"Benny Blanco"

(upbeat music) - Hey, wow, look at you guys. - Hey, by the way, when they don't know, is the audience doesn't know, is that we had already started to cold open, and Rob and Bennett weren't rolling yet. Remember that? - Oh, God, right. - Remember, we were about to go, and then Rob goes a rolling, like a-- - Oh, rolling, yeah. - So it's a lukewarm, lukewarm up in the air. - Yeah, we're ready for all this more rolling. - It's real blurb, you're welcome to "Smartless." - Smart. (upbeat music) - Smart. - Smart. Blast. - Somebody just had a big and egg and cheese sandwich for breakfast. - And it wasn't me. - And it wasn't you and it wasn't JB, and it wasn't her surprise guest, although I don't know what they had. Hi, everybody, it's Will, and we're back with "Smartless." - Oh my God, did you, I'm having my tea. I gotta catch up with you. - Oh boy. - I'm having a coffee. - Will, did you make the bacon egg cheese sandwich? (laughs) - What does it make me? - Oh, no. - Make me. - Did you go down to-- - You know what, can I mention? I ordered it from Leora. - Oh, that spot. - I love that spot. - What's that? - So much goodness. I feel like they're leaving a little money on the table by staying in such a small spot. - I know, but I always booked up and-- - They're buried in that fan. - The ETA building. - Yeah. - And Sean, have you been there? - Yeah. - It's unbelievable. They're at the frozen coffee, JB. - No, but nothing sucks there. - It's a joke. I can't have it right now, 'cause it'll send me to the moon, I'll be, I'll be. - But I'll bet you that bacon egg and cheese sandwich was slathered with just real tasty creams and-- - Well, you saw. - It was more like the bread had been perfectly toasted, so it was like-- - Where it's just, it's got a little edge to it that's got some chew and some crunch, but the center is soft. - Yeah, the cheese was so velvety. - Hello. - It was so good and I don't normally do that. You know, back in the day, Sean, JB used to have every morning when we were shooting rest development, we'd walk through rehearsal and he'd be holding on to dear life, to a breakfast burrito, to hand. And Mitchell would be like, yeah, we're doing this and go, whoa, whoa, whoa, and he'd be hammering a breakfast. I mean, every morning, right, JB? - And I couldn't understand why I was holding so much water weight in my face. - But I don't usually have breakfast, but today, I felt like I need to-- - I don't ever have breakfast. - Whoa, I fast. - Whoa. - I was up early 'cause I'm on East Coast time, so I was up super early and I was like, I gotta eat some. - And did you walk over to the Lyor place? - No, it was-- - Did you get elected delivery? - That was it, I did it over each type deal. - Well, how can it arrive hot and fresh if it's delivered? - It's not delivery, it's the Giorno, guys. Have you not, do you not know that-- - That's stupid. - I want you guys to know that I am in a puddle of my own sweat right now. - So I thought that was-- - I thought that way you got out of the shower, and that's disgusting. - I know, I didn't time my workout slash sauna slash shower slash get dressed, slash get fuck, and then I slash to the podcast. Look, I gotta-- - So is this sauna sweater or workout sweat? - This is still, this is post shower even sweat. - No. - Oh, so it is a shower. - Yeah, the hair is, yeah, but you got the shower slits. - I mean, oh. - Wow. - Oh, my body. - Well, thank God you took a shower. - Yeah. - I'm gonna need another one after this. - Will you shower after this? - You bet. - Yeah. (laughing) - And did you already go through your whole process this morning? - Have I emptied? Yes. - Yeah, okay. - Did you-- - Have you-- - Did that happen-- - Have you? - Obviously, did that happen-- - Sean? - What have I-- - I haven't taken a shower yet, all right after that. - Done everything else? - No, nothing. I never do. I don't even eat. - What do you mean you never do? What do you mean? - What do you mean? - What do you mean? - What do you mean? - What do you-- - I don't, I don't-- - What do you mean my wife? (laughing) - What do you mean my wife? - What do you mean my wife? (laughing) - Yeah. - No, I don't. I'm never, I don't have to poop in the morning. - You're not regular. - No, I'm not. - No, I don't. We've covered this in number-- - No, but I'm sorry. - Okay, sure. - But I just real quick. Is it once a day, at least so shiny? Well, maybe sometimes not. So I feel like that's a problem. I don't. I talked to my doctor about it. He said if it's something like four days without it. - This is the one you've been seeing during your frequent visits to the emergency room? - No, this is somebody else. Yeah. - This is a different-- - You went ahead and said you need a different priest to ask your team. (laughing) - No, I went to the ask doctor for all that stuff. - Oh, yeah. - He's great. But yeah, no, he said it's normal. But anyway, anyway, should we get to our guest? I mean, is that weird transition? - No, I mean, sure, I mean, I've all of us. I think we're all still our minds are all still on what's going on with you. - Is this your chance? This is mine's, mine's. - Okay, I was dipping my sandwich in ketchup, by the way, in case any of you had just turned a-- - But you were dragging it, too. - Not even dead drag. - I know. - It was a full drag. - Get him out here, Sean. - All right, he grew up in Reston, Virginia. I'm thinking about dragging ketchup. That sounds so good. As a teenager, he cold-called record label - Let's take a ten in the first. - Before you think about putting more in your face, okay? Dump truck? - Oh, it's not a catch-man. - We're just so worried about them back up. Go ahead, Sean. - I know, I don't have it, I'll feel it. As a teenager, guys, he cold-called record labels pretending to be Jay-Z's attorney. On weekends, he took the five-hour bus trip to New York to DJ parties, hauling a desktop computer from Club to Club because he didn't own a laptop. He couldn't afford a hotel, so he slept in train stations, parks, and the McDonald's and Times Square. Before he turned 25, he had co-written and produced Kesh's TikTok, and Rihanna's Diamonds, you may have heard of his wife, Selena Gomez. It's the singular and super cool, Benny Blanc. - Very well, go log. - Very well, go log. - There we go. - This guy's got answers for us. - All right, right. - How are you doing? - Very nice. - Benny, how's your morning been? - Well. - That's a soft question right there. You go ahead and take it wherever you want to go with that. - First of all, I'm empty. - That's second. - Second of all. - Second of all. - Your doctor said you can four days. That's insane. They need to be there four days. - No, they're like four days. - What are you talking about? - Yeah, he said that was okay. - Did you get a deal on this doctor? - Yes. - His doctor doesn't hold any actual licenses, you know what I'm saying. - Yeah, my doctor says four days, too. - Four days, Shawnee? - Yeah, yeah, yeah, four days. - No, that's not it. - That's not it. - Maybe I got it wrong. - Hi, Benny. How are you? Benny and I do know each other a little, but we do know each other a little bit. - We did a commercial together. - What commercial? - For Duncan. - Duncan, donuts. - Oh, right on. - That's all we got. - That's all we got. - How about the Tim Hortons, folks? Would they be upset about that, Willie? - Well, we don't know. We haven't been in touch with him. That's a Canadian outfit, Benny. - Oh, I know, I know. - Benny and Duncan. - Wait, Benny, what's on the wall behind you with all the charts? - Guys, the other side. - I know. - Guys, I don't know. - No, the other side. - The other side. - What office are you borrowing? - Are you in a school uniform? - I'm in my doctor's office right now. - Hold on. - I'm so scared of the classroom. - He says, "Shitting every floor of the next day is. " - I don't know. This is a weird doctor's office. - No, it is a very strange room. Everywhere I look, there's maps. We are in an Airbnb. Well, I don't even know if it's an Airbnb. I call everything in Airbnb. - Sure. - You're renting out. There's no other name. It's like any time-- - It's like Q-tip is a cotton swab. - Yeah, yeah. I'm in a rental home in London. - God. - I've been here for a very long time. - How long have you been there? - About six years. - No, I've been, well, such a stupid story. - Basically, I don't fly. So, when I come-- - By the way, can I tell you something? That's my first question. I want to get into it. - Okay, well, hey, well, he was happy through what he was doing. - No, Sean, I don't care. Just that you want to take it wherever you want. Sean, let's do it. You might be a little constipated. - Yeah, excuse me, he's a little backed up. Go ahead, but he said you don't fly. - It's affecting his brain. - Oh, yeah, I know. It's affecting my brain. - It's affecting my brain. Circulation. - Okay, so basically, I stopped flying a long time ago. My neurosis took over. I've flown a handful of times in the last, like, 10 years. But I'm so insane that I take the boat to Europe. - Wow. - So I take every time I go to Europe, I have to drive from LA to New York. And then I get on a boat for seven days to Europe. - Well, how long is the drive from LA to New York? - I mean, it's as long as you want it. You can do it in 41 hours if you want, but you can stretch it out to two weeks. - Never the train. Never the train. - I've done it. I've done every form except walking. - Benny, I love this so much. - Okay, so can you say the first of all, seven days on a boat, and then you get there. So of course, you've been there a long time, because you don't want to take the trip back. But what about the Ed Sheeran story? - Well, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. What's the boat like? - Okay. - The boat is the actual Titanic. Like, I'm on the Titanic. - Yeah, sure. - I'm on, it's not like a yacht or something. I'm on the Cunard ship. - Like, yeah, I'm on like a, essentially like, a carnival cruise with all British people. - But it's kind of badass, right? - You've got a nice cabin, yeah? - Define high-end. - Well, like, let's say the Orient Express, but floating. - No, no. - Okay. - Does that exist? >> No, no, I think it does. >> Well, they're building the Titanic too, for real, from scratch, and it's going to be exactly a replica. >> Well, great idea. Let's keep that going. >> Yeah. >> My mom's on a fancy cruise right now, so I know it exists. It just doesn't exist on my travel trajectory. So I'm sitting, yeah, basically, Sean, you want the story? I was, I was, I was making an album with Ed Sheeran, we're making an album called Divide. It took us like two and a half years. We were on tour all over America. He said, I have to finish it at my house, in my hometown where I grew up in, in England. And I said, okay, that's really cool, but I don't fly. And he said, well, what if we take a boat? I said, what do you mean take a boat? We looked it up, it's the Queen Mary, he's like, yeah, I think it'll be a cool idea. So we're on the boat. In theory, it's a great idea, like it sounds like an amazing idea. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> It's cool for a day and a half, everything else you're like, you, I usually start to go insane about four days in and you just like, you don't even know who you are anymore. All four corners of this boat and all the people and you just, you're ready to jump over. >> They got the internet on there? >> They got the internet, they got the internet. They got like Starlink, that's good. The first time I went the internet was so bad and it cost like, it cost like a million dollars. Like the first time I went on, you would be like this, I'd be like, just signing on just trying to like figure out everything. >> And then what about any high seas ever? >> Yeah, I've been on in a hurricane. >> God, I'm flying, it scares me, big, big waves. >> There's only been one, there's only been one, the both sunk one time out of like a million. >> Right. >> It's the best stop. >> And then a great movie out of it. >> Yeah, but I mean, but I can't, every documentary is like about diarrhea on a cruise ship, on any ship. >> Yeah, how fast? >> You should, you should. >> Yeah, you need to go tomorrow. Get a ticket tomorrow. >> Yeah. >> Let's get the motor running. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Let's try to pump a little bit. >> Well, I actually make my own food on the boat. >> Let's get a little far from the bathroom. >> Yeah, exactly. >> I actually make my own food on the boat. >> What food? >> What do you mean? >> What does that mean? >> I like bring it, and I have like a little refrigerator. I either use like a rice cooker or an air fryer, and I just, I want to have my own food. I don't like the food on the boat. >> Tell me about the inciting incident that got you out of the sky and into the water. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> I love the way I phrase my questions. >> Sure. >> I love phrasing questions. >> Basically, I'm in, it's the same day, what's that guy's name, Sully, who got the plane and-- >> Sully Sullenberger. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> It's the exact same day. >> In the-- >> It's good, right? >> The Hudson River. >> So, yeah. So, I'm on my way to the airport. All my friends are calling me, and they're saying, are you okay? And I said, what do you mean am I okay? They said, that plane. We thought you were on that plane, because I guess I was on one similar time. And I said, no. So I hear that, and I'm not even afraid. I'm like, man, what a crazy coincidence. >> Right. >> I get on a plane to Atlanta, and it was, it got dicey. You know how I know it got dicey? I was always all good on a plane because you looked at the stewardess, and they were stoked. They were stoked. >> Yeah. >> I looked at the stewardess, and she had a fear in her eyes. I've never seen on a plane before. So I was like-- >> Because of the level of turbulence? >> There was the level of turbulence, and we weren't allowed to walk the entire flight. You couldn't stand up to go to the bathroom. I remember the one traumatic thing is this lady is trying to get the cart down, and the cart goes flying. And she goes flying too. And the medic gets one of the ladies, the stewardess. So it's just an awful flight where you think you're going to, everyone's had that one. But I got off, and then I had slightly a bad flight, like a few weeks later. And I was just like, maybe I'll drive to New York the next time. And then it just kind of started like that, and it's just like a neuroses that grew. And I wish I could say. >> And you fall in love with long drives too. I love driving long distances, and I bet that boat is super relaxing for you. I mean, truly, it gives you like focus time to just do what you want to do and get bored and, you know, a lot of relaxation happens in bored of my fun. >> Yeah. Well, I'm creativity, which is a great segue, Will. >> Well, thank you. Well, no, I was just going to say, I mean, people talk, it's not an original idea, but you see people talk about these days about how we used to, but prior to social media and smartphones and stuff. I mean, you remember as your kid, how many hours spent staring out the window as you were driving? And all you did was on a plane in the car with your folks, whatever just staring out the window. Or Sean, like staring out the living room window, wondering like, is he coming back? Is he going to come back? Is he ever coming back? >> Guys, I was talking about this the other day with my friend. Back in the day, you'd say, hey, meet me to play basketball after school. So you'd go, you'd say, meet me, you'd go there, your friend wouldn't be there. You'd get home after dark. You couldn't call them because it was too late to call someone's house. So you had to wait till the next day to say, hey, man, where were you? And like any excuse they said was valid. People used to not be accessible now. If you don't answer a text, they FaceTime you, then they Facebook you, then they Instagram you. >> Checking your location. >> It's like too much. >> Yeah. >> I want to go backwards. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, let's go backwards. >> But speaking about friends, it looks serious. >> Yeah. >> I remember you used to shout out. >> Sean, get back to the plan. Sorry, you got a plan ahead of you. >> Get back to the grid. >> What's your plan? >> What's on the grid, Sean? >> No, well, I mean, I just want, first of all, I've never met you and I'm like enamored with you and all your success. >> Same. >> For people don't, my sister might not know, maybe, maybe she does. >> What's your sister doing? >> But all the people, my sister's name is Tracy. >> Hey, Tracy. >> Hey, Tracy. >> Hey, Tracy. >> Hey, Tracy. >> Yeah, hey, hey, hey. >> But all, I mean, do you ever, do you ever just stop and think about all the success you've had in your still so young? You've written massive hit songs for Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran, Katy Perry, Maroon Five. I mean, I'm reading these, Kesha, Britney Spears, Snoop Dogg, Halsey, I mean, Kanye West. I mean, just everybody in the music business has a song by you, which is just mind-blowing. And so, when I was doing my research on you and learning, like, wow, and this all started when your brother took you to a record store. Is that how it started? >> Essentially. >> That's true. >> That's true. >> Okay. And what happened? Like, what are some of the first albums you got and like, why did that? I was, I got very into music when I was like four or five, I was super into it. And my brother, this was like the era of the CD book and the tape, like, remember you used to have the book and you could flip through and it was like the most coveted item in the house. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And I was blown away. It was actually a little before that I was cassettes. And then the CD book came out, like, maybe probably when I was like eight or nine. When you say the CD book, you're talking about the storage where I was all along. >> Yeah, when you catch the storage, I still have mine. I still have mine. >> Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. >> So, yeah, tapes first came out. >> Case logic. >> Case logic. >> I think was a big, big one. >> Yeah. >> I went to storage. >> Here we go. Here's a gifting from a case logic on its way. >> No, they're, I think they're, they're, they're, they're resting, right? >> First. >> Tape I ever bought. >> Yeah. >> It was by Nas. It was called The World Is Yours. >> Yeah. >> And then the second tape I ever bought was a- >> All for one. >> Yeah, yeah. I swear by the moon and the stars and the stars. >> So I was buying this shit and my mom was like, had such a good, had such good taste in music. You know, my mom was like really a music head. So we were like, I was listening to like Prince and like Teddy Pendergrass at home. And like I had like, I had, so I had the Yang and the Yang and I actually wasn't even like a huge pop music fan until I started making it. Like I really didn't even, I really didn't even, I didn't really know it much. >> Wow, right, right, right, right, right, was, was like, when you were doing all that, my, my friends were really into like classic rock. And so it was all about like Zeppelin and stones and doors and all that stuff. Was it, was there ever a big rock and roll draw for you? >> Yeah, first. So when I'm about seven. >> Yeah. >> Is when like the whole grunge scene hit. So I'm going crazy with my brother, I'm losing my mind. And then my dad was a huge, you know, there was the big war in my house. My mom, my mom was Beatles and my dad was stone. So it was like a big war when I was throwing up. So they were big, yeah, like my mom, my mom like grew up like going to like CDG reasons. Do you know 54, like she was like very in that world. So yeah, I was, you know, we had a record player. I was very, I was like an old soul before I got into pop music. So I think it like helped me. >> And so music was a big part of your family life. Like everybody, this was a thing that everybody listened to a lot of music. >> Yeah, no one did like, like nobody had, nobody played me, nobody did anything. >> No, but they appreciated it, they appreciated music, everyone appreciated music. And even though like my mom was like, shut up. the fuck up, stop banging everything all over the house. I was so annoying. - My mom used to make us turn the music down in the car. She always used to hit it in the car. Yeah, to this day, she can't take the noise. - My mom was oblivious to people who were like, like you've never called your club boy George. She'd be like, he has such a beautiful voice. Like she wouldn't know he was the big gay guy. - Yeah. - Like sort of oblivious to everyone on her right side, right? - My mom, my mom, one time, I took my mom-- - It's a nice way of saying she had a few blind spots. - Yeah, exactly. - My mom had one eye, Benny. Okay, go ahead. - Oh, your mother had one eye? - Yeah, it's a one eye. - Yeah, two, just one of them was glass. (laughing) - Which we brought. - It was a glass. It wasn't, was it, oh, I don't know, it was glass. It was glass. - It was a glass. - One eye. - Wait, what were you gonna say, Benny, sorry? - It was so, so my mother, I took her to a Maroon 5 show. - Okay, yeah, and I had been doing music for them. And we're backstage and she literally walked up to Adam Levine and she said, "Hey, do you mind like "turning down the base a little when you guys "perfect fuck tonight?" - No. (laughing) - My mom is, she's so fucking oblivious. She, and I said, "Mom, he's not gonna turn down the base." She said, "Why, why is, why is it such a big deal?" - It's so loud. - Yeah, she told him to turn down the base. This, my mother also, like, when someone's coming, like, let's say, like, Britney Spears was going to, like, do Jimmy Fallon or something. - Yeah. - She'd be like, "Oh, I saw Britney Spears in a time." You know, she could stay at my house if she wants to. - Oh, sure. - Mom, she's not staying at your house. She's like, "Well, you know her. "Why is this?" Like, she's like, "What are you talking about?" - Yeah. - Like, my mom lives in, like, some alternate reality. - Yeah, what about your dad? What does your dad do coming up? - Both my parents have, like, so my parents divorced when I was, when I was pretty young, but, like, so my mom, my dad was in the intimate apparel business. He, like, made, like, old lady nightgowns. - Oh, yeah. - Already. - He, like, he made, yeah, very sexy. He made, like, old lady nightgowns. Like, literally, like, the ones who, like, - Oh, you were, you were talking. - Yeah, it's, like, super, oh. - Oh, yeah. - Well, he said, like, you're really choking one off there. - Yeah. - He's like, oh, shit. - And then, my mother's job was, like, couldn't, couldn't be, it's, like, even a word. My mom, like, do you know, like, do you know, Jay-C panties? - Sure, of course. - And, like, macy's, my mother would fix the jewelry display boxes when you went to Jay-C panties. - Oh, okay, okay, okay. - And then, her, like, big break was that she worked, like, she quit that and, like, finally got a good job at, like, an old folk's home. And she worked there for, like, 15 years. - Oh, wow. - That is angel work. - That is angel work, yeah. - And probably, and a good way to also help your dad move some product with the jewelry. - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. - Intimate apparel for older people now. So, opening that demo is now avail. - Honestly, if they didn't, if they didn't hate each other, then, yeah, if they didn't hate each other, then it probably would have been, like, a billion-dollar franchise. - Exactly. - Right, right. - And we will be right back. - And now, back to the show. - So, there's tons of kids out there right now, probably not listening to this, but might know someone who is. That's really, they're really into music, and they would love to be, like, a big time, you know, record producer, like you, how would they want to be? - How would they, how do you do that? How do you, I mean, what, how do I, what's their question? - Well, Sean said that you just went, you sort of fudged your way, you went to New York. - Oh my god. - Like, yeah. - Back in the castle. - Yeah, it was so different, back. Back in the day, I literally, there was no anything. So, I would wait outside, like, studios, and I'd be like, hey, do you make music? Like, as a person was walking by. Like, you didn't know anything. There was no point of reference. And when I was younger, when I was in high school, MySpace first came out. - Yeah, sure. - So, that was, like, YouTube didn't exist yet. Like, MySpace first came out, and that was how I started making my first connections. - And like, what did that look like? Would you, like, listen to somebody's song, and then, like, you'd, you'd email them on this new thing called email? - Yeah, this was before the music portion was even, the music portion became, you could used to be able to listen to people's songs, like, maybe four years later, three, four years later. But when I first started, yeah, I would just, like, email, I mean, we're all doing the same shit. I'm like, doing every, I'm like, I made a song with so and so's, brother's nephew's cousin, and then, like, you're slowly inching towards it, and everything you do is just, like, one, like, baby step, like, just, like, pushing towards, and an inevitable snowball that begins to happen. - So, you made, like, you would make, like, little songs, then you'd push them out through your MySpace page to other people and say, "Hey, check this out. I kind of know what I'm doing." - Yeah. - Kind of, I got big locally. Like, I started getting on the radio when I was young, and I like-- - How did that happen? How'd you get on the radio? - I won a contest when I was, like, nine or 10, and I got to go into a studio. - Wow. - Like, and I used to, like, rap, and I got to go into a studio, and my guitar teacher, like, made a demo tape with me, and it was just, like, and then, randomly, my brother was in a fraternity with a guy who had a studio, and then, like, I started making music there, and it was just, like, all these things that were such a pipe dream, like, even when I was, like, successful, my parents, like, didn't believe me, because it was so much of this, like-- - Right. - And I don't know about you guys, but my parents picked the most arbitrary things to realize that I've made it. Like, I had, like, number one songs. I had, like, multiple number one songs, and I remember I was in the New York Times, like, four years later, and my mom was, like, I can't believe it, you made it. And I'm like, mom, I was, like, already nominated for Grammy. She was, like, "Yeah, but it's the New York Times." - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. - You know, and it's like, yeah, and I remember I was on SNL. The first time I was on SNL, it was as, like, a backup musician, and my dad was, like, I can't believe you made it. Like, and I wasn't even, like, I wasn't even, like, the main act, I was nothing. I had no words, I was wearing a helmet. I wasn't even even seeing me. - Right. So-- - I had a helmet in the back. - Yeah, I literally had a helmet on. - So you're saying there were, like, little tiny little baby bites that everything just kept leading to the neck, leading to the neck, that-- - There must have been, like, there must have been one-- - Yeah, there were things here. I'll give you, like, the big ticket hits real quick, in, like, in, like, a minute. - Okay. - We're not pressed for time, by the way, unless you are, 'cause-- - No, no, no, no, no, but I'm saying, like, I've told this shit so many times. - Yeah, but I've heard it. - I've heard it. - I'm a word dumb dumb. - It's not a word. - Spending one and no. - Here it is. - Spending? - It's just us. - Hey, baby, sit down. - Who calls you, baby? - My wife. Sometimes, but only when we write. Only in text message. She always says, "Baby," and I don't know if she's saying, "I've never asked her." I don't know if she's saying, like, baby, or, like, Benny Blanco, or, like, beat, I don't know-- - Or baby. - Yeah. - Are you listening? Well, in the future, you'll be listening to this. What do you mean? - What do you mean? - I beat you. - She's also, like, your navel. - I know. I think she's in the other room, but I'm all hooked up. I can't even walk in there. - Anyway, yeah. - So, okay, so here's what happened. - Here's what happened. I got into music at a very young age. I start making songs like Boomboxes. - Yeah, just like anywhere I could. I didn't have, like, I didn't-- I wasn't, like, a bajillionaire when I was younger. So, like, we didn't really have-- It was kind of just making it with whatever I had. Like, I had one of those Sony Walkman, like, like, Boombox, the yellow one. - Yeah, I remember the yellow one. It was, like, as big, and you could carry it on the beach. It was like-- - Right, yeah. - Kind of waterproof, yeah. - Yes, I had, like, one of those-- - Sport. - Yes. And I had, like, like, a Maxwell one or whatever it is. My brother had one. And we had, like, two. And I used to, like, record into one. And then I would, like, press play. Then I would record into the other one. Then I would record it. And I would make, like, a track eventually. - Yeah, that's right. - But I didn't know I was doing that. It just, 'cause there was no YouTube. There was no ways to figure it out. So it was all, like, trial and error. And I started learning how to do stuff like that. And then, really, when I was 13, there was a guy named Sam Trocky, who was my brother's, in my brother's fraternity. He had done, like, a few things. He knew a few people at record labels. And he started recording my demos in a real studio. And I was, like, in a real actual studio. So I started learning. - What state are you in? We're like, what country are you in? - I used to travel to, like, Atlantic City and, like, Jersey. And I'm in Virginia at the time. So it's like, I'm going any way I can. Friends, my brother, my mother, my father, whoever will get me away there, you know, there's buses I would take. So I'm, you know, and I just need to use equipment because I don't have equipment's expensive. And I had no, like, there's not, like, I'm not asking my parents for, like, $1,000 thing. And then it just, like, it wasn't an option. So I'm, like, making demos everywhere I go. And people are starting to notice that I have something going on. There's something that's, like, a little better than, like, the guys that are next to me. I still sucked. I was still as terrible. - Well, can I just pause and just say-- - Just say it first of all, isn't it? - Just a point of order, is Benny Blanco your real name? You're given a name. - Benny Blanco was fun. - How did you go from Benny Blanco? - When did you become Benny Blanco? - I was 13. - See, it's a great name. - Carlitos. - So if I hear a kid who's got some stuff and I'm like, what's his name, Benny Blanco? I'm like, that's something. - Yeah, but in the middle, you were Benny Bounce. - I was so many different things. Like, it's like, yeah, by the time I'm 13, I'm Benny Blanco from Carlitos way. And I-- - Wait, was that a character's name in Carlitos way? - Yeah, it's character is John Ligwizamo and Carlitos way. - Oh, no way. - And it's so funny when I first met him in real life, he was just like, dude, what the fuck? He's like, my whole, he's like, for so long, people have been telling me about you because it was like, I met him like, maybe 10 years into my career. - So now you're Benny Blanco and you're making news and people are starting to kind of notice. You're traveling, jerseys and everything. - I'm traveling, I'm in Philly. I start getting on like, mixtapes, okay? So like, I would be on like, I would be like back in the day, you would go to New York and you'd buy these mixtapes and it would be like, it would be like, the diplomats. It would be like 50 cents. All these people would do them before they got big and after they got big. And I'm starting to get on like, the like, lowest level guys, like mixtape. Like, it's like, I'm like, again, it's like, I'm like, like 50s cousins, brothers, nephew. I'm on like his thing and I'm like, no, there's like, I'm showing my friends at home. I'm like, there's like a picture of like him with 50 cent one time. And then. - So wait, so these mixtapes, these were things that basically, for lack of a better term, these musical influencers would like pick these hits that they like, they'd say, hey, these are my 20 favorite songs. They put it on a cassette and they'd send it out to a bunch of people that they like. - No, no, so a mixtape would be like this in between like a rapper's big album, okay? They would make a set of songs that like would just come out for free because like, hey, they couldn't get like samples cleared or like, there was like artists on them because it was like, it was illegal, illegal, making illegal music, usually like before an album's coming out to lead up to it or to get yourself around. - And they're not so good stores. - And they're not so good stores at the scene. - Yeah, they're passed around and sold in the city and they're done on burned cassettes or burned CDs. So they're not. - Like, they're like, can I else treat? - Yeah. - Yes, yes, exactly, exactly, exactly. - Wow. - And it's not such a thing anymore. - So romantic, like I know. - Yeah, and that was also how you used to get like, before streaming, like if there was like a hot single, that's like how you would go get it. Like I would take a trip, my brother was in college and he would near there and, okay, so, okay, so back to the thing. So I'm doing this stuff and I start making some noise and it starts stretching a little bit beyond because now I have like songs and I'm doing songs with other people, I'm still rapping, okay? I'm a rapper and I get introduced to a man named Jonathan Schechter, okay? And he owns at the time a thing called The Source Magazine. And it was the biggest rap magazine on planet Earth. This is like New York Times for rap. And he also, at that time, had just put out a rapper's, like album before they put out any big stuff. And that rapper was Eminem. And he had just, and he had also put out some stuff and he was very involved with like 50 cents early, like just like all these little things. And he was like, he was the closest thing I got to like as big as it gets. And he was influencing rap music in a big way. And so through that, I started getting more connections and eventually I got a record, I got two record deal offers when I was about 15. And they flew down, they flew down to Virginia and they watched me perform at my high school homecoming. And yes, and it was like, I don't even, I guess there was just like a little bit of hype around me and I was young and this was right around the time of like Lil Baowow and Lil Romeo. And Shecter kind of validated you, young. Shecter validated me. Lil Benny. Yeah, Sam validated you exactly. People were validating me and I got an offer somehow, I guess the offer was so bad, I was so young, I barely remember. My parents didn't let me do it. And it was the best thing that could have ever happened. So they were your legal counsel, they looked over the offer. Yeah, I guess so at that time, I can't remember. Well, but before that, I read that the first money you ever made in music was for a soft core porn series. And you were like, that is true. Jonathan Shecter owned a thing called Hip Hop Hunnies, which was basically where they took all the girls from the music videos and then they would dance naked and they needed beats behind it. So he paid me $500 for two beats. And I, mine as well, was Brad Pitt at home. Like I came home, I showed every friend, I had $500, nobody had $500, I had $500. I'm like, I'm losing my mind and then my mom takes the DVD away from me and won't let me use it because she's like, these people are naked. I'm like, mom, I'm in the thing. I just got $500, she's like, I don't care. You didn't work. It's trash. Yeah. It's trash. We were on the airplane and it was just goddamn. Yeah. So, okay, things are happening. I'm fast forwarding a little bit in high school. I trick a man, they're one of my favorite producers with this guy name. Sean said that. He said same. I was on my space and I reached out to one of my favorite producers and I saw he was booking studio time at his studio. His name was Disco D and I said, hey man. Oh yeah. I love your stuff and I want to work for you and he never answered. And then I said, okay, I want studio time and then he said, how much? So I go up, I pay him for an hour's studio time and I'm like, dude, I don't want studio time. I want to work for you. I'll do anything for you in the world. I'll do whatever you say. This guy's crazy. I have no idea why he did this. He said, I'm leaving town next weekend. He said, if you can book my studio for three days, fully booked, you have a job. You can be my intern. I said, of course I can do that. First of all, I had no idea how to do that. I called every person I knew in New York. I had every friend. I literally, I borrowed, I remember borrowing $75 for my mom to count as part of the thing. And like, how much is studio time? Like an hour? At that, oh my God, is it like five grand or five grand? I think I, no, no, I think it was like 500 for the day or something. Or maybe it was for the weekend. I can't even remember. But somehow I got the money. And I think I was like, I think I was like $150 short. But I got enough of the money. And he saw, he let me come work for him. I started working for him. I move out to New York when I'm 17, 18. I tell my mom, my mom doesn't have, we don't, like she can't afford to let me live in like a lavish plate. Like it's like, so I signed up for an audio engineering school. And there was like this thing where you could stay in like the St. George Hotel in Brooklyn. And I was like a six month program. And I like split it with my mom. I had made some money. And then she was like, that's all you got. You got to figure it out then, because I can't help you after that. So that's cool. I go out there. And I'm in turning for this guy, disco D. And it was just perfect timing of like everyone. This was like the last time Brooklyn had that like a scene that was growing. So it was like, this was, the scene was me, Diplo, MIA, A-Track. This was like everyone still, we were all trying to make it. Like everyone was trying to do their thing justice. And it was like, it was such a cool internet blog scene. And basically, the guy I was working for, who I was interning for, he suffered a lot of mental illness. And I'm skipping over a lot, but he committed suicide. And he was like my best friend. And like I didn't know what to do. But it brought me together with a few of the guys that he was working with. And I like begged, begged people. I'd be like, please work with me. And somehow nobody would work with me. Nothing. I would try to sell bees. Nothing, fucking work. Nothing worked. I've no bites, nothing. And I remember listening to like a mixtape where this guy took like notorious B.I.G. vocals. And he put them over Frank Sinatra instrumentals. And I was like, that's so cool. And this was right when Narls Barkley came out. Remember that song? Does that make you crazy? And that's, oh my God, totally. So it was right when this came out. And I was like, I gotta become a duo. That's the only way I'm gonna make it. I gotta be in a group duo. And I have to like take samples and do stuff like this. So I came up with an idea. And the only rapper I knew personally was this guy named Spank Rock, Nguyen-Juan. And he was like, he had like a lot of hype at that time. He was like a big thing at that time. He was like, he was on like, you know, the cover of Fader magazine. He was like, on Complex Magazine. It was like, he was a big thing. And I said, you gotta work with me. And he wouldn't do it. Somehow after disco D passed away, we were at my ex managers' house. And we were just like reminiscing. And I said, dude, please, you gotta work with me. I convinced him to make one song with me. We made one song, nothing happened. A few weeks later he called me and he said, "Hey, I know this is crazy, but we just got a record deal offer." And I said, "What do you mean?" And this was about five months into me being in New York. And then I said, "What do you mean?" He said, "Yeah, we got offered a record deal and they want us to do the album you were talking about together." - No, why? - Yeah, he said, and it's called Downtown Records. The most ironic thing is, "Narles Barkley was signed to the same label." So like the fate is crazy. - Yeah, that is why. - So I get offered this opportunity, I'm making my first album, it's surreal, it's surreal. I'm working with everyone that I wanted to at the time. It's all this cool underground thing. And then eventually I get a call and they say this guy named Dr. Luke wants to meet you. And I said, "Who's Dr. Luke?" I didn't know, I didn't know anything. I said, "I don't know pop music." I said, "Who's Dr. Luke?" So I go to the meeting. I don't know anything of what he does. He does like pop rock music. Basically, I think he hates me in the meeting. I go, I leave the meeting, I go back to my friends and just do, I'm like, "Dude, I just did this meeting." I'm like, "Fuck this dude." And then I got a call, I got a call. And he's like, "Hey man, you want to come work on music tomorrow night?" And I was like, "What?" I was like, "I thought you hated me." You asked me for a demo and then you didn't even take it. And then he's like, "No, I just knew that you had something special." So I was like, "Okay, so I go out. I work with him the next day." He says, "You want to come out to LA with me and work on artists like Britney Spears and stuff like that?" And I'm like, "Of course I knew." Like, I wasn't in the pop music, but of course I knew who Britney Spears was. And I was like, "What?" I'm like, "What are you talking about?" And he's like, "Yeah, I work with this guy, Max Martin." And like, I didn't even know who any of these people are. So these are like, to anyone listening, these are like V Titans. These are like the Godfather's of rock music. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - Like Max Martin is like the most number ones of, he's like more number ones than the Beatles. And so I'm sitting there. I know fucking nothing. I get out there. It's my first day. I'm like, "Dude, I'm making songs. I'm literally in the studio with Britney Spears. I walk in, I walk in." And this is like, I had never seen paparazzi. I had no idea, I walk in. I go in before Britney gets there. So I'm like, "Okay, blah, blah, blah." And then I'm like out making a phone call, okay? And I'm in this studio that's like kind of in like a jungle. It's called Conway Studios. I don't know if you've ever been there. It's in LA. And it's like a cool indoor outdoor studio. So I'm walking around in the parking lot. And a man comes down from like a bungee cord. And he snaps a picture of my face. And I was like, "What the fuck is going on?" And then like all of a sudden, like a security guard tackles the man. And I'm like, and that's like my first. And I'm like, "Whoa, okay, I guess I'm in Hollywood now." And it's like, yeah, like my first week, I'm like going to clubs with like Paris Hilton. Like it's like, things are like crazy. - When did you pretend to be Jay-Z's attorney? Like when was part of the time? - That was like 13. - Oh, okay, I thought that was lame. - Yeah, I'm skipping, I'm skipping around. I'm already with Paris, man. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - We can't talk about Jay-Z. - That's so funny. - So I'm 18. - Yeah. - I put the music, I put the wrapping behind. I'm now, oh, first of all, I'm in the studio. I've never written a song for another pop artist ever. I'm in the studio with Dr. Luke and a guy named Claude Kelly. And Claude goes, well, now we gotta write the song. And I said, I don't know how to write a song. I said, I know how to rap. And he said, okay, well, why don't you rap and we'll like put melodies to it at the same time. And the first song we ever wrote together was Circus for Britney Spears. - That's crazy. Like, yeah, I mean, for Trace, you guys too. You might not know Dr. Luke. He produced like, since you've been, since you've been gone. You know that, you know, I kissed a girl. I kissed a girl, I came in like a wrecking ball from Milosiris. - Yeah. - And Max Martin produced every song for Britney Spears. - Every song for Britney Spears. - Every song for the Backstreet Boys. - That way. - Every in-sync song. Yeah, like all the new Taylor Swift stuff. He does a lot of the weekend. Like, so, okay, so I'm sitting in the room with these guys. And it's like, the biggest imposter syndrome in the world. I have no idea what I'm fucking doing. I'm 18 years old. These guys are like 40. Like, and I'm, and I'm, and I'm, but, but, but. - Yeah. - The thing that's cool is the artists all are really young. So they look at me. I'm like, like, and so like, Max is like, hey, like, go get the artist to do this, this song. And I'm like, the cool guy who like goes out to the clubs and like, knows where the cool food is. - You got the street cred, you know what I mean? - Yeah, and I'm, yes. And I'm coming from doing like cool underground stuff with like, Diplo and Santi Gold and MIA. So, so it kind of started this thing. And, you know, before I know it, I'm like making all these, it's, that's what I tell all these people. They're like, well, I'm not