Rebel Radio

Once in a while I like to practice giving up control. This week I hand over the mic (Not literally, we both had mics otherwise you'd only hear one person which wouldn't be great unless we were doing a one-person podcast, which we aren't. So glad we cleared that up.) to my collaborator Ethan Baer. Ethan is an entrepreneur whose hustle I respect a lot, and he had some questions for me about leadership and business smarts. Of course I start out by telling him some of the ways I've screwed up over the years. Braggadocio! Hopefully by the end we got to some valuable lessons and maybe I'll challenge your perspective on some things. Love to hear from you if I said anything you liked or hated. In the intro I also also ramble on a bit about what it means to be a rebel, which you'd think I would have down to a clean one-liner by now. I don't. I basically make the argument that rebellion is about bringing new ideas into the world, which are likely to meet a lot of resistance on their way to becoming mainstream. I hope o

Legendary rave promoter Disco Donnie is our guest this week. He was perhaps the only promoter to be prosecuted under the draconian "crack house statutes" that were invoked to try to bring down dance music in the late 90s. Even that couldn't stop him. Today, his operation is stronger than ever. Donnie recently bought back the company that bears his name and is producing some of the most popular raves in the country. Even in the middle of a pandemic, Donnie is making bold moves. He's got big lessons to share about having a vision and going after it. You can check out his shows at https://www.discodonniepresents.com You can also hear him as a panelist at our AMP Music Summit back in May: https://ampmusicsummit.com/videos/#anatomy-of-a-festival-cancellation Music featured in this episode: THRWDWN ft David Ware: You With Me THRWDWN: Hot Trees Courtesy of White House Music (https://whitehousemusic.net) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jerry Wonda's discography reads like the Billboard chart: Since co-producing the Fugee's mega-hit album The Score, he's worked with artists including Carlos Santana, Mary J. Blige, Busta Rhymes, Miguel, Lupe Fiasco, Migos, Melissa Etheridge, DJ Khaled, Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys, Michael Jackson, and many more. Oh, he also prooduced Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie," which is the biggest-selling record of the century. Music runs through this man. But as much as Jerry makes hits, it sounds like he cares more about the good he can do in the world, whether his philanthropic work with MusiCares, or his new message-driven spoken word project with Ras Baraka, the mayor of Newark, NJ. We join Jerry in his studio in Minnesota to talk about (and listen to) music, legacy, and leadership. We get a little glimpse into what it takes to stay at the top of the game for more than two decades. Dig it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Blake Coppelson turned his Proximity YouTube channel into a record label and is now building the company into a lifestyle brand. Want to learn how? First, he built the channel up to 8 million subscribers by posting the hottest EDM tracks each week. Listen to the interview to hear the rest, and where he's planning to take it next, and what he's learning along the way. Then check out some new music at www.youtube.com/proximity. Welcome back to our co-host Ethan Baer who joins us again for this episode. Ethan was a co-host on the interview with Gareth Emory and is the head of electronic music at Create Music Group. Ethan was also featured in his own episode back in 2018, when he was a co-founder of EDM.com. If you liked this one, check out our interview with Peanut Butter Wolf: https://soundcloud.com/rebel_radio/peanut-butter-wolf-how-to-be-a-real-influencer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I love this one because we're highlighting two entrepreneurs building something in the middle of a pandemic. They aren't waiting for things to get back to normal. They know they don't have it all figured out. They're just executing. They're passionate about the cause, and they're using what they have to create value, to be a beacon for other people, and to build a community of people who care about the same things. Sounds like a formula for success. Shira Lazar was a previous guest on the show. She's the founder and host of What's Trending and is a social influencer and entrepreneur. We're excited to welcome her back to the show. She's partnered with Jordana Reim — former advertising executive and yoga teacher and host of Mount Everest Base Camp wellness experiences — to create Peace Inside Live (https://www.peaceinside.live), a community of instructors hosting classes in yoga, mindfulness, and other resources to impact our mental and physical well-being. Much needed in 2020 and pretty much always as the chal

I caught up with Felix over FaceTime at his home in Berlin. At only 25, he's already had a #1 hit in over 55 countries (2014 remix of Omi's Cheerleader), and been through the ups and downs of mental health challenges that often ride alonog with success. Just before quarantine, Felix visited the Plum Village Buddhist Monastery in France (is that like a new age Slum Village?) to get his head right. In our interview, he shares some generous insights into what he's gone through to balance personal and professional success and how he's come to find gratitude and joy. Something we can all use a bit more of. Check it, and then check Felix's latest DJ Mix, Pride: https://music.apple.com/us/album/felix-jaehn-pride-2020-dj-mix/1515841759 If you liked this one, check out our interview with Caspa & Rusko: https://soundcloud.com/rebel_radio/caspa-x-rusko Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a special episode. Raymond Roker has been more of a mentor to me than probably anyone else. He gave me my first job out of college and he helped me start a career in marketing when we launched an agency together over 20 years ago. Even though it's been more than a decade since we've worked together, I still hear his voice in my head sometimes when I'm considering big decisions. He's also the founder of URB Magazine, which more than any other media, defined underground culture in the US. After URB, he went on to launch The Red Bulletin, Red Bull's lifestyle magazine, and most recently produced the Coachella documentary as head of content at AEG. If you haven't see that yet, you should watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjwilAja7Lc There's so much we didn't get to from our 30 year friendship and business relationship, and in putting this show together I noticed we didn't talk too much about music. Hopefully we'll have Raymond back soon and dig into some of that. But we did get some valuable

Could Bunny Kitty become the next Snoopy? Persue is gonna find out. Today, graf artist Persue gives us a masterclass in branding. After getting his start as a designer for DC Shoes, he went on to build a career painting walls and doing brand work, and then developed Bunny Kitty, an anime-inspired character that has turned into its own brand including clothing and accessories, plush toys, and a children's book, with more to come. He also created the Wetpaint movement (@wearewetpaint) which features hand-painted "wet paint" subway signs in collaboration with artists from all over the world. Great lessons in the evolution of a career and creating a legacy. Want to work on your coloring or lettering styles? You can download free Bunny Kitty worksheets at https://www.bunnykitty.com https://www.instagram.com/alynnpaint/ https://www.instagram.com/gloriamuriel/ https://www.instagram.com/carlyealey/ Music featured in this episode: THRWDWN: Old Skool Beat KOH: 4Da Soul Courtesy of White House Music (https://whitehousem

On this episode we introduce a new co-host: Ethan Baer. Ethan is SVP and head of electronic music at Create Music Group and was previously co-founder of EDM.com. Ethan is a talented entrepreneur and was a guest on a the show in 2018. This time he helps me interview British trance god Gareth Emery. Gareth has won the prestigious A State of Trance Tune of the Year award three times and has ranked as high as #7 on the DJ Mag Top 100. He makes funny videos, including the "We Are CVNT5" series, hosts radio shows and pocasts and makes us tired with his incredible work ethic. You can listen to that episode here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-radio/id1009565465?i=1000408629511 In our interview, he explains it wasn't always this way. He almost lost it all after some early success, and his dad had to step in with some fatherly wisdom. Today, you get the benefit of his scars, as he drops some gems on us about hard work, perseverance, all that boring shit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone

"We're all human and we're all going to have some days where it feels like the walls are crashing in around us. But most of the time, I think if you can focus on the tasks at hand rather than the big picture, that's going to keep you kind of occupied." Wise words on staying focused during these trying times from Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff, guitar player for Lettuce, one of the funkiest live bands out there. For those who don't know, Lettuce is one of the bands keeping funk alive with performances around the world, now more than 20 years in the game. They got a Grammy nomination this year for Elevate, their fifth album, and have a new album out this summer: Resonate. Shmeeans is gonna teach us some valuable lessons: how to keep a partnership healthy for over 2 decades, how to give feedback to people who might not want it (start with sorry), and more. If you liked this one, check out our interview with Tuxedo: https://soundcloud.com/rebel_radio/ep-3-mayer-hawthorne-says-get-your-shit-together-and-dont-fly-co

Bear Grillz is in a category with Marshmello, Deadmau5, Daft Punk — he DJs in costume, in his case a giant bear head. Despite that light-hearted approach to stage presence, he takes his business seriously. He started out promoting clubs and then booking tours before getting behind the decks himself. What a great way to learn the business! Now, he's begun exploring his identity without the costume, and at the same time tackling important issues of mental health that affect him and fans alike. Really intersting journey. Check it out now. If you liked this one, check out our interview with Caspa & Rusko: https://soundcloud.com/rebel_radio/caspa-x-rusko Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the amazing things about music is how people come to it as a career. Some start out as kids and never stop down that path. Others pick it up late and just jump right in. Ryden shows us that maybe the path matters. She studied classical music as a kid, then became an athlete and martial artist, a pre-med student in college, a TV host doing interviews on red carpets, and then finally started DJing, rapping, and producing. She also overcame physical and mental health challenges and, as she says, became her own superhero. One of her guiding principles comes from Tony Robbins and could not be more relevant in 2020: "Instead of asking, 'how is this the worst thing that ever happened to me?' Ask yourself, 'how is this the best thing that's ever happened to me?' That's when it becomes fun. Because, yes, this is hard, but there's awesome things that are coming out of it, too." Click now to hear her incredible story. If you liked this one, check out our interview with Ookay: https://soundcloud.com/rebel_rad

** This episode is part of our long-running Art x Rebels series in partnership with Guerilla One and co-hosted by Eddie Donaldson. To stay up on graffiti and street art, follow Eddie at https://www.instagram.com/guerillaone/ ** David Flores has painted murals all around the world. His art hangs in museums and galleries and covers skate decks. He does private commissions and brand collaborations. In our first-ever episode from quarantine, David gives us some insight into his approach and how he's influenced by his environment, having recently moved from LA to the mountains of Ojai. Get into it. If you liked this one, check out past interviews in the Art x Rebels series in partnership with Guerilla One: https://soundcloud.com/rebel_radio/sets/artxwork-rebels-series EDM.com Track of the Week: https://soundcloud.com/kevmomusic/demons-prod-harrisonmcquade Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

C-Minus has been at the center of LA's hip hop scene for many years, from multiple mixshows on POWER106 to behind the wheels at Motown on Mondays to holding it down at BReal.TV. He also played an important role in the rap-rock explosion in the late 90s, DJing on tour with Korn and Foo Fighters and bringing a rock show to hip hop radio. We dig into a lot of music in this episode, and talk about the curiosity that has driven him since day one. If you liked this one, check out our interview with Mr. Choc: https://soundcloud.com/rebel_radio/mr-choc-how-to-be-a-team-player EDM.com Track of the Week: https://soundcloud.com/nourish/still-haze-down-in-the-vespa Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we bring you a short episode introducing the AMP Music Summit, a virtual music industry conference we're creating in collaboration with Simon Rust Lamb and Seth Combs featuring thought leaders from all areas of the music industry as well as finance, technology, HR, business culture, and more. The event is Wednesday, May 6th and registration is FREE at www.ampmusicsummit.com. Talks will be archived and available afterwards. Simon is a live music veteran and was formerly COO and General Counsel of Insomniac Events. He negotiated Insomniac's Live Nation partnership, and shepherded the largest dance music festival in the world, Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC). He also co-promoted our LIVE episode with Ana Kasparian of The Young Turks. Seth is a two-time client of Rebel Industries. Co-founding SOL REPUBLIC, he helped bring incredible sound to the masses. As CMO of NEXT Music, he is bringing music to life through a mobile music app with over 34.1 million music fans, and launching Sessions, a live-streami

This is one of those "don't judge a book by its cover" episodes. sKitz Kraven is a horrorcore rapper and has been called "the Marilyn Manson of rap," which either appeals to you or it doesn't. What we found out is that as an artist and businessperson, he's much more complex than that. Sure, he makes angry, dark, twisted music that has helped to settle the rage inside him and connect with the rage inside his fans. But he's also exploring other sounds and energies and sharing them through a #newmusicmonday strategy that's pretty interesting. He also takes us through learning about TikTok and what a difference it's made in his career, and how he's thinking differently about live performance from a lot of his peers. Dig it. EDM.com Track of the Week: https://soundcloud.com/hip-hop/king-kvng-dexx-turner-bruno Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's another episode of my ongoing debate with Dennis White about everything related to music, business, and culture. This time we're talking abou the issue of selling out, what it means and if it still matters and anyone cares. For once, it seems like we're on the same page. You can learn more about Dennis, aka Latroit, aka Static Revenger, in our very first episode ever, and also earlier this year when we caught up about his Grammy award and the lastest in his career. If you liked this one, check out our other interviews with Dennis White aka Latroit: https://soundcloud.com/rebel_radio/ep-1-dennis-white https://soundcloud.com/rebel_radio/special-edition-the-reverse-interview-with-dennis-white https://soundcloud.com/rebel_radio/latroit-how-to-win-a-grammy EDM.com Track of the Week: https://soundcloud.com/firstedition/chance-king-four-hours Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Music heads are going to love this one. Steingold is our latest guest representing Detroit. He's in good company. So far we've had Kenny Larkin, Latroit, Tuxedo, Rude Jude, Josh Glazer, Chris Denson, and I'm sure I'm forgetting some. And yet, Detroit's contributions to culture run so deep, we've barely even scratched the surface. Steingold is the epitome of doing it for the love. He produces house and techno music, and DJs, often touring with Mike D from the Beastie Boys. He also worked at MySpace early on and co-founded a tech company. In today's episode, he shares some insights into straddling those two worlds and how he stays connected to the people that enable him to make moves. In our interview we talk about... Bobby French Carl Craig Depeche Mode Derrick May Diplo DJ Assault DJ Graffiti DJ Spider El da Sensei Elvis Suarez Eminem Erick Morillo Gladys Pizarro Green Velvet J-Live Jack Tripper Jason’s dad Jeff Mills Jimmy Buffett Josh Glazer Juan Atkins Kenny Larkin Kevin Saunders

Janet Varney is a boss. She's an actress on hit TV shows like You're The Worst, The Legend of Korra, and Stan Against Evil. She's the host of the awesome podcast, The JV Club where she talks to friends and other actors about how their childhoods shaped their adulthoods. She's co-founder of the SF Sketchfest sketch comedy festival, now in its 20th year. Plus all the projects she's developing that we didn't even get to. If reading all that makes you tired, relax here with our interview. Make sure you check out The JV Club With Janet Varney: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jv-club-with-janet-varney/id507523105 Although it sounds name droppy, it isn't (or maybe it is) — but we talk about a lot of people you might know in this episode: Aisha Tyler Anthony Hopkins Aya Cash Bruce McCullough Carl Sagan Cole Stratton Colton Dunn Daniel Kahneman David Bowie David Owen Felicia Day Fred Armisen Fred Willard Gabe Dyani James Roday Janet’s mom Jodie Foster Jonathan Demme Jose Gonzalez Kids in The Hall Kirsten

James Andrews is the definition of a hustler. He moves with ease through music, technology, investment circles — collecting and connecting. He came through the studio to shed light on the launch of his new venture: The Authenticated, which is part members-only social network, part brand advisor and startup factory. He shares some great stories from his journey and helps us understand how hip hop has impacted business as much as it has culture, and how you can launch a startup the way you would break a record. Learn more about The Authenticated, and possibly even apply for membership, here: https://theauthenticated.mn.co/ If you liked this one, check out our interview with AJ Bertenshaw: https://soundcloud.com/rebel_radio/2-reasons-serato-will-blow-your-mind-again EDM.com Track of the Week: https://soundcloud.com/thisisechelon/m11-more-than-friends Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices