then go buy a print from his show at www.sugarpressart.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we're bringing you a snippet of another great podcast: The Artist And The Athlete. In each episode, Lindsay Czarniak brings together a musician and an athlete who share a real connection — whether that's an existing relationship or just mutual respect. Like Ray Lewis and Kirk Franklin. Or Alanis Morisette and Danica Patrick. The conversations get very intimate — nothing is off the table. Listen in every Tuesday wherever you get your podcasts, or click here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-artist-and-the-athlete-with-lindsay-czarniak/id1551251928 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason is an inventor and innovator. His latest creation is the Vision headphone, from his company Muzik, which puts a camera into a pair of headphones. He's full of good ideas, holding over 130 patents. But he also seems to be good at raising money. Muzik has over $80 mil of cash from investors including Drake, Kevin Hart, Cardi B, Michael Jordan, and François Pinault of luxury powerhouse Kering. Jason seemed like the right person to ask about selling a vision, and he shares some important lessons about how he got the support of all those famous people. We also talk about going from designing everything himself to (slowly) letting go and building a team. Listen now if you want to get super smart. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David started as a club and rave promoter in DC, where he learned "how to spend a dollar to make $10" and how to create experience for his guests. He then took those talents to Silicon Valley where he became a VC, investing in tech companies including Airbnb. He's now the founder of EI.Ventures which is launching a line of "farmaceutical" products — using naturally grown psychedelics to treat mental health concerns. We explore the similarities and differences betweent he rave scene and the tech scene as well as how you can build a successful career on wisdom and empathy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we talk to Alphonso Rawls — former pro skater and a leader in skate shoe design. While he was riding for brands like Airwalk, Etnies, Droors, Duff's, among others, he began designing shoes for many of those companies, and others, before becoming head of footwear design for DC. There he designed the Court model, which has been DC's biggest-selling shoe to this day. More recently, Alf launched his own lines: Everybody Skates: A skate / streetwear brand that borrows heavily from pop culture (https://everybodyskates.com) Savale: A luxury sneaker brand making limited-edition skate shoes that you can actually skate in if you have money like that (https://www.savalefootwear.com) We get a little deep on the details of sneaker design. Geek out on that if you're interested, and there are a couple of BIG lessons for everyone building a brand or a career: 1. Make sure you know why people are buying your product. It can be the best in the world but if it doesn't meet the emotional and functional needs of your customer, it isn't going to work. 2. Hear how Alf is involving his audience in the creative process. That kind of transparency and engagement is exactly what consumers are coming to expect from their brands. Go buy some fits and kicks while you listen to this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Monalisa is one of those "it's the journey, not the destination" kind of people. She's played a big role in the LA club scene and music scene for many years — as a DJ at Motown on Mondays, Dublab, and so many of our city's great clubs; as the used record buyer at Amoeba and an important link to vinyl for many DJs, producers, collectors; as a promoter / marketer, connector of dots. But to hear her tell it, her accomplishments have been the result of being willing to try new things, to take advice and encouragement from the people around her, and to just throw herself into something without having it all planned out. Check out the stories of the big-name DJs who stepped up and helped or gave her a push when she was starting out. And the great story about the mini-movement she started on Facebook a few years back. Think about the people who have helped you, or could help you, AND the people you can help. That's your homework for today. Make sure you follow Monalisa on Mixcloud at https://www.mixcloud.com/Monalisa7872/ And on Dublab at https://www.dublab.com/djs/monalisa And coming soon to Twitch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Catching up with the homie Eddie Donaldson — sometime co-host of Rebel Radio and founder of street art consultancy Guerilla One. Eddie works with artists and brands to bring graffiti to the masses. He's curating the Love Los Angeles Style online art show, featuring prints from Tristan Eaton, Estevan Oriol, RISK, Taz, Saber, Dave Navarro aka Life After Death, CES, and many others. Coming soon: Find out more at www.sugarpressart.com and you can follow Eddie at https://www.instagram.com/guerillaone/ We talk about what's happening with graffiti and street art during the pandemic and how some artists are using the time to step up their game. This episode also features a replay of my favorite story from our 2018 interview with Estevan Oriol. If you haven't heard that episode, you're going to want to hear this story. It's about not giving up and seizing the opportunity of a lifetime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cameron is founder of Intertia Artist Management which handles the careers of some artists on the bubble (meaning you prolly never heard of them but your kids might have, or they will) including 10k.Caash, 7ru7h, and Spaceman Zack and producer of the Family Business Festival, a partnership with Young Thug. We talk about the pivots he's made in his career so far — from metal to EDM and now hip hop, from promotion to management — and what he sees for the future. He also shares what it's like being an independent promoter in a business dominate by a couple giants, and how he turns that size difference into a competitive advantage: "We're boutique of two dudes, and we're just really good at our jobs and we push and go the extra mile to make sure every show sells out. And we're looking for artists that we can push to the next level of artistry and to build a brand that consumers trust." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mario is co-founder of No Free Coffee, a new coffee brand dipped in urban culture sensibilities ("fire merch"), and launching with Clubhouse chats, an Apple Music playlist, hella content. Very different from the hipster Seattle vibes we're used to with our coffee. Makes sense tho: he's also a creative producer at Instagram and an accomplished preditor (not our word) with credits from the Fader, Complex, Atlantic Records, and Tyler Perry. If Mario's going to make something, he's going to make it look good. Our interview gets into what it's like to kick-off a side hustle without knowing the ins and outs of the business and bringing his strengths to a new venture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nimesh Patel is getting us through quarantine. With two comedy specials — Jokes for Quarantine and PATEL2020 — plus an album — Head Nimesh In Charge — plus snippets popping up reguarly on YouTube and TikTok, he's giving us a steady stream of laughs to keep us going. Check out our interview where he gives us an hour of insight into how he went from messing around with music to working in private equity to writing for Chris Rock and Hassan Minaj and Awkwafina to being the first Indian writer on SNL to doing his own thing. Learn why the failures along the way are maybe as important as the successes (our words, not his), and what he's learned about making money on YouTube. You can find him at instagram.com/findingnimesh + everywhere else. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We catch Mark de Clive-Lowe at home, but only because it's 2020. Otherwise, he pretty much lives on the road, jumping all over the world to play and make music that spans jazz, hip hop, house. Although the first album in his collection was Madonna's "Like A Virgin," Mark has built his career on sounds that are a lot more esoteric and a lot less mainstream. He's generous enough to share some of the secrets that have made him an underground king, and he may surprise you a little with his openness to sounds that are outside of his realm. Learn how Mark switches up his approach for different rooms (or different countries), and what he thinks has made jazz such an important part of our musical heritage for over a century (hint: starts with an I). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Soren Baker is a good listener. We get him talking about what he's learned in thousands of interviews for outlets including The Source, Hip Hop DX, the LA Times, in addition to his own Unique Access Entertainment channel. Not to mention the books he's written with and about Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z, Tech N9ne, The Game, and his latest — The Gucci Mane Guide to Greatness. As you'd expect, Soren learned a lot — A LOT — about hip hop and the people who make it. But he's also learned a bit about himself, especially how to go after what he really wants in life, without changing up his style. "I'm very soft spoken 95% of the time... But rap is the thing that I love the most, so I want to be the best. I want to be embraced and wanted to be recognized as being good at my job." Make sure and get you a copy of The Gucci Mane Guide to Greatness: https://www.amazon.com/Gucci-Mane-Guide-Greatness/dp/1982146788/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices