To kick off Season Two of The Thrive Global Podcast with iHeart Radio and Sleep Number, Thrive Global founder and CEO Arianna Huffington sat down with Oscar-winning producer Brian Grazer, whose film and television credits include Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, Arrested Development, Parenthood, and many more. In a wide-ranging conversation, Huffington and Grazer spoke about everything from how to have a good conversation to Grazer’s relationship with his phone.
In the midst of discussing his 2016 book, A Curious Mind, Grazer told Huffington about his enlightening encounter with rapper Gucci Mane.
Grazer explained that, every few weeks, he engages in what he calls “curiosity conversations” where he sits down with interesting people from a range of industries, makes intense eye contact to connect with them and then learns about their perspectives. Last year, he met with Radric Delantic Davis, otherwise known as Gucci Mane.
Growing up poor in Atlanta, Mane learned the true meaning of music and survival, Grazer told Huffington. “He was one of those kids,” he said. “No apologies. He’s not an apology guy. He’s pretty straightforward. He’s extremely … authentic.”
Mane launched the hip-hop subgenre of trap music — a movement that has “taken over all of hip hop,” according to Grazer.
Grazer added that “every kid in America” recognizes Mane by his Gucci clothes and burgundy Rolls Royce convertible. But on top of his larger-than-life personality, Mane is also “extremely prolific” with his music.
“When he got out of prison, I think in two weeks, he put out 20 songs,” Grazer said. “He’s a focused guy that’s a clear thinker but also very authentic. He’s from the street.”
To hear the full conversation on iHeartRadio, click here.
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