Podcasts about pharrell

In honor of the upcoming Met Gala, Vogue unveiled four special covers for its May 2025 issue, each featuring one of this year's co-chairs: A$AP Rocky, Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, and Pharrell Williams. On this Thursday's episode of The Run-Through, the writers behind the stories—Vogue's digital style director, Leah Faye Cooper; features editor Marley Marius; and our very own Chioma Nnadi—joined Chloe to share how each one came to be. From playing Crazy Eights with A$AP Rocky at Soho House to previewing new music in Pharrell's multi-use studio and everything that was left on the cutting room floor, get the inside scoop right here! Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Send us a textThere's only so many harmonically pleasing combinations… the goal is to make something tried and true feel new.If you would like to SUPPORT the podcast, JOIN our Patreon page.https://www.patreon.com/RiffsnRhythmsPodcastLISTEN on Apple Podcast, Leave us a RATING and Reviewhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/drums-and-rums/id1503281559?uo=4In this episode, Kevin and Paul are joined by returning guest Apostoli Floyd, who shares the story behind his unique name and the international roots of his musical identity. Apostoli discusses the influences behind his eclectic sound—from blues to rock, hip-hop to R&B—and how collaboration is at the core of his next creative chapter. He also gives insights into recording his album Dusk Till Dawn at the legendary Criteria Studios in Miami.The crew reviews David Kimes Jr.'s track "Live It Up,"  in their signature "Riffs & Rhythms" breakdown. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PykWQr-qGSkSpirited banter, stories from bike week, and plenty of laughs make this episode as lively as ever.

In today's show former pro surfer turned writer Jason Borte shares stories from writing Kelly Slater's autobiography, offers insights into Pharrell's new wave pool, recalls riding the dot com boom and bust in surf, gives tips to artfully time an exit, and reveals why Virginia is for lovers. Enjoy! Link to Jason's Kickstater HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Britney said 'I need time and space', we fully respected her wishes... which is why we have split this monumental "Britney" album era into two episodes. So, say 'hello' to Part 2. We are picking things up at in 2002 with the other singles from this era after deep-diving into 'I'm A Slave 4 U' and our album highlights in the last episode. Here, Joel and David compare the videos for 'Overprotected' and the 'Overprotected (Darkchild Remix)', and get into the visual storytelling and references behind the music. The "Crossroads" action is in full swing here with the gorgeous ballad 'I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman' (Dido fans, rise up!). And your RBAY boys also prepare to get 'nasty' to the dead rockeh 'I Love Rock & Roll' and 'Boys' singles - including the spicy single remix featuring Pharrell. Follow Right Back At Ya! https://www.instagram.com/rightbackpod/ https://twitter.com/rightbackpod https://www.facebook.com/rightbackpod Follow Joel https://www.instagram.com/dr_joelb/ https://twitter.com/DR_JoelB Follow David https://www.instagram.com/lovelimmy/ https://twitter.com/lovelimmy Email us rightbackpod@gmail.com

This week on aBlogtoWatch Weekly, the guys get into the big vocab quickly, with Ripley identifying the routine clap-in as "vestigial." Yeah, like an appendix! But Rick likes it, and traditions die hard, so we don't anticipate the clap-in going anywhere. Rick, David and Ripley are waiting to see whether or not Ariel, fresh back from Thailand, will join. Formula 1 is still top of mind, mere days ahead of Watches & Wonders Geneva.... until Ariel arrives and turns our attention to Pharrell Williams' LEGO movie, which he watched on the plane and features a watch throughline. Somehow, this gets Ariel onto a jag about how "the value of watches has absolutely nothing to do with horological appreciation." And this seems like a reasonable observation and a good reminder. Next up: Is David a part of Team Star Trek or Team Steve Jobs? There's a great deal of pondering about Ariel's recent column regarding the rabbit hole of "sustainability" in the watch industry. He also argues that "efficiency is the enemy of luxury," perhaps a more controversial statement. Take a read, take a listen, and jump into the comments on the article, which are robust. But first, a round of Hit, Miss, Maybe!

“I Am Music,” the third studio album by American rapper Playboi Carti, dropped on March 14, 2025, through AWGE and Interscope Records, marking his first full-length release in over four years since the groundbreaking “Whole Lotta Red” in 2020. This 30-track opus, originally teased under the title “Narcissist” before evolving into “Music” and finally “I Am Music,” arrives after a torturous gestation period that tested the patience of Carti's fervent fanbase. Spanning 77 minutes, the album is a sprawling testament to his enigmatic persona, blending trap, punk, and experimental rap into a chaotic yet captivating sonic tapestry. Featuring an all-star lineup of collaborators—Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, Future, Lil Uzi Vert, Skepta, Jhené Aiko, Ty Dolla Sign, and Young Thug—“I Am Music” showcases Carti's ability to command a cultural moment, even amidst a rollout plagued by delays, leaks, and unfulfilled promises.The album's production, helmed primarily by Ojivolta, Cardo, and F1lthy, with contributions from heavyweights like Kanye West, Metro Boomin, and Mike Dean, oscillates between glitchy synths, booming trap drums, and atmospheric flourishes. Tracks like “Evil J0rdan” and “HBA” (formerly “H00dByAir”), released as standalone singles in 2024, anchor the project with their hypnotic beats and Carti's signature vocal contortions—ranging from guttural growls to high-pitched shrieks. The inclusion of DJ Swamp Izzo's bombastic interludes ties the album to Atlanta's mixtape heritage, lending a gritty, street-level authenticity to its futuristic sound. Standouts like “Mojo Jojo,” with Kendrick Lamar's playful ad-libs, and “Rather Lie,” elevated by The Weeknd's silky croon, highlight the album's versatility, while “Like Weezy” nods to Lil Wayne—whose phrase “I Am Music” Carti borrows—with a Rich Kidz sample that bridges past and present.“I Am Music” is as much a vibe as it is a statement, reflecting Carti's evolution from SoundCloud darling to a generational pacesetter. Its rollout began in earnest with cryptic Instagram posts in December 2023, including the tagline “I am music” and Pharrell's co-sign, “Prepare.” What followed was a barrage of YouTube and Instagram exclusives—“2024,” “Backr00ms,” “All Red”—that fueled anticipation while frustrating fans with their streaming absence. Recorded in eclectic locales, including a Paris cave studio for three months, as Carti revealed in a 2023 Numéro Berlin interview, the album channels themes of love, sex, drugs, and personal turmoil, with hints of bipolar struggles and rehab musings teased in his 2022 XXL interview. Yet, lyrically, it leans more into braggadocio and hedonism than introspection, a choice that critics argue limits its depth.Reception has been polarized but largely positive, with Pitchfork calling it a “dizzying, vibes-driven flood,” and The Guardian praising Carti's “mystical vocal range.” Its 30-track length—bloated to some, a feast to others—mirrors the excess of his persona, though tracks like “OPM Babi” and “Twin Trim” (a Uzi solo cut) feel like filler. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, moving 298,000 units, cementing Carti's commercial clout. Still, its messy release—delayed from midnight to dawn on March 14 amid sample clearance woes—mirrors its unpolished edges, with some accusing Carti of coasting on aura over substance. Regardless, “I Am Music” reaffirms his dominance in the rage-rap lineage he pioneered, a chaotic masterpiece that thrives on its contradictions.

Is this thing on? Pop fans, we have been Anticipating this deep dive into one of Britney Spears' most seminal albums: “Britney”. Arriving in 2001, ahead of her 20th birthday, our teen-pop sensation was growing up and is making sure the world is hearing what she has to say.  Join Joel and David as they dive into this iconic body of work over a two-part episode. This was a massive era for our Brit. Following two record-breaking albums, a massive first world tour and signing a multi-million dollar deal with Pepsi, she's also making her film debut with “Crossroads”. Here in Part 1, we focus on the industry-shaking lead single ‘I'm A Slave 4 U' - which saw Britney unapologetically owning her sexuality and flaunting a new sound. We get into the music video, legendary 2001 MTV VMAs performance, her new image and styling and so much more. True to our chronological style, we dive into our favourite album highlights before we get to the other singles in the next episode.  Britney's DNA is all over this album, with her co-writing several tracks and collaborating with Pharrell and N.E.R.D., Max Martin, Darkchild, Justin Timberlake and Nile Rodgers. From ‘Anticipating' to ‘Before The Goodbye', ‘Lonely', ‘Cinderella' and more… we are truly feasting on this episode! Follow Right Back At Ya! https://www.instagram.com/rightbackpod/ https://twitter.com/rightbackpod https://www.facebook.com/rightbackpod Follow Joel https://www.instagram.com/dr_joelb/ https://twitter.com/DR_JoelB Follow David https://www.instagram.com/lovelimmy/ https://twitter.com/lovelimmy Email us rightbackpod@gmail.com

I can't quite believe we're here - Season 14! And what a way to kick things off because today's guest is nothing short of musical royalty. Nile Rodgers is a man whose music has shaped generations. A Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, he's the genius behind some of the biggest songs in history, think Le Freak, Good Times, and We Are Family. As the co-founder of CHIC, he pioneered the sound of disco and funk, but his influence didn't stop there. From producing Let's Dance for David Bowie to Like a Virgin for Madonna, working with legends like Diana Ross, Duran Duran, and Daft Punk, Nile's fingerprints are all over some of the most iconic records of all time. And that's before we even get to Get Lucky, the global smash hit with Daft Punk and Pharrell that introduced his magic to a whole new generation.Beyond his music, Nile's life is an incredible story of resilience, of reinvention, and creativity. His journey from the streets of New York to the biggest stages in the world is filled with extraordinary moments which he shares with us today. And since we recorded, Nile has had even more reason to celebrate, because at the Grammys, Beyoncé officially made history by winning Country Album of the Year - Nile worked with Beyoncé on the record which we discuss on the episode today, and he's long been an advocate for breaking boundaries in music, so I can only imagine how much joy that moment brought him. We spoke in December at the stunning Royal Lancaster Hotel in London, in a beautiful suite overlooking the rooftops of the city. If you're new to the podcast, this interview is not how my voice typically sounds, I was ill and could barely speak unfortunately, but that didn't get in the way of what I look back on as a magical conversation. Destination Recap:New York city, New York, USASao Paolo, Brazil Power Station Recording Studio, New York, USA Los Angeles, California, USA JapanProvidenciales, Turks and Caicos Iceland Montana, USAKazakhstanNile and CHIC will be touring across the UK and Europe this summer, bringing the good times (literally!) to a stage near you.With thanks to Airbnb for their support of today's episode. Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week's episode come and follow me on Instagram I'm @hollyrubenstein, and you'll also find me on TikTok - I'd love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there's the first 13 seasons to catch up on, that's over 145 episodes to keep you busy there. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Other on the Record Report, we're breaking down N.E.R.D.'s iconic 2004 album Fly or Die, a genre-bending masterpiece that shook up the music scene. If you're a fan of groundbreaking hip-hop, electrifying rock vibes, and smooth R&B grooves, you know this album is the ultimate fusion of it all. Pharrell, Chad Hugo, and Shay Haley pushed the boundaries of music, blending hip-hop, rock, funk, and electronic beats into a sound that was ahead of its time.From the infectious hooks to the raw, experimental production, we break down how Fly or Die became an anthem for creativity, rebellion, and self-reflection.Is Fly or Die truly the moment N.E.R.D. solidified their place in music history? Was it a commercial gamble or a bold creative statement? We get into all of it — the highs, the lows, and the cultural impact this album still has today.Tune in for an in-depth look at one of the most influential albums of the early 2000s. Whether you're a longtime fan or just hearing it for the first time, this episode will have you appreciating Fly or Die all over again.IG: @VanceB_ x @Yo_AhkiListen to this episode and previous ones on:Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠tinyurl.com/jydzz9fk⁠⁠⁠Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠tinyurl.com/c3u77hcf⁠⁠⁠Anchor: ⁠⁠⁠anchor.fm/recordreport⁠⁠⁠Follow Record Report Podcast on:Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@RecordRepPod⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/RecordReportPodcast⁠⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠@RecordRep⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠therecordreport.com

Was gibt es diese Woche neues? Hört gerne rein!

What up Fellas! Es ist mal wieder soweit und wir sprechen über ein Album, welches Vielen vielleicht nicht einmal bekannt ist, unter US Rap-Connoisseur jedoch Legendenstatus genießt. Nachdem The Clipse ihr erfolgreiches Debüt-Album "Lord Willin" im Jahr 2002 droppten, mussten Fans lange auf einen Nachfolger warten; die Künstler jedoch auch. Durch Verschiebungen auf Label-Ebene und einer neuen aufkommenden Richtung im HipHop sollte es bis ins Jahr 2006 dauern, dass die Gebrüder Thornton ihr zweites Album "Hell Hath No Fury" herausbringen sollten. Neben den gewohnt versierten Cokerap-Erzählungen brachte u.a. auch die verlässliche Produktion hinter den Neptunes teilweise experimentell neuartige Tracks hervor, die man so nicht erwartet hätte. Aber auch für Fans des ursprünglichen Clipse-Sounds hält das Album einiges bereit und es empfiehlt sich, sich damit auseinanderzusetzen. Für mehr Infos zu Inhalten über eine bessere Welt und für Hinweise an diejenigen, die die Straße testen wollen, lohnt es sich sowohl in das Album, aber auch in die neue Folge reinzuhören! Checkt gerne die neue Folge „Rap gehört zum guten Ton“ aus! Habt ein schönes Wochenende! Stay strapped und seid lieb zueinander!

Episode 49 is a brief history and scoring of rapper/producer Pharrell (2006) and the boss, Rick Ross (2006) as we continue on in the calendar year of 2006!

imdb BioShea William Vanderpoort, a director behind Season 3 of Amazon Prime's ‘Harlem.' Shea aimed to bring forth his creative experience and ethic of supporting the cast and crew with a selfless and additive mindset from working on Awkward Black Girl to Harlem. As an Asian-American, he believes filmmaking is problem-solving and believes diverse backgrounds empower us with the ability to overcome any obstacle. In a full circle moment, working on Harlem brought him back to collaborating heavily with creator Tracy Oliver as well as Pharrell and Mimi Valdes, who had all helped launch Awkward Black Girl a decade prior. Starting out as a cinematographer, then editor and co-director before becoming a full-fledged director, Shea knows how to work hard to create a product he's proud of and see the full picture when creating projects. Shea would love to talk about his experience bringing diverse stories to screen, his career journey from Awkward Black Girl to Harlem and more. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/creator-to-creators-with-meosha-bean--4460322/support.

In this explosive interview, Anthony "Geezy" Gonzalez, former cocaine trafficker turned successful entrepreneur takes us behind the scenes of the illegal hustle happening behind the scenes with rap group Clipse. From running the streets of Virginia Beach alongside hip-hop legends like Pusha T to managing Clipse and touring with icons like 50 Cent and Jay-Z, Anthony lived a life most only hear about in rap lyrics. But the fast life caught up with him. After a high-stakes drug operation and a federal indictment that nearly landed him a life sentence, he did 10 years in prison. Now, he's out, making six figures in the trucking industry and teaching others how to build businesses with little to no money down. Go Support Geezy! Geezy's Trucking School: https://www.nocdltrucking.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/tonyg757 This Episode Is #Sponsored By The Following: PrizePicks! Download the app today and use code CONNECT to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup! https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CONNECT Mando! Control Body Odor ANYWHERE with @shop.mando and get $5 off off your Starter Pack (that's over 40% off) with promo code MITCHELL at https://mandopodcast.com/mitchell #mandopod True Classic! Upgrade your wardrobe and save on @trueclassic at https://trueclassic.com/CONNECT #trueclassicpod Join The Patreon For Bonus Content! https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Composer Hans Zimmer has contributed scores to films such as “Dune,” “Gladiator” and “Inception.” He now has his own film: “Hans Zimmer and Friends: A Diamond in the Desert.” Part concert film, part documentary, it features Zimmer performing his most famous works, and commentary from colleagues such as Christopher Nolan and music industry stars like Billie Eilish and Pharrell. Hans joins us in studio to discuss.

The boys do a brief history of Levi's and Brandon not wearing wranglers. Fatherhood a month in: not too much to do but zero down time. SNL 50 review of the show and concert, some spoilers; our bad. Fetty Wop history and his connection to Bluetooth speakers. Movie reviews: The Gorge, Bad Boys 4, Long Legs, and Piece by Piece, shout out Pharrell. Brandon thinks movies and sports will end, Credere thinks they are set up for the future. Whose side are you on?    

#DonToliver #j-hopeofBTS #BTS #Pharrell #LVBAG #Rap #KpopSeason 11 BEGINS! For Let's Talk About It: MUSIX REVIEWS. The Music Critic is gearing up ready to deliver a action packed season. Daily episodes are fully back! This SEASON is the first yearly long season! Get ready for the wild RIDE OF S11! Fun Pop Reviews, Rap Reviews AND MORE! ,beginning of a new dream jhope,bts jhope new song lv bag,don toliver,don toliver speedy lv bag feat j-hope of bts pharrell williams,j-hope,j-hope and don toliver previewed their new collab song 'lv bag',jhope,jhope beginning of a new dream,jhope don toliver,jhope don toliver collab,jhope don toliver lv bag,jhope don toliver new song,jhope dontoliver new song,jhope live,jhope lv bag,lv bag (feat. j-hope of bts & pharrell williams),pharrell williams

This week, Alex and Pierre begin with smoke for each other over the new F-word (0:00) before SaVon shares that he is changing some habits (4:39) and the gang reveals what they have been hyper-fixated on lately (15:07). Later, an in-depth review of Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR's ‘$ome $exy $ongs 4 U,' including accusations of the duo stealing Freddie Gibbs' aesthetic (33:03), a Drake-Ja Rule comparison (36:42), and a track-by-track breakdown of the project (41:34). The crew also discusses the latest tease from Clipse and Pharrell (1:28:13), the clip of Ne-Yo kissing his three “wives” backstage at a recent concert (1:32:54), NBA All-Star weekend and if/how the NBA can restore its image (1:50:42), and much more! Subscribe to our Patreon for exclusive access to "Curated Chaos" episodes every Monday, weekly parlays from SaVon, first access to 2025 merch and live events, and more! - www.patreon.com/NeedToKnowPodcast Book your next podcast recording at Need to Know Studios TODAY -https://needtoknowstudios.com/ Join our Twitter/X Community to chop it up with us about all things Need to Know -https://twitter.com/i/communities/1777442897001910433 The Need To Know Podcast https://www.instagram.com/needtoknowpod/ https://twitter.com/NeedToKnowPod https://www.tiktok.com/needtoknowpod SaVon https://www.instagram.com/savonslvter/ https://twitter.com/SavonSlvter Alex https://www.instagram.com/balltillwefall/ https://twitter.com/balltillwefall Regi https://www.instagram.com/regi_nacho/ https://twitter.com/regi_nacho

Today's weekend animation is a one-of-a-kind LEGO story—a musical biography of Pharrell Williams, brought to life in the world of LEGO. This film redefines creative collaboration, blending music, storytelling, and iconic brick animation like never before!Those who brought us Piece by Piece. Voice CastPharrell Williams as himselfMorgan Neville as himselfGwen Stefani as herselfKendrick Lamar as himselfTimbaland as himselfJustin Timberlake as himselfBusta Rhymes as himselfJay-Z as himselfSnoop Dogg as himselfPusha T as himselfMissy Elliott as herselfNigo as himselfTeddy Riley as himselfTyler, the Creator as Mr. Thoroughgood (Pharrell's teacher)Chad Hugo, Shay Haley, N.O.R.E., Daft Punk, Jimmy Iovine, and members of Pharrell's family also make appearances as themselves EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG.CrewDirector: Morgan NevilleProducers: Morgan Neville, Caitrin Rogers, Mimi Valdés, Pharrell WilliamsWriters: Morgan Neville, Jason Zeldes, Aaron WickendenSupervising Sound Editor: Al NelsonSound Re-Recording Mixer: Pete HornerOriginal Music Composer: Michael Andrews

It's the latest star turn for former Ify Nwadiwe co-star Timothée Chalamet! We're joined by musician and educator Enrique Chi (of the appropriately-named band Making Movies) with us to share notes on the Bob Dylan origin story that isn't really an origin story at all. Then we'll have fun pitching our own ideas for musical biopics.What's GoodAlonso - Erotic Vagrancy by Roger LewisDrea - 5Calls.orgEnrique - arts as public healthIfy - youngest brother's bachelor weekendThe Super Bowl was on…Tubi (and here was Tubi's ad)Prince's Estate Has Blocked the Release of a New DocumentaryPharrell and Gondry Musical Scrapped“The Prince We Never Knew” (Sasha Weiss's NYT article)Staff PicksAlonso - I'm Not ThereDrea - SuzeEnrique - QuincyIfy - SelenaCheck out Enrique's band, Making Movies Follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or InstagramWithDrea ClarkAlonso DuraldeIfy NwadiweProduced by Marissa FlaxbartSr. Producer Laura Swisher

Today's weekend animation is a one-of-a-kind LEGO story—a musical biography of Pharrell Williams, brought to life in the world of LEGO. This film redefines creative collaboration, blending music, storytelling, and iconic brick animation like never before! Those who brought us Piece by Piece. Voice Cast Pharrell Williams as himself Morgan Neville as himself Gwen Stefani as herself Kendrick Lamar as himself Timbaland as himself Justin Timberlake as himself Busta Rhymes as himself Jay-Z as himself Snoop Dogg as himself Pusha T as himself Missy Elliott as herself Nigo as himself Teddy Riley as himself Tyler, the Creator as Mr. Thoroughgood (Pharrell's teacher) Chad Hugo, Shay Haley, N.O.R.E., Daft Punk, Jimmy Iovine, and members of Pharrell's family also make appearances as themselves EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG . Crew Director: Morgan Neville Producers: Morgan Neville, Caitrin Rogers, Mimi Valdés, Pharrell Williams Writers: Morgan Neville, Jason Zeldes, Aaron Wickenden Supervising Sound Editor: Al Nelson Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Pete Horner Original Music Composer: Michael Andrews

- Shohei Ohtani's former translator sentenced to 57 months- Comedian Corey Holcomb in hot water - Trump appoints Televangelist Paula White - Pharrell Williams upcoming film ‘Golden' has been scrapped.

In episode 1811, Jack and Miles are joined by comedian behind the comedy special Live from the Big Dog, Blair Socci, to discuss… The Floodgate Is Still Wide Open, Trump Announces More Tariffs, Gold Prices Continue To Rise, Big Weekend For Shelved Movies and more! Schumer: We will win! We will win! We won't rest! We won't rest! Trump Announces More Tariffs Gold Prices Continue To Rise Pharrell Williams, Michel Gondry Scrap Their Movie Musical at Universal in Postproduction (EXCLUSIVE) Prince estate blocks release of Netflix documentary by Oscar-winning director Ezra Edelman LISTEN: Side Quest by Pearl & The Oysters WATCH: The Daily Zeitgeist on Youtube! L.A. Wildfire Relief: DONATE: Support the Kaller/Gray Family's Recovery Zeitgang Lightsaber Auction and Fundraiser Displaced Black Families GoFund Me Directory See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gaza: a return to war must be avoided at all costs, insists UN chiefAt AI Summit in Paris, diplomats and Pharrell mull destiny of tech revolutionDR Congo: alarm over dismantling of IDP camps amid sporadic fighting

Celebrating his birthday, 15 years as an indie artist, I created a top 10 countdown of Mayer Hawthorne's multi-genre music. Including my favorite song, a collaboration with Kendrick Lamar, and personal concerts memories when I met him! Theme Song: "Dance Track" - Jessica Ann CatenaAutograph! Sold Out photoPlaylist:10. “Henny & Gingerale” (2011)9. “The Game” (2019)8. “Crime” feat. Kendrick Lamar (2013); story 7. “I Wish It Would Rain” (2009); live6. “Breakfast In Bed” (2016)5. “Her Favorite Song” feat. Jessie Ware (2013)4. “Someone Like You” (2016)3. “The Stars Are Ours” (2013); story2. “The Walk” (2011); live1. “Prelude” / “A Strange Arrangement” (2009)Mentioned Media: Tuxedo - Webster Hall show"Got to Give It Up, Pt. 1" - Marvin Gaye (1975)The Princess Bride - chalice sceneDaryl's House ClubLive from Daryl's House episode (2011)Single Ladies  - VH1Karina Nicholson Cohen"The Walk" on LettermanWhy Did I Get Married TooRelated Episodes: Ep. 12 - Top 40 Songs of 2019 (Part 1)Ep. 144 - Yacht Rock - Boat SongsEp. 187 - Ed Sheeran Top 10Ep. 241 - The Beach Boys Rare 10Ep. 255 - Yacht Soul PlaylistEp. 265 - Quincy Jones FavoritesEp. 276 - OK Go's BiographyEp. 277 - Grammys 2025 Predictions

Dwyane and Bob dive into the wild reality of LeBron and Bronny James playing together, the mixed reactions, and what it means for the NBA. They also break down the league’s global expansion with mid-season games overseas, the physical toll on players, and if it’s all worth it. Plus, Wade shares his whirlwind 48-hour trip to Paris for an exclusive Tiffany event with Pharrell. A mix of basketball, culture, and luxury—this episode has it all. What we discussed: 00:00 Introduction 00:26 One Of The Greatest: Bill Russell 04:20 Checkin & Storytelling Growth 18:22 Advice On Dietary Supplements For Men 22:19 All Stars Selects 28:29 NBA: LeBron & Bonny 41:29 NBA: Rivalry In Older Generations 45:13 Shoutout: Josh Hubbard 56:27 How International Games Impact Player's Bodies 1:00:26 D-Wade & Fashion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Technology developed by Wellington jeweller The Village Goldsmith has been picked up by the global luxury brand Tiffany, in a new range designed by American musician and fashion designer Pharrell Williams. 

This week on The Sneaker Dads Podcast: The fellas spotlight Jae Tips and his soon-to-be-released “I Love You, But I'm Busy” Jazz 9 sneaker, while Infinite Archives joins forces with Jordan Brand for a purple twist on the Air Jordan 17 Low. They also weigh in on the high-fashion vibes (and mixed reviews) surrounding the Pharrell x LV  giving off Nike “Cortez,” vibes  and discuss whether Jeff Staple may have overstepped the mark in trying to revive Brooks Running with his upcoming collab.Meanwhile, Nigel Sylvester is generating buzz for his upcoming Air Jordan Retro 4 “Brick By Brick,” showing off a marketing approach that's all about building his story one step at a time. Finally, Teko and McFlei tackle the hot topic of the Air Jordan 1 Bred 85, rumored to be limited to only 10k pairs and available at a mere 23 stores—perfect timing for NBA All-Star Weekend. Tune in for the latest sneaker talk, community insights, and more on The Sneaker Dads Podcast!Support the show

The Horrors are an English rock band. Their new record, Night Life, is out in March. We spoke with Faris, their singer, from his home in England, about who should replace Pharrell at LV, the Oscar nominations, the goth room at 80's night, tactical vests, a shortage of ADHD meds, Silk Road is back, and Faris had Bitcoin at 50 quid, Black Sabbath and Black Metal, testing video games for EA, his favorite electronic artists, his first love is football, we pitch Two Shell for a remix, arriving in Japan in 2008, the day their A&R guy got his credit card taken away from him, how to find music without TikTok, and we're gonna get him an Iron Neck for some throat gains. instagram.com/thehorrors twitter.com/donetodeath twitter.com/themjeans howlonggone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and international reporter Zofia Zwieglinska break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week. This week, we talk about Paris Men's Fashion Week, including a matrimonial show from JordanLuca and the debut of Pharrell's latest collaboration, with Nigo, for Louis Vuitton. Later, we talk about the first week of the Trump presidency and how everything from implementing tariffs to withdrawing from the Paris Agreement will affect the fashion industry.

Go to http://shadyrays.com and use code FUNNY to get 35% off polarized sunglasses. Go to http://rocketmoney.com/kindafunny to cancel your unwanted subscriptions with Rocket Money. Insomniac's President retires, DC Universe Online is getting some big changes, and Pharrell and Final Fantasy 7 get a crossover you wouldn't expect. Thank You For The Support! Run of Show - - Start - Housekeeping Today after, KFGD, you'll get: GAMESCAST - Pitching the rest of the PS5's life cycle The STREAM is Kingdom Hearts 2 w/ Mike If you're a Kinda Funny Member: You can get today's Gregway The Roper Report  - - Insomniac Games founder and president Ted Price is retiring - DC Universe Online introduces new chapter-based story arcs next week - Ad - Pharrell Williams-led Louis Vuitton event opens with iconic Final Fantasy 7 theme - 'Lost Records: Bloom & Rage' Tape 2 has been delayed to April 15th - Resident Evil 2 remake has sold fewer than 10,000 copies on iOS, estimates suggest - Sega has launched Sega Account, an online profile with in-game bonuses - Wee News! - SuperChats & You‘re Wrong Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

DROP IT LIKE IT'S HOT - SNOOP DOG FT PHARRELL (STR8NGEREMIX by STR8NGE

On todays episode we discuss what are doing with our time. Also we discuss new music. NBA power Rankings, NFL power rankings, and Deion Sanders to Cowboys?Off the dome segment - Live Your Life Julez Santana Feat. Young Jeezy & Lil Wayne- Make It Work For You Rick Ross feat. Pharrell, Meek Mill, Stalley- MMG the World Is Ours Cayne Money- Perfect Timing Twitter: @youaintoutside https://twitter.com/YouAintOutsideApple Podcast: You Ain't Outside Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Instagram: @youaintoutsidepod Spotify: You Ain't Outside Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/7ASMeLU...

This week, the guys go over one of the creepiest hits of the 21st century so far... Blurred Lines by nepo-baby Robin Thicke. Contrary to popular belief, we do not "want it." Yikes.

Zero Grav, Astro Alacorn, and more people close out 2024 talking about geography, Flat Earthers, peanuit butter, racis, Pharrell, ice cream, infinite wishes, lending money, Iraq, Americano, skydiving, blimps, Universal Studios, "that's what she said", drawing on TikTok, Roblox, boy lunch, girl dinner, Drumpf, orange chicken, baby brothers, blocking your friends, DoorDash drivers, Ruben, "real jobs", Clippers, Intuit Dome, and so much more.

Akeem Shannon approached me a few months ago about being a guest on Unstoppable Mindset. His email subject line included mentioning his road to being a contestant on Shark Tank. I had a feeling that he had an interesting story to tell and I was right. Akeem grew up in St. Louis where he attended a Catholic high school on scholarship. Well, actually he lost the scholarship, but with the help of his mother he got it back.   Akeem's problem was that he didn't really learn from his first scholarship Debacle. After high school he enrolled at Howard University, yes on scholarship. After two semesters he again lost a scholarship due to his own lack of enthusiasm. This time he was too embarrassed to tell his parents until, that is, he couldn't hide the scholarship loss anymore.   Akeem was always good at sales and so he went to work selling and, I might add, successfully. However, what he wasn't recognizing was that he was experiencing severe depression. Eventually this caught up with him and with the help of a therapist he began to move to a better life place. You will hear his story told in a very personal and articulate way.   Skipping ahead, Akeem invented a cell phone accessory called the Flipstik.  As he tried to grow his company and secure a place for his product he eventually got the opportunity to pitch on Shark Tank. I will leave it to him to tell the story.   I can hardly wait to see what next adventure Akeem will undertake. Clearly he speaks well and plans to tell his story to the world. We get to be among the first to experience his style, persevering manner and his unstoppable mindset.       About the Guest:   Akeem Shannon's journey is a testament to resilience and unwavering determination. Raised in St. Louis by artistic and entrepreneurial parents, Akeem initially faced academic challenges during his Chemical Engineering studies at Howard University, losing his scholarship due to poor performance. However, he rebounded by excelling in sales at Fortune 500 companies and a FinTech firm, saving over $90,000 in five years. Despite success, Akeem felt unfulfilled and sought a greater purpose. Inspired by "The Alchemist," he stumbled upon a transformative idea after learning about NASA's gecko-inspired adhesive from his uncle—an idea that birthed Flipstik, a groundbreaking phone accessory. His entrepreneurial journey saw him navigate Kickstarter, a missed chance at Shark Tank, and a serendipitous encounter with Sean Diddy Combs, ultimately landing him a spot on the show in 2020. Despite initial setbacks, Akeem's resilience paid off with Flipstik's exponential growth, achieving a 1000% surge in 2022, securing nationwide distribution in major retailers like Target, BestBuy, AT&T, and more. Beyond business success, Akeem remains dedicated to fostering inclusivity in entrepreneurship, mentoring through various organizations and partnering with The Brookings Institute to address venture capital disparities. His inspiring story is showcased at the Smithsonian Museum and recognized by INC Magazine. Akeem Shannon epitomizes the spirit of perseverance, innovation, and a commitment to empowering others.   Ways to connect with Akeem:   On Tiktok, Youtube, Instagram: @akeemshannon and @getflipstik   Listeners can reach Akeem by texting the word CONNECT to 314-789-9005 Akeem Shannon Founder, CEO | Flipstik Inc. Book a Meeting     About the Host:   Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/   https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening!   Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast   If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset .   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review   Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.       Transcription Notes:   Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:20 well and a gracious Hello to everyone. Wherever you happen to be, I am your host, Mike Hinkson, and you are listening and watching unstoppable mindset, the podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet, and we love the unexpected. That's what we get to talk about more than anything else. As I love to say, unexpected is anything that doesn't directly deal with inclusion or diversity, and that's what we do. So here we are, and I get to talk today with a man who I've learned to admire a lot. He is an entrepreneur by any standard. He doesn't let things knock him down and slow him down. His name is Akeem Shannon, and Akeem is a person who's developed a very interesting product that we're going to talk about a little bit. But more than talking about the product, we're going to talk about how he got to the product, what he does with it, where he's going in the future, and any other unexpected things that come along that that I'm not thinking of. So Akeem Welcome to unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're here.   Akeem Shannon ** 02:33 Hey, Michael, thanks for having me on. I'm excited to be here. Well,   Michael Hingson ** 02:38 cool. Well, why don't we start, if we can by you telling us a little bit about kind of the early Akeem growing up and all that sort of stuff.   Akeem Shannon ** 02:49 Yeah, so, you know, I grew up the middle of the country, Saint Louis, Missouri, you know, grew up in a Christian home, you know, typical midwesterner type of vibe. And, you know, I remember I went off to college, excuse me, went off to high school, and I went off to a Catholic school because our local public school was terrible, and I got a scholarship, and I get a scholarship to go to high school, and I lose the scholarship. This is like sophomore year, and my parents could not afford to send me to this Catholic school without the scholarship. And so I had to beg and plead with the admissions director Miss Givens to convince her to kind of, you know, move some numbers around in the computer so that I wouldn't lose my scholarship. And she was like, Akeem, if I do this, you better get your grades up and and that I did, and so I went on to earn a full scholarship to go to Howard University in Washington, DC, to study chemical engineering. So did you lose the   Michael Hingson ** 03:49 scholarship in high school because of grades?   Akeem Shannon ** 03:52 Oh, yeah, my grades   Michael Hingson ** 03:55 were my homework. You weren't sick into it?   Akeem Shannon ** 03:58 No, not at all. And, you know, there was really no reason for I just, I just didn't want to do the work. Didn't turn assignments in, you know? And so my dad told me when I went off to college, he's like, don't pull the same crap you pulled in high school, or you're gonna be right here at home. And I was like, that's never gonna happen, you know, I'm gonna it'll be fine. And so I go off to college. Now I gotta, you know, I picked my grades up. I was, you know, I got a scholar full scholarship for college, chemical engineering, Howard University. But here's the thing, I hated chemistry. The only reason I was in chemical engineering is because I read an article that said, oh, you know, chemical engineering is going to be the highest paid career of the next decade. So it's like, Okay, I'll do that. Get to college. Don't like chemistry, not going to class, not turning assignments, and two semesters in academic probation.   Michael Hingson ** 04:57 Oh, boy, no. What year was? What year was?   Akeem Shannon ** 05:01 Us this, oh man, this is 2011 Okay, great. Okay, so it's 2000   Michael Hingson ** 05:08 academic probation.   Akeem Shannon ** 05:11 Oh man, and I did everything I could to hide the fact that I was on academic probation for my parents, because I had convinced myself I was dulu, convinced myself that I was going to be able to somehow figure it out and talk my way in to keep my scholarship, just like I had done in high school. So I went back up to the school my third semester, even though I knew I was on probation. They're like, No Hakeem, you're not just on probation. You've lost your scholarship, you're done. You got no money here. You got to pay full price if you want to stay. And man, and my parents didn't know a thing because I hid my school grades from them. I made sure my teachers couldn't email them. I was sneaky, and I didn't I just couldn't face the failure. You know, I couldn't face that I had lost this scholarship. And so I go back up to the school, and I literally squatted in the dorm for a whole semester. I wasn't even supposed to be in the dorm. Hadn't paid. No one at the school knew that I had lost my scholarship, and then I was not going to class, and I literally just sat in the room, and I didn't know at the time, but I was facing severe depression and severe anxiety, staying up all night, sleeping all day. It was a very difficult time. And eventually, you know, the semester's coming to the end, I gotta tell my parents, the school's like, you're not we're not letting you in this dorm room next semester, just so you know. And I had to call him as right before Christmas, called my parents and was like, I can't come back next semester. I haven't been to class all semester. Hardest phone call ever had to make.   Michael Hingson ** 06:50 So So is it safe to say you didn't learn from your first mistake and you repeated it? Or what do you think now?   Akeem Shannon ** 07:01 Well, you know, yeah, you're absolutely right. And you know what it was, I got away with very little pain. You know, the first time around, I lost it, but I just, I went to the missions director, and she just fixed it for me, so I didn't face any consequences, other than my parents were upset for a week, but since I got my scholarship, you know, they didn't have too much to be upset about. So, yeah, I mean, I didn't learn my lesson the first time, so I had to learn it again, and the second time, it was a much harder lesson. So   Michael Hingson ** 07:35 what did your parents say when you told them around Christmas, ooh, well,   Akeem Shannon ** 07:39 on the phone, they were nice because I think they were afraid that I was suicidal or something, because they were real nice on the phone, but when I got back home, oh, they let me have it. They were pissed, but they were mostly disappointed because I didn't even ask for help. I didn't call to ask them to make a phone call. They were like, we could have tried to talk to admissions. We could have tried to get you other scholarship. We could have, we knew some people that worked at the university. They're like, we could have done so many things, and you didn't ask anyone for help, and you just, you just were on your own. And you know, growing up an only child, I didn't I never wanted to disappoint my parents, and so I felt like a total disappointment and failure, and so I hid that failure, and I had to learn through that experience that that was not, that was not the right move to make.   Michael Hingson ** 08:31 Yeah, and it's, it's tough. I mean, pride is something that we all have. But you, you also said that you didn't realize that you were in a Great Depression, right?   Akeem Shannon ** 08:46 Yes, like, you know, I didn't necessarily have the words for it at the time. Yeah, you know, it's 2011 it wasn't quite as trendy as it is now to, like, focus on mental health. So I didn't know what was wrong with me. I just knew that I was, you know, not in it. And I just remember like I was in a it was like I was in a daze, because I felt so bad every single day, um, but I didn't tell anybody, and I didn't want anyone to know. So when I walked out the door my dorm room, I put on a big smile, act like nothing was wrong, like I've been in class, I didn't say anything to anyone. And so I think the fact that I bottled it up and didn't let anyone in it made it, you know, 100 times worse than if I had to ask for some help. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 09:36 so you came home in Christmas 2011 and Santa probably put coal in your stocking or something like that.   09:46 I didn't get nothing. You didn't. He didn't even   Michael Hingson ** 09:48 give you coal, huh? Oh my gosh, Boy, you really were I   Akeem Shannon ** 09:52 got told to, oh, get a job.   Michael Hingson ** 09:56 You were on the naughty list all the way around.   Akeem Shannon ** 09:59 I. Was on big naughty list. So what did you do? So, you know, I came home, my parents are like, Look, you need to get back in school and you need to get a job. And so I enrolled in community college, and I got a job, and I started working in a retail store, retail cell phone shop, Sprint, which is now T Mobile. And so I start, I always loved phones, right? I was a big tech nerd, and so now I was working a shop. I was gonna get a brand new, nice, high end phone for the first time in my life. So I was like, Okay, it's not so bad. And I started doing sales, and I was really good at it. And I had always been the kid that, you know, sold all the stuff to win the competition at school, like so I knew I had that talent, but being in the workplace and really being able to exercise that capability, you know, it was the first for me. And so I start doing really well. I get promoted, becoming what they call the key holder, which is like a manager, and things are going pretty well, but I'm still living at home. You know, I'm probably making a little bit of money, but I had made myself this promise when I got home, I said, by the time my friends graduate high school, I want to be making as much as the average college graduate. And I think at the time, was about 4035, $40,000 and I wasn't quite there yet. It was like, at $38,000 so I'm like, I got some ways to go. And then comes an opportunity from a former manager of mine who said, Hey, I'm at Verizon in a call center, and I'm a manager. We're paying these people crazy money, and if you come here, you'll make two, maybe three times what you're making now, say, what? So I quit my job against my parents advice, because they're like you, you've already failed. You can't quit a job that you you getting promoted at. You can't do that. I said, No, I gotta go. And so I go work in for Verizon, the call centers on the best decisions I ever made, because I instantly doubled the amount of money I was making, and all of a sudden I'm making big, big commission checks. And not only am I making the big commission checks, but it turns out they had this big contest that they were going to have called Verizon rock star. And this contest was a pitch competition to pitch Verizon's family and services. Who could pitch it the best. And so I entered the competition, and I win in my in my small group, I win at the conference level, the regional level, and I get to the finals, and they fly all the finalists down to Miami, Florida, to the Fountain Blue hotel, the most fabulous hotels in all of Miami Beach. And they have all this signage everywhere. It says rock star. Verizon logos are everywhere, and they have this brilliant concept where they would have all the Verizon employees who were there to watch all these executives, they would have to get autographs from the people competing in the competition. So people are running up to me in the hotel, asking me for my autograph. There's signs that say Verizon, rock star. So all the guests at the hotel, think of a celebrity, and I would go on to win this entire competition. And when I tell you, Michael, it was like I finally felt I've recovered. This was about three years after leaving school, and for the first time, I felt comfortable enough to call up my high school friends and tell them, hey, you know, I'm not in school anymore. I had to drop out. I lost my scholarship. But look at me now. Look what I've accomplished, and it would it really showed, showed me that you know is when you fail, as long as you don't give up, you have the opportunity to level up, and I felt like I had actually leveled up. It was feeling really confident and on a high at that point in my life.   Michael Hingson ** 13:47 So where was your depression in all this by the time that three years in the contest was over?   Akeem Shannon ** 13:56 So, you know, at the time, I thought it had disappeared, right? I wasn't feeling anything. I was feeling great. I felt like I recovered. I'm like, Oh, I'm doing great. It's all good now. But it wasn't true. See this, this was in summertime. I want to say 2014 I was in summertime. Then comes Thanksgiving. Mom was out of town. Had Thanksgiving with my dad, and then I was house sitting for my own about an hour and a half away from where I live, and so I'm in the house all alone, not in my own home, Thanksgiving night, and I'm watching a movie, and Liam Neeson comes on, and he's like, you know, when you die, It's not your life that flashes before your eyes, but it's remembering all the regrets that you have, and this overwhelming sense of anxiety just cuts into my gut, and I have this massive panic attack, and I get really tight. My stomach starts to get shredded, and I'm. Starting to freak out, because I haven't felt this way ever. It was the worst, most excruciating stomach pain I ever felt, and I didn't know exactly what's happened. I didn't even call it anxiety when it first started, but it went on for one hour, two hours, three hours, and eventually I'm like, I think maybe I'm having anxiety. And so eventually, you know, I'm trying to go to sleep, and I just as I was having trouble falling asleep, I told myself, I used to have zero sympathy for people who committed suicide. I used to think, How could someone commit suicide? How could they do that to their family? But in this moment, it feeling, this feeling, I was like, You know what? I've only this has been going on for three hours. If this was going on for three years, 30 years, I may kill myself too, because this is, this is hard. So I wake up the next morning and I'm like, I'm fine. I'm like, wow, that was weird. You know, won't be watching anymore Liam Neeson movies and tell you that much. And I think I'm okay in about 30 seconds after I wake up, boom, it hits me again, massive anxiety, and it goes on the next day and the next day, every single day, gut wrenching pain in my stomach all day long. This goes on for a week. Eventually I can't sleep anymore. I remember I probably stayed up four or five days straight, no sleep, not one hour, not 30 minutes, 10 nothing. And I was just I was I was terrified, because I had never even, even when I lost my scholarship, I had never experienced something like this. And I didn't know what it was. I was financially stable. I was feeling good about my life. I didn't know what was wrong. I knew I was just in the night, and I go to work, and my boss, who, who was a a friend of mine, but at this point, was like, King, you know, you're not hitting your numbers. You're the rock star. Like, what's going on? You're you're off. And I said, Dude, I just have not been feeling good. I've been sleeping. He's like, You need to go see my therapist. And he had just went through a mental episode of his own, and I had never seen a therapist. And you know, if you grow up in a black family in America, most black families like you don't need a therapist. You go to church. If they don't say, go to church, listen this man up. You know you'll be fine. You don't need a therapist. And so, you know, I had, I was just like, I don't know, Curtis, you know, he's like, No, you need to go see a therapist. So he gives me a number, call her up a go see her. And I talked to him like, oh, you know, I just think I'm stressed at work. I just need some time off and I'll be fine. You know, if you write me a note, I'll register for family medical leave, and I'll be fine, just work stress. And at the very end, I'm like, and by the way, you know I'm I think I'm gay and but no one knows, but it's not really a big deal. That's not why I'm here. It's really the work is the problem. And she's like, okay, so I leave anxiety every single day. Curtis again, is like a king. You need to go back to the therapist. You are not okay. And so I go back and I see her again. Curtis, my boss, had written me a note saying, No, you gotta go. You're not. You can't your head's not in the game. And so I go see the therapist again, and she's like, so do you want to talk for real this time?   Michael Hingson ** 18:20 Nothing like somebody who talks directly to you and doesn't doesn't, uh, mince words.   Akeem Shannon ** 18:26 Oh, not at all. And she was a, she was a older Christian woman, and that scared me, because I'm, you know, I grew up, grandfather was a Christian minister. Grew up in a Christian family. I'm like, if I tell this woman I'm gay, she's probably going to say, I can't even be in I can't even come see her anymore. And so I talked to her again, and she's like, she's like, you know, there was something you talked about at the end of our last session, and you blew over it like it didn't even matter. And so I talked to her, and really just poured my heart. I was like, Yeah, I've been dealing with this my entire life. Up, you know, I figured I'm already black in America. I don't want to be gay too. I don't need a secondary burden. And she's like, You got to be who you are, and your brain and your body is telling you that if you don't, it's shutting you down as you can, as you've clearly witnessed. And so you know, having her be so accepting of me and telling me that it's okay to be just who I am, and I always had this big fear that if I came out to people, that people wouldn't like me. And I'm a salesperson, right? I'm a top salesperson, so I need people to like me. And, you know, I always just had this big fear that people would treat me differently, and the fact that she treated me the same and treated me kindly and with compassion, it gave me hope that, you know, maybe I've been wrong about this. And so I decided that day I'm going to come up to my parents. That's the first step. It's been 22 years. I can't wait any longer, and so I had to go in order to, in order to get when you're in a union shop, and in order to, in order to get full pay when you're on. Medical leave you have to get, if to go to a hospital, you gotta get a doctor's certified note that's just a therapist if it's a mental health issue. So I go to the the mental hospital, they check me in and and I tell them, hey, look, I think this is my problem. Then come out to my parents today. By the way, it's my dad's birthday. Probably going to be a show, but it's been too long, and I gotta get it off my chest. And I remember the nurse, and she's writing me all these prescriptions, one for the anxiety, one for the depression, one to remove stabilizers. She's like, I don't know if it's a good idea for you to tell your dad that today, on his birthday, can't you just wait until tomorrow? And I said, No, I cannot. Don't put off tomorrow what you can do today. And so I went home terrified my father's birthday, we're having cake and ice cream. And I remember, right before I worked up the courage to say something, my dad was watching James Corden on TV and and he's like, you know, I think James Gordon is really funny. I like carpool karaoke. He's like, but I don't understand something. Why does he act so gay? He's married. And I'm like, Oh God, this is gonna be a disaster. My parents are gonna disown me. This is gonna be terrible. But eventually I muster up the courage. I said, Guys, you remember I when I called you from from college and had a very difficult conversation, and they're like, yeah, it was like, this is going to be another one of those conversations. And so I tell them, and my mom was crying, my dad's got the look of disappointment on his face, and even though I could tell like it was going to be a long road, and it was a long road. The first thing my dad said was, I always told your mother you were probably gay, and Lily's like, I just don't understand why you decided to go tell a therapist before you told us.   Michael Hingson ** 21:59 There you go. And   Akeem Shannon ** 22:00 and, you know, for someone from his generation, that was about as accepting of a moment as I could have wished for. And over the course of the next few years, we built a much stronger relationship and become closer than ever. And it was just another one of those things where here I was hadn't learned this lesson of don't go it alone. Don't bottle up your emotions. It doesn't work that way. Your body will shut you down when you put all of that stress, that emotional stress, on your body and you you block your creativity and your capability, your body just gives up your brain, your heart says enough is enough, and so once again, I was surprised by the the the accepting this, and not just my parents, but when I told my friends, when I told acquaintances, when I told people in the workplace, it just lifted a burden, and it opened up my mind to be able To focus on other things, because I had spent so many years using half of my energy to pretend to be someone I wasn't, so that I so that people wouldn't know the truth. Did   Michael Hingson ** 23:10 you know you were gay? Or did it take you a long time to really figure that out?   Akeem Shannon ** 23:15 Oh no, I knew. I knew from when I was like eighth grade, but I buried it deep. I said, No, I'm not going to do that. I because I grew up knowing, thinking that you know you're going to hell if you're gay, yeah, point blank, period, it's the most evil thing you can be. And ultimately, that upbringing, combined with that breakthrough would lead me to the spiritual awakening that I needed to ultimately break through from, from, from all of those drugs and move stabilizers and stuff that they had prescribed me.   Michael Hingson ** 23:49 So now at this time, you were still working at Verizon,   23:53 correct, uh huh.   Michael Hingson ** 23:56 All right. And so what year was this? Now, when all this happened? So I   Akeem Shannon ** 24:01 want to say this is 20. We're now moving into 2015 Okay, that's next year, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 24:07 okay, so I kind of wanted to go through all of this, because I know where we're headed with it, but I think this is very important for people to hear what what did you then do?   Akeem Shannon ** 24:20 So, you know, here I was, I had come back to work, but I'm on these, all these different pills, and I'm feeling better, but I'm also feeling kind of numb. It's not I'm not having anxiety and depression, but I'm not having excitement and elation either, right? It's just very even toned, and I didn't quite pick up on it right away, but I remember one time I forgot to take my medicine, particularly one of the mood stabilizers, before I went to work, and I started having massive anxiety at work, and I do it back home, and then I took it, and that's when I first started to realize. Just like, Oh my gosh. I think my body is become dependent on these drugs, on the drugs, yeah, in order to stabilize my mood and then not have these feelings. Because here I am addressing a lot of concerns, but I'm still not in a good place. And so, you know, fast forward a couple months, and it's the end of the fiscal year, and they have a big award ceremony for the people who are, like, the top 1% of the company. And I was one of them. And, you know, typically we get to go on a big trip and very lavish, but since our division was going to be sold off to another company, we've stayed. We just got a check. And so they come around with a big check. I want to say it was like $15,000 it's a huge check. And they come to my desk, got the confetti cannon. People are cheering. They give me the check done. And this girl was sitting beside me, Brittany. And now Brittany was always a problem. Okay? She was always tattletale, you know, always causing me issues. And Brittany looks at me with an attitude, and she goes, hmm, you don't look like somebody that just got $15,000 you not even smiling. And at first I was like, Brittany, don't talk to me. But then I was like, Oh, wait, I think Brittany is right. Something's still wrong. How is it that this has happened to me four years ago, I was broke, and now I'm getting a $15,000 check and I'm not even smiling. Something's wrong. And that night, I was like, I gotta stop taking these drugs, and I'm not having you know, listen, people who are prescribed medicine by the doctor, I'm not saying they shouldn't take it, but I knew that for me, I was running away from these emotions that I needed to have, and I was slowly overcoming a lot of the things that were causing the emotions. But as long as I was taking the drugs, I couldn't have any additional breakthroughs of what it was that was, was, was was causing me this discomfort inside. I had basically turned down my alarm system that was really awakening to the fact that something was wrong. And so I quit cold turkey, which I do not advise. And when I tell you that so much anxiety and depression flood in. Oh, my gosh. It was horrible. And I was like, Oh, this is, this is what happens when people stop taking drugs. It's hard. And man, that night was just one of the it was this one of the scariest nights of my life. But it ended up also being the most profound, because that night I was in so much agony, I was like, I need something. I'm not gonna take these drugs, but I need something. So I called my buddy up. I said, Yo, bro, let me get a joint. I need some weed or something. Like, I'm freaking out over here. And I was like, the worst thing I could do, because then the weed cause you to have even more anxiety. And so I'm sitting there that night and I'm just freaking out, and I'm just having this crisis, like, what am I doing with my life? What's happening? You know, our division is getting ready to shut down, and I end up having this profound spiritual experience where my uncle would give me a book about angels. I hadn't read the book, but I read the back cover, and it talked about how angels weren't these floating people in the sky with wings, but instead, they were signs from God, from the universe, and they could be as simple as a song on the radio. Are your lights flickering? It could be just something to show you what it is you need to do next and that night and all that anxiety as I'm pacing around my apartment, every light in my entire apartment shuts off, pitch black. I'm looking around. I'm like, did the power guard? I look out the window, everyone else's power is on. I see my PlayStation, its little light is on. I go to the switch, I flick it off, it's now off, but it was on. Then I flick it back on, all the lights come back on. I freak out. And I'm like, what is happening? And that night, I ended up having this spiritual moment where I felt like for the first time, I heard God's voice speaking to me, and that voice said to me, you hate me because you think I hate you, but you never asked me what I think, and it lifted this burden that was still there from childhood, that, yes, I had come out, and I was moving through life, and people were accepting me, but I still felt deep inside like, well, they say God hates me, and I don't like that. And in that moment, I think finally, that burden fully lifted off of me, and it allowed me to not just just be free of that, but it then gave me the capability to go in and really search my spirituality. So I start reading, reading all these books, and I start hearing about the the law. Of attraction. I never heard of this thing, law of attraction before. And hear about an abundance mindset, and I start learning about meditation and what meditation can do for you. And I tried all these things because I was coming off of being dependent on all these mood stabilizers and lithium and all this stuff. And so I needed something else to replace it, and it came for me from doing meditation, practicing yoga, going for walks with my dog, and man, it just opened my eyes. I start reading books like Think and Grow Rich, and all of a sudden, like I'm realizing not only was I bothered by the fact that I wasn't being true to myself and my sexuality, but I wasn't being true to myself in terms of my dreams and aspirations, because I wanted to be more than a salesperson, and being a salesperson was no longer enough for me. And so it was with that feeling and emotion that I quit Verizon before we merged into the new company, and I decided to go and start a business, but I was terrified. I was terrified I want to start a cooking business. I invested a little bit of my savings into it. I saved up quite a bit of money over the years and but I just wasn't there yet. Mentally, I was not prepared to truly believe in myself. And so after about six months of doing some part time work on a political campaign. This is 2016 doing some part time work on a political campaign, I get a phone call from square the people that make cash app, they're like, Hey, we're opening up an office. You're a top salesperson. Come work for us. And I'd always wanted to work for a tech company, and so I, instead of pursuing my dreams and my career, I got I was afraid. And so I said, No, let me go do what's safe. And I went to work for square. But it was one of the best decisions I ever made, because I got to work with entrepreneurs every day, and every time I would work with an entrepreneur and see what they were able to accomplish more and more. It gave me the confidence in myself that I could do it, and I got to be a part of an organization that really treated employees well and showed me what it was like to grow and scale a business. But ultimately, that same feeling came back of I'm not satisfied in my life, that anxiety starts to creep in, that depression starts to seep in. I'm not satisfied with where I'm at anymore, and ultimately I end up quitting again. So this is now the third job of quit. I end up quitting again, and I'm like, I'm going to start a business. And luckily, that time I quit, my boss gave me a book called The Alchemist, and that book would go on to change my life.   Michael Hingson ** 32:42 Tell us about that.   Akeem Shannon ** 32:45 So, you know, I so I get this book The Alchemist, and I said it changed my life. But the truth is that when he gave it to me, I'm like, huh, Tom doesn't know he's talking about I'm not reading this book. I just threw it down. I was not. Had no intentions to read it, just like I didn't read the book about the angels. I wasn't going to read this book either, and as time goes on, this book starts creeping into my life. My mom sent me a video. She didn't know I had quit this job. I stopped telling my parents, because they would freak out every time I quit. So she sent me an article, excuse me, a YouTube video of Oprah. And Oprah's interviewing super music producer Pharrell. And she's like, Pharrell, you know you you just wrote Happy. It's number one on the billboards. You've helped so many artists become number one Billboard chart toppers. Can you just tell our audience about one book, The One book that changed your life? And he's like, Oprah, the one book that changed my life, was the alchemist. And I was like, oh, that's the book Tom gave me. I should read the book. I grab the book, I open it up, I'm like, Oh, I'll read it tomorrow. So I don't read the book. Then a couple weeks later, it's at the top of the Amazon charts. Then a couple weeks later it's at the top of New York Times bestseller list. Now this is a 3040, year old book, like, why are people still talking about this book? Now you thought you would have thought, with all those signs, I would have realized probably should read this book. I hadn't read it. So then I ended up moving to a new apartment. I had stuff everywhere, boxes everywhere, and my buddy was helping me move. And on my kitchen island, through all the junk, I see a book. Now, my boss had given me this copy of the alchemist. It was hard back, beautiful textures. Had illustrations inside. It was a had a sleeve on it's like a limited edition book. Was really nice. The book on my counter was not that okay. It was tattered. It was paperback. It was it had a $2.99 discount sticker on it, but it was the alchemist. And I look at it, and I start freaking out, and I had that same feeling I had that night when I stopped taking the drugs, and I had this spiritual experience. And I'm like nervous, because how. In the world of this book get in my apartment. It's not the book my boss gave me. Have I owned this book my entire life? How long has this book been with me? And I didn't know it. I had never heard of this book before, and I was so shocked by the fact that this book was in my house that I sat down and read it, cover to cover. And the alchemist, for those who don't know, is about a boy who has a dream about a treasure in Egypt, and he decides to pursue that dream. And early on in his journey, he meets a wise man that tells him that if he just follows the omens or the signs, that he will find his treasure. And I realized, as I read the book, I'm like, oh, not only is this book about omens and science, to follow your dreams, the book itself was an omen and sign for me to follow my dreams. And after I read this book, my mindset was fixated on me finding what I was truly passionate about and the ideas and the people that would lead me to live the life and to become the person that I always wanted to be. And it was with that mindset I get a phone call from my uncle, who's an engineer at NASA. He's telling me about a project he's working on for the Space Launch System, and he was going to use this adhesive that NASA had invented back in the 70s that was based off the feet of geckos to do his project. And since I had just moved and mounted my TV on the wall, I kept thinking, if I just had this adhesive, I could have saved myself a lot of time and energy by sticking my TV on the wall. And while I never stuck a TV to the wall, we did figure out a way to stick a tiny TV, a cell phone to a wall, and that's where the idea for the flip stick was born, a little device that goes on the back of your phone that allows you to mount your phone to a wall like a TV, but also allows you to mount it to be able to take selfies, to take pictures, to make Tiktok videos, all completely hands free with a washable, reusable, non toxic adhesive, and that journey of flip stick, just, man, that's what. It really got crazy.   Michael Hingson ** 37:09 So what basically happened you, you created it, and that's pretty cool, but you have to do something with   Akeem Shannon ** 37:20 it. Listen, that is so powerful, Michael, because so many people have ideas, right? How many of us have set in front of the TV we see something pop on? We said, Oh, I had that idea, but I'm a believer that ideas flow through the universe, and it's touching. A lot of people are having the same idea at the same time, but only one or two will actually act on it. And because I had read the Alchemist and I had realized, like, you gotta take action when you see the signs, I took it. So I start doing research, I start I create a prototype, I send it off to China. I'm like, Okay, I should probably get a patent. I need trademarks. I get on YouTube, I figure out how to do a patent, how to do a trademark, I get everything registered, and I didn't want to spend my own money on getting it produced, so I went to Kickstarter. Kickstarter is a pre order platform, and I actually set up pre orders for the product, made a video and a web page, and I ended up getting $15,000 in pre orders to start this business. And from there, I wish I could tell you things took off, but that's not what happened. If you haven't gotten ahead of how my story goes, that's not what happened. Instead, what happens is, after the $15,000 I get no sales zero. Okay, I created a website I would get one or two sales a month, and my product's only 10 bucks. So as you can imagine, I'm bleeding through my savings, but I had to rely on what I had already learned, right? I didn't really know Facebook marketing rep very well. You know, I couldn't do ads. I wasn't a social media star, but what I did know was in person sales. So I meet a couple of guys. They say, Hey, if you want help, we'll help you. And we decide to break into a festival and walk around and just pitch people this little idea called a flip stick. And that first day, we made 100 bucks, and the second day we went back again we made 130 bucks. And then we're like, we gotta find another festival, but this time we'll actually pay to be at the festival. That next festival, we made like, 400 then 500 then I was like, Okay, well, how do we have a festival every day where I can sell in person? The answer was the mall. Now, this is 2018 no one would advise you to go and set up a booth in the mall, but it's all I knew, and so I had to lean into what my expertise was. Since I didn't have a lot of funding, I didn't have a lot of connections. I just had to rely on my own understanding. You know, I wish I could say I just went in like a bull in a china shop to the mall, but I didn't. I had a panic attack, and I was terrified because the mall rent was they quoted me $7,000 and I've only made like, six. 16 grand in the lifetime of the business, and they wanted seven grand for two months. And I literally, Michael had to have my mom walk with me into the office at the mall to sign the lease paperwork, and she talked them in to to give it to me for only $5,000 she's like my son has a business, and he wants to do this, but he's afraid to do this because it's so expensive, and if you give him a discount, I promise he'll pay you. I felt like a little kid, but you know what? I needed it because I was so afraid to take that next step is a big step is a big risk and a big investment that had to be made. And I'm so grateful that my parents, and particularly my mother, was like, Look, you can do this, and you gotta go for it. You just have to do it, and you can't let fear stop you from chasing after your dreams. And that's exactly what they talked about in the alchemist there were so many times where the boy got stuck and wasn't moving forward, and he had to face his fears, to take the next step and go further. And I was at one of those points in my life, and man, I'm so glad my mom did that, because in the first in those two months that we were at the mall, made $30,000.02 months brand new business, a $10 item. So   Michael Hingson ** 41:24 why, why did that happen? What? What was it about the flip stick that made so many people buy it? Or what? What did you do that made so many people feel that they should buy it?   Akeem Shannon ** 41:36 I was desperate. I just I had to make it work. I had no choice. So when I got into the mall, you know, I come in, I owe 2500 bucks to the mall right right away. So I got to make this money back that I've put on my credit card. And so literally, every single person that walked by, have you heard about flip stick? Have you heard about flip stick? And I would show them. I put it on their phone, I'd stick it to a wall, I'd show what it could do, and I just lean on what I knew, right? I asked questions, right? I uncovered problems that they had, and then I presented the flip stick as a solution to those problems. And so I said, Hey, do you take pictures? You know, sometimes we have to ask someone to take a picture on vacation. Well, when you go on your vacation, you're in Europe. You don't want somebody running away with your phone and stealing your phone. You need a flip stick. You can stick it to the wall, take the picture of you and your family yourself. So I kept coming up with all these solutions for people after I got them to stop and listen for a second, and slowly but surely, they started buying. And the thing is, some people bought it because they really love the flip stick. But to be honest, a lot of them bought it because they admired that I was out here hustling, trying to make something happen, and they just wanted to be a part of the story. They're like, I don't even want the flip stick, but I want to see you succeed. You're working really hard, and I want to help you. So I'll take five of them, I'm going to make them stocking stuffers. And you know, it was, it was just, man, it was just so much love and support from people who just wanted to see me succeed.   Michael Hingson ** 43:11 So in two months, you made $30,000 and that's pretty cool, but still, that's not a lot as far as growing a company. So what did you then do? So   Akeem Shannon ** 43:22 then I had to figure out what was next, right and right. I knew I could only I was working 12 hour days at the mall, right? $15,000 a month. Ain't bad, but I can't do that forever. Those are our long, hard hours. Yeah, so I decided I want to be on Shark Tank. I'm like, I need an investor. I need someone to come in and really turn this into a company. So I apply to be I go to Vegas to CES Consumer Electronics Show. Apply to be on Shark Tank. I get through the first round, 40,000 people apply for Shark Tank every year. And I got past the first round to the second to the third, to the fourth. It gets down from 40,000 people down to the final 200 and they're going to select 120 people out of the final 200 to actually film. And I just knew I'm like, I've been following the omens. I've been listening to the signs. I've I they love my pitch. I'm going to be on Shark Tank. This is 2019 I just knew it. I felt so confident, and they called me, and they're like a king, you're not going to be on Shark Tank. Why? And I was oh, I was so sad. I remember exactly where I was. I was on the sidewalk. I can point you to the square. I was hurt because I put all my eggs in one basket and I didn't know what to do next. But just like in the past, when I faced objection and failure, I knew I couldn't give up, so I gave myself a week to cry and to be upset, and then I said, I gotta find someone else. If I can't have a shark as my celebrity investor, I'll find someone else. And it and it just so happened that's a long story. I'm really shorting it down, but it. Through a series of events, I end up uncovering that there is an event called the revolt, the revolt Summit. And this was event that was being thrown by billionaire rapper Sean Diddy Combs. And it was an event for people who are interested in getting into the music industry, but they were going to have a pitch competition for businesses. So I say, Great, I'll go. I'll pitch my business and I'll get an investment. So I buy the tickets, get the airline tickets, rental car, all that stuff. It was in Atlanta, and I find out the pitch competitions closed, but the tickets are refundable, so your boy had to figure something out. Turns out there was a music competition. And I said, Well, you know, I don't want a record deal, but I took music appreciation, you know, I was in jazz lab band. I'll just write a rap and pitch my business in the rap. Now, you know, I don't think you would get an A if you told your teacher, that's your business plan, but it was all I had. It's what I went and did. And to be honest, I didn't tell anyone about the plan, because I understand that if I told someone, it sounds ridiculous and it sounds far fetched, but I believed in myself, and I my mentality at that time, my mindset, I was meditating. I was believing in law of attraction. I said, I'm going to make this happen for me. I meant to be here. There's all the signs of pointing that I need to go here. So I write the rap, I go to Atlanta, I do the rap. They love it. I get to the top five people. I'm going to be able to get on stage in front of DJ, Khaled, in front of Diddy and all these music producers. And I get disqualified from the competition because they say you're not a real rapper, a king. You don't want a record deal. You want a business deal. I said, What's the difference? They they thought, they thought there was a difference. They disagreed. So they're like, you're not going to get on stage, you're not going to be able to rap in front of the celebrities. You're done. But my mindset was one that says, No, I'm not done. I'm here for a reason, and I'm gonna make it happen. So during the comedy show, which was right before the final music competition, I stand up, I hold my products up in the air, and the comedian looks at me, and he must have sensed the desperation in my my persona, because he's like, man, bro, what are you trying to sell me? And I go full pitch mode. I tell him what it does, where he can stick it, how he can take Tiktok videos and and watch TV. And he starts making jokes, and he's making very lewd jokes about where you can stick the flip stick. And the crowd is laughing, and the whole show ends up do well, because now everyone wants to come to the stage and talk about their business. And eventually he invites me. This is DC young flies the comedian. He's a pretty large comedian, and he invites me on stage, and he lets me do my rap during his set. And the crowd goes nuts. And the same woman who disqualified me from the music competition, Whis me up, takes me backstage. I get to meet Danny and DJ Khaled, and I'm meeting the CEO of all the companies and the sponsor executives AT and T was the sponsor I make a phone accessory. This amazing experience happens. And ultimately, they would invite me out to Los Angeles. They buy a ton of flip sticks to give away. And in LA I did the same thing again, but this time it was Snoop Dogg on the stage, and Snoop Dogg ends up loving the flip stick. And between Snoop Dogg and Diddy and revolt Summit, they they call a few people, and a producer from Shark Tank calls me up and says, Hey, we want you on the show. And that's how I was able to get on Shark Tank. And that was a transformative moment for our business, and it was what really propelled us to seven figures and beyond.   Michael Hingson ** 48:57 So you went on Shark Tank, you made your presentation, and did any of them go along and decide that they would would invest or consider investing?   Akeem Shannon ** 49:09 So actually, we got two offers, one from Mr. Wonderful right out the gate. There you go. It wasn't actually a Sharky offer. I thought he was going to hit me with, you know, I want 89% of your company, and I won 75 cents, royalty in perpetuity, forever throughout the universe. But he actually gave me exactly what I asked for. But I went to the shark tank for Lori, that's who I wanted, and I was committed to it. And eventually Mr. Wonderful realized that he got very upset, and he was like, when mister wonderful gives you an offer, you take it. Now I'm out. So then I had to go with Lori, and luckily, she realized that I really wanted to work with her. I had read her book prior to going. I knew exactly the language in which to speak with her, and and she ended up giving me an offer on the show. It was, it was 20, it was $100,000 For 25% of my business, $400,000 valuation on my business. And, you know, I left the Shark Tank, I was so excited and just knew the future was bright. And as we you know, this is 2020 now it's pandemic time. If I hadn't gone on Shark Tank, I probably would have went out of business in 2020 because we couldn't be in the mall. You know, online wasn't working, but luckily, we were on Shark Tank and and, and as it was leading up to getting on air, I realized that the deal had changed, and the deal that I was offering the tank was not going to be the deal that I was going to be able to close. And even as much as I wanted to work with Lori, it no longer felt like the right move to make. And I lean back on my gut feelings and the feelings that have in the in the past when I had made decisions about my business that were mistakes, and I felt that same way. And so I listened to that gut feeling and said, You know what, Lori, you know, I'm a big fan, and I wanted to work with you, but I just don't think this is the deal I want to take. And she was okay with it, and we both decided not to move forward. But when we aired on Shark Tank, I didn't have any money. I needed to produce product, and just the timing of everything was magical, because I just entered into a pitch competition, won the pitch competition, but hadn't received the money yet, so I had to call up the people and be like, Hey, I didn't tell you this, but I don't be a shark tank in 10 days. I need the money now. And they wired it to me, and I got ready for shark tank, and we bought all this inventory. I get a warehouse. I set everything up. We have a watch party, and it's 2020 it's like November, let's say November 7. And if you remember 20/21 week of November, it was election week, yeah. And they pre empted the episode by two hours. They pushed it back to do election coverage. And I'm like, Oh, I don't care who the President is going to be. No one knew who the President was yet. I said, I just want my episode on Shark Tank there. And so they pushed it back by two hours, and I was nervous, but I said, it's going to be okay. Everything's going to work out. I know the omens. I know I didn't read the alchemist for nothing. There's no way that I got on Shark Tank and the universe that God is going to take this away from me. No way. So the episode comes on and they say, right before the episode, hey, if there's an announcement and we find out there's some big news, we're going to preempt Shark Tank. Episode comes on. Everything's going smoothly. All the people are going through. Turns out I'm the last person on the episode. It comes out the same rap I did for Diddy. They had me do on Shark Tank. So I come out, I'm rapping. Everyone's excited. People are cheering. You know, we're just so excited. I'm on national television. I was a college dropout a few years ago. Now I'm on national television, and right as I get into the meat of my pitch, about two minutes in, We interrupt this regularly scheduled programming to bring a message from Joe Biden, art sank to the floor. I couldn't believe that. I was devastated. It was the hardest night of my life. So what happened? Cuz after all of this work and all of this effort, it felt like it got taken away from me. It was so unfair. But what would end up happening is I kept that mindset, it's not over. This is not the end. I can make something of this. And for the first time in the history of Shark Tank, they re aired an episode I called the produce, the executive producer. I said, this wasn't fair. He said, Hey, you are you signed a waiver that says you knew this could happen. I said, I know, but it's just not fair. And he decided to re air the episode. And so not only did we air the first time, and people bought flip sticks the first time because they wanted to know what happened. How did he get why did he get cut off, but then they bought it the second time, and in that first airing, even though it got preempted, people only saw the first, you know, 120 seconds of my pitch. We still sold more in the next 24 hours that we had sold in the past two and a half years, and it just changed the trajectory of the entire business. And I'll fast forward a little bit through this just so we can, you know, get to any other things you want to talk about, but we would end up going on to get into Target and Best Buy AT and T T Mobile. I would raise capital from investors, raise over seven figures from investors. They would help propel the business even further. We get on the Today Show QVC, home shopping network was always a dream of mine to get on. I thought that dream was going to be dead because I didn't close my deal with Lori, who's the queen of QVC. But even still, I get on QVC multiple times. We're doing six figure sales in eight minutes. I mean, it was just this incredible journey of explosive growth. Got us this award from Inc five, Inc Magazine, we were one of the top 50 fastest growing consumer product brands through 2022 we got that award last year. And man, you know, it is just been an absolute whirlwind of an experience, and one that I wouldn't trade for the world.   Michael Hingson ** 55:23 What a cool story. And I think one of the questions that I would ask is, okay with all of that, you've had several challenges, some you created yourself as you look back on it, yeah, you know. You know, I can agree with me, what have you learned? Definitely. What have you learned?   Akeem Shannon ** 55:46 Well, number one, look, never give up. Some things don't work out right. And if, and if you go after what everything you got, and it doesn't work out, it wasn't for you, but it doesn't mean give up, continue to pursue your dreams and your passions keep going, because as long as when you fail, you don't give up, you have the opportunity to level up. And as I continue to level up, that became more ingrained inside of me. Number two is Don't bottle it up like look, we're humans. We have emotions. We have anxieties and depressions. It's just human nature. You don't have to run from it or hide from it or pretend that it doesn't exist. Embrace it and understand that these are all seasons. Once you conquer one thing and you think you're okay, something else will come along, and you will continue to evolve, continue to evolve over the course of your life, you're never going to stop learning. So you're always going to face these walls. I learned something from a motivational speaker who I love, Jim Rohn, and he talked about how that imagine being a farmer, and you just got flopped on this planet. It's the beginning of spring. You plant all these crops, they grow. You're making all this money. Everything is roses. It's summertime, it's fall, you're harvesting. It's amazing. And then winter hits. This the first winter you've ever experienced, and it's horrible. Nothing grows grounds frozen solid. You're not making any money. You think you're going to starve to death. Oh, he's like but here's the thing, every farmer knows, that after winter comes spring, spring. And so many of us move through our lives thinking that the winter is the end. We're going to be in winter for the rest of our lives, and the sad truth is, a lot of us spend our entire lives in that winter. And I learned, and I want everyone to understand that, look, winter will come after fall. It will happen. But after winter comes spring, if you choose for it to be. And so every time I hit a winter now, I hit a spring, and I get prepared for the next chapter of my life and understand, hey, this is just a season, and it's a roller coaster ride. It's up, it is down, but the momentum that got me to the bottom of the hill will carry me back up to the top of the next   Michael Hingson ** 58:24 so what do your parents think about all this?   Akeem Shannon ** 58:28 Oh, man, let me so. So, you know, even up until a couple years ago, my mom's like, well, when are you going to go back to school? So I remember this is, this is summer last year, and I say, hey mom, we we need to go back up. We need to go to Washington, DC, in in June for something. And she's like, well, what's going on? I said, we gotta go. I was like, I'm getting the I got something going on, event, a gala in DC. And in summer of last year I go back up to Washington, DC, which is where Howard University is, right. I get there, I'm walking back on my old campus, where I had the biggest failure of my life, something that I thought I could never recover from. But this time I was in Washington, DC because the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History had heard my story and saw my product, and they were running an exhibit on the history of cell phones, and they wanted to put my story and my product in that exhibit, and I got to take my mother into the halls of the Smithsonian and we're Sitting next to the woman that created text messages. Okay? And we're sitting next to the man who runs Qualcomm makes all the chips in every cell phone you've ever bought. And then there's me, and I'm like, I think I'm at the wrong table, but to see the beaming smile. On my mom's face, she wouldn't stop talking to people. I'm like, Mom, you have got to stop talking to these folks. Okay, everybody. Don't want to talk to you. But man, the pride that she had on her face, it was, it was, it was a miracle, because how is it that, you know, 15 years, 15 some odd years, you know, coming up 14 years after this massive failure in this city that meant so much to me, here I am back again, and I'm on top of the world. It was incredible, and it was just so special. I gotta take my mother and my father and they got to see their son back in this city, where they had to come and pick up all his stuff and take all of his stuff from college, leaving in shame, and here we were back again, but this time, you know, we're sitting with some titans of industry and me, because people just happen to like my story, and they thought for the kids that came to see this exhibit, Everyone's not going to be the inventor, right? Or the inventor of a cell phone screen or radio towers or radio signals. Everyone's not going to be that. But a flip stick, you could do that. That's That's you, that's possible. And so they put my story in here with all these incredible individuals, and it was just it, man. It made me feel really good, and it made my parents so proud.   Michael Hingson ** 1:01:27 Well, um, that's pretty cool. So your dad got over all his disappointments as well,   Akeem Shannon ** 1:01:34 you know, he did. And I remember, this was a few years later, you know, he told me that night, when I came out to him, that they were disappointed. And that cut me so deep. And I remember years later, maybe like three or four years I told him I wasn't feeling good one day, and I said, Are you disappointed in me? And he's like, why would you think I was disappointed in you? And I was like, because you told me, yeah, you said disappointed. And he's like, I'm going to disappoint it. I said, Well, that's what she said. And he's like, son, I'm not disappointing you. I'm proud of you. This was, this was right, as I had started my business, you know, flip stick, you know, we hadn't been on Shark Tank or any of that stuff yet. He was actually working for me for free in the mall. On my day off, my parents would rotate between giving me and my two employees a day off in the mall because we were working such long hours, and they worked for free. And I just asked him if he was disappointed. He was like, of course, I'm not disappointed. And, you know, I think sometimes for parents, they don't realize their kids absorb everything, and we hear everything, and we take everything so personally and they, you know, as a parent, I think you assume like, of course, my kid knows I love him. I sacrificed everything for them to be here. But you know, we are,

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you interested in learning more about trademark law? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer podcast, host Tyson chats with Sonia Lakhany, who discusses her journey in trademark law and her educational brand, 4L. 4L provides legal education in trademark law and can help you understand how to brand a business.4L is all about providing continuing education to lawyers in a way that has not been done before. It not only tells you what something is, but shows you how to do it, which is a concept that is not popular in the legal field. With experience in trademark law, Sonia began teaching a 2 week course in trademark law which catapulted the business to delivering more courses to help people understand how to trademark and brand a business.Sonia speaks to the attractiveness of trademark law in comparison to other areas. Trademark law allows for more autonomy and flexibility due to not having to be in a courtroom or having multiple teams doing different work in order to achieve one goal. There is a small barrier for entry in trademark law, which makes it more lucrative as a practice.Listen in to learn more!2:36 The purpose of Pharrell as an educational brand7:23 The importance of trademark considerations in branding 12:19 The significance of branding in establishing a recognizable identity30:26 Why trademarks are an attractive area for attorneys Tune in to today's episode and checkout the full show notes here. Connect with Sonia:Website  Instagram Facebook Linkedin Youtube 

As Press Play takes a break for the holidays, here are a few of our favorite interviews from 2024. Julia Louis-Dreyfus talks about portraying a mom struggling to accept her daughter’s illness. She also shares wisdom from conversations with women ages 70 and up. Oscar winner Morgan Neville goes behind the scenes of directing a LEGO movie that chronicles Pharrell’s musical journey from discovery to stardom. George Frideric Handel wrote the music for “Messiah” during political and social unrest. Charles Jennens put together the text when experiencing deep despair.

Welcome back to another exciting episode of The Sisterhood of Sweat! I'm your host, Linda Mitchell, and today we have a very special guest Robin Thicke. He is a five-time Grammy Award nominee, Diamond-selling performer, actor, entrepreneur and philanthropist. Since the launch of his solo career in 2003, after writing for everyone from Michael Jackson to P!nk, Thicke has notched multiple Gold and Platinum certifications and consecutive Top 5 bows on the Billboard Top 200. His sixth album, 2013's “Blurred Lines,” crashed the Billboard Top 200 at #1 and produced the RIAA Diamond-certified title track “Blurred Lines” [feat. T.I. & Pharrell]. The song made history, holding the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 weeks. Thicke also was the first artist since 2012 to simultaneously occupy the #1 spot on the Hot 100 and Top 200, putting him in an elite group of 17 other acts to accomplish this feat in the previous decade. In addition to his role on THE MASKED SINGER, Thicke recently released his first studio album in six years, “On Earth, and in Heaven,” which includes the No. 1 single on the Billboard Album R&B Songs Chart, “That's What Love Can Do,” as well as the current Top 5 radio hit, “Look Easy.” Don't miss the finale of the Masked Singer! The Season 12 finale of The Masked Singer airs Wednesday, December 18th at 8:00 PM PT/ET on FOX! Stay in touch with Robin: https://www.instagram.com/robinthicke/?hl=en https://www.robinthicke.com/ https://www.facebook.com/robinthicke/   How you can stay in touch with Linda: Website Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest YouTube SoundCloud "Proud Sponsors of the Sisterhood of S.W.E.A.T"  Essential Formulas

In this star-studded episode of Backstage Pass with Gentry Thomas, we’re joined by singer, songwriter, and The Masked Singer panelist Robin Thicke. As the season 12 finale of The Masked Singer approaches, Robin shares behind-the-scenes insights from the show, including his thoughts on the season’s surprises and who he thinks should be the next masked contestant. Robin also takes a nostalgic turn, sharing heartwarming childhood stories about his family’s connection to legendary figures like Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner. These personal anecdotes give fans a rare glimpse into his early life growing up around Hollywood royalty. Additionally, Robin reflects on his creative relationship with Pharrell, discussing their collaborations, musical influences, and the impact of their work together. Don’t miss this engaging and intimate conversation as Robin Thicke talks music, family, and the magic of The Masked Singer, only on Backstage Pass with Gentry Thomas.

Welcome to Behind the Mic: Powered by REVOLT Podcast Network! This week, I'm chopping it up with B.K.A Watts—a self-taught artist, reformed rapper, award-winning host, and podcast producer extraordinaire. Hailing from Cleveland, Ohio, Watts has turned his creative talents into a thriving business that produces 23 podcasts weekly, including four for REVOLT Podcast Network. In this episode, Watts shares his journey from music to podcasting, his love for storytelling, and how he's empowering other creators to find their voice. From stepping into the world of magic (yes, actual magic tricks) to discussing the creative outlets that fuel his drive, Watts opens up about living life full throttle. We also dive into a quick-fire ranking game, debating everything from Outkast vs. Wu-Tang to Pharrell vs. Timbaland. "If you've got a talent, use it, and let it take you everywhere." - B.K.A Watts New episodes of Behind the Mic drop every Monday at 9 a.m. on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all your favorite platforms. Like, comment, and subscribe to catch more inspiring conversations with creators shaping the culture. Follow Watts: @BKAWatts on all platforms. Don't miss his podcast, Blerds and Clips, available on REVOLT Podcast Network and everywhere you get your podcasts. Stay tapped into Black culture podcasts and trending creators with the REVOLT Podcast Network. Follow us @REVOLTPodcastNetwork on Instagram, TikTok, and Threads, and @REVOLTPodcast on X. Big thanks to REVOLT for amplifying creators and to Indie Creative Network and Storytime Studios for producing this episode. Let's keep building the culture! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pharrell Williams is a Grammy-winning songwriter, producer, and performer. Getting his start in music alongside Chad Hugo as the production duo known as The Neptunes in 1992, Pharrell has produced chart-topping hits for artists including Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and Snoop Dogg. He has co-composed the music for the Despicable Me film franchise, including hit “Happy,” which became the best-selling song of 2014 and earned Pharrell an Oscar nomination. Pharrell's collaborations with Kendrick Lamar, Beyoncé, and Gwen Stefani, alongside his work as a solo artist and frontman for alternative band N.E.R.D., have solidified his reputation as a creative force in the music industry. With 13 Grammy wins and two Oscar nominations, Pharrell continues to progress the sounds of post-new jack swing, R&B and rap, and pop.  Currently, Pharrell serves as the creative director of Louis Vuitton, and he has recently announced his role as a co-chair for next year's Met Gala alongside Lewis Hamilton and Anna Wintour. In October, his animated biopic Piece by Piece, a collaboration with LEGO, premiered alongside its titular song by Pharrell. The film is now available for rent or purchase to enjoy at home. Link here: https://www.focusfeatures.com/piece-by-piece ------ Thank you to the sponsors that fuel our podcast and our team: Athletic Nicotine https://www.athleticnicotine.com/tetra Use code 'TETRA' ------ Squarespace https://squarespace.com/tetra Use code 'TETRA' ------ Vivo Barefoot http://vivobarefoot.com/tetra Use code 'TETRA25' ------ LMNT Electrolytes https://drinklmnt.com/tetra Use code 'TETRA' ------ Sign up to receive Tetragrammaton Transmissions https://www.tetragrammaton.com/join-newsletter

In episode 207, host Galit Friedlander sits down with Olga Sokolova (international dancer, movement specialist, and creative who's worked with Pharrell, Cartier, and Google Watch) to discuss the intersection of dance, healing, and personal expression. Join Galit and Olga as they dive into traditions of various Eastern training methods, the impact of commercial dance expectations, and the journey to rediscovering divine femininity. From unlocking the body's natural healing potential to the art of flexibility and strength, this episode offers deep insights into owning your creative path and embracing movement as a form of self-discovery. Follow Galit: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gogalit Website - https://www.gogalit.com/ Fit From Home - https://galit-s-school-0397.thinkific.com/courses/fit-from-home You can connect with Olga on Instagram and book a session through this website. Listen to DanceSpeak on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

The animated film Piece By Piece traces Pharrell Williams' early life as a boy growing up in Virginia Beach and follows his trajectory to a Grammy-winning songwriter, performer and producer. He spoke with Tonya Mosley about his synesthesia, the song Prince rejected, and disliking his own voice. Subscribe to Fresh Air's weekly newsletter and get highlights from the show, gems from the archive, and staff recommendations.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Ferg joins Ebro in the Morning to discuss fashion, the rise of lyricism in 2024, hits, and Rosenberg's Thanksgiving bars. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Patrick Radden Keefe is an author currently living in New York. His Dua Lipa-approved book, Say Nothing, was recently adapted and released as a series on Hulu, and it's gaining quite a buzz. We chat with him about us hosting the GQ Men Of The Year awards Livestreamp, Jacques Marie Mage sunnies, "tastemaker" screenings, Pharrell's aura, his kids play tennis, using alcohol to regulate jet lag, a Pulitzer misunderstanding, when they rotate the artwork on streaming sites, casting his show, his thoughts on a cashless society, Coinstar shame, and our thoughts on Mark W*hlberg. patrickraddenkeefe.com twitter.com/donetodeath twitter.com/themjeans howlonggone.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One-on-one pod recorded live and uncut from the GQ Man Of The Year awards at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles. We've got a quick one before the big show and chat about The Rock, John Mullaney, Pharrell, and Katt Williams, Anna Wintour, Lil Nas X is stealing again, stop trying to make Bluesky a thing, some presidential afterthoughts, right-wing vs. left-wing hobbies and interests, The Onion buying Infowars, Eve Babitz, Joan Didion, and the destruction of the middle class of writers. twitter.com/donetodeath twitter.com/themjeans howlonggone.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pharrell Williams is—well, let me just say, he's a big reason why Song Exploder exists. He's a singer, songwriter and producer, and in the 90s, when I first heard the work that he was doing with the Neptunes, which was his production duo with Chad Hugo, it blew my mind. It made me want to know where those sounds came from and where those ideas came from. Pharrell has won 13 Grammys. He's been nominated for two Oscars. He's produced iconic songs for Kendrick Lamar, Britney Spears, Clipse, Gwen Stefani, and so many others. And on his own, he's made songs like “Happy,” the giant hit for Despicable Me that was the best-selling song of 2014. And now, there's a movie about his life called Piece by Piece. But it's an animated Lego film. For this episode, I talked to Pharrell about the title song from Piece By Piece. So, coming up, you'll hear how Pharrell built that song, including a first draft that never saw the light of day. You'll hear how he built “Piece by Piece” by programming it, on his own, with MIDI instruments, and then adding and replacing those parts with other musicians, including the high school marching band that he used to play in. For more, visit songexploder.net/pharrell.

The animated film Piece By Piece traces Pharrell's early life as a boy growing up in Virginia Beach and follows his trajectory to a Grammy-winning songwriter, performer and producer. He spoke with Tonya Mosley about his synesthesia, the song Prince rejected, and disliking his own voice. Subscribe to Fresh Air's weekly newsletter and get highlights from the show, gems from the archive, and staff recommendations.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In episode 1754, Jack and Miles are joined by comedian, writer, journalist, activist, and host of The Bitchuation Room, Francesca Fiorentini, to discuss… Jack Smith October “Surprise” And JD Vance Refusing To Accept the Election Results, Tim Kaine Is About To Sleepwalk Into His Next Term…, What The F**k Is Going On With Music Biopics Right Now? And more! Support Mutual Aid Disaster Relief Jack Smith October “Surprise” And JD Vance Refusing To Accept the Election Results The 11 Most Shocking, Damning, and Weird Revelations From the DOJ's New 165-Page Bombshell Motion in Trump's Election Case Hung Cao: "That's not the people we want. Like, what, what we need is alpha males and alpha females who are gonna rip out their own guts, eat them..." Hung Cao's unhinged answer on how to create more affordable housing. First trailer for Bob Dylan biopic shows Timothée Chalamet as the star Bob Dylan Is Now a Freewheelin' Tweeter Pharrell's Lego Biopic: PIECE BY PIECE Trailer ‘Piece By Piece': Everything To Know About Pharrell's Lego Movie Featuring Kendrick Lamar And Snoop Dogg Robbie Williams Is a Monkey in His Biopic for Some Reason Britney, too? Audiences are sick and tired of formulaic musician biopics Top 10 funniest Acting Choices Ever Made: Nicole Kidman's Binoculars LISTEN: Sweet Release by Common SaintsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.