classically trained. I'm not this, guys, I'm like barely a musician. I just like, I'm sure you guys are the same way. I've fudged my way completely into what I'm doing. Like, I just faked it and learned on the fucking job. - But you have taste and you know how, you know what sounds good. You know how to create that. You know how to maintain it. If you do hear it and you know how to add to it. - Right, yeah. - Yeah, A, A, there's that. If 100% there is that, because you had it in you all, it sounds like you came from it naturally. There's always music we covered. And the sort of the through line is, is none of this was, when you said, ironically you ended up at the same place as Nars Barkley, is you created your own, you manifested it by working hard. You, it didn't happen by accident, dude. - Right. - You, every step of the way you hustled and you created those opportunities for yourself. - No, I know what you're saying. I know what you're saying. Like, I always tell people, the harder you work, the more chances you have to be lucky. So, like, you didn't want to go and live, like, going to stay and do that engineering program where you get a room in Brooklyn. That led to a bunch of other shit in the answer. People were going, how do you get that? Well, you got to do that, like as you said before, you got to do these little step, these little bullshit things. - Yeah, I thought it was going to be the biggest rapper in the world. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - That landed on, pretty cool shit. Like, here's what I'll say for you guys, though. Seriously, like, okay. All of you guys, I'm sure, have the same answer. Like, are you the best actor? Like, is there someone out there who's a better actor than you? Are there people that you feel are more deserving? - A million. - Yes, yes. But, but, like, you're talented. And you guys have, like, to me, it's like, you guys have, like, great vibe. You have great rap. You have great talk. And it's like, I think so much of it is, like, a person's energy, their work ethic, mixed with a little bit of talent. You have to have, like, some talent. But I think so much of it is, like-- - Like, people's skills. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - And keep going, yeah. - Go ahead, you know. - I have nothing to say. - Okay. (laughing) - No, I wanted to get to, because we're running out of time and I don't want to take all your time. - I think that you had all the time in the fucking world. - That was an hour ago. - For me is also, I'm a really good lay. - Yeah. - Yeah, but I can tell you, look, you're hot. You're hot. You guys are all so beautiful. - Thanks, man. - You are too. - Danny. - We'll be right back. - All right, back to the show. - I wanted to, because I'm obsessed with your wife, just like you are, just like millions of people are. And I really, really, I'm such a big fan of Salinas. How did you meet? - Danny's just, by the way, Betty just passed her for me. I mean, I don't know each other, Danny. This is a place for me. I'd like to officially ask you, ask for your friendship. - Okay. - I don't have the answer now, but-- - I know. - Yeah, I'd like you a part of my life. - Guys, first of all, before I say anything about my wife, I do want to say the amount of what I do, the amount that I've learned from all of you guys, like through what you guys do. Like, and this isn't a joke. Like, like, like, I've, first of all, I've seen every single rest of development, episode ever. Second of all, I've watched, I watched Ozark three different times because I had to show so many times. People, Selena and I, every single night, we go to bed to Will and Grace. Every single night, no matter what. No matter what. It's like, first of all, I love the show, but that's her doing. I'm not watching Will and Grace every single fucking night in my life. - No, I know. - Every strike, I says the same thing. Yeah. - I could say the question. - Sean, we have a quick visit from Jake. (laughing) - This is your character. Do you have a quick visit? (laughing) But it's so funny. Everybody, it's so funny. Stray guys always come to me. Like, my wife loves to show. I mean, I don't watch it with her, but then, you know, but then they've voted. - I watched it with my mother, and then I've really watched it now 700 times with my wife. Okay, so how did I meet, how did I meet my wife? - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Funny part is, first time we met, neither one of us remember. There's an email that exists, but we can't remember it 'cause we were both young. Her mother, I was already, like, pretty successful as a producer, okay? And she hadn't really made music yet. She's a few years younger than me. So she was a star on Disney, and she had just started, I think, making, like, Disney songs, but they weren't, like, no one was taking her seriously as, like, a pop star. - Right. - And somehow, her mother, being, like, the hustler, she is, got a meeting with me. And I don't know. remember that meeting, but we had a meeting. It existed, there's like email. There's emails, and that was, oh my God, that was at least 15 years ago. Maybe more. - Asking you to produce her stuff? - Something like that. But in 2014, one of my closest friends signed her to a record deal at Interscope Records. His name's John Janik. I also have my own record label there, and that's where I put out my music. And he said, we signed this girl, Selena, and I was like, oh yeah, love her stuff. She was getting big, and I was like, oh, I love her stuff. I didn't even know about the TV show. Didn't know any of that. 'Cause I'm too old for it. I liked it, it was over my head. So we get put together, and we make a few songs. We have a really big hit song called Same Old Love, and that's 2014. And over the next few years, we have made a few songs very like, friend is like the loosest term in the world. Like acquaintances that spend extended period of times in the studio together. But nothing more than that. Then in 2019, we did a song together, and I had become an artist, okay? So I had been putting out songs as an artist. We do a song together, it's called I Can't Get Enough, and it has tiny on it, and it has J Balvin on it, and it's a really cool song. And we're shooting the music video, okay? And she was going through a tough time, at that time. It was a very tough time. And she, they had all these rules, I thought. And it was like, you know when you're getting second-hand information from someone, and they're like, yeah, and don't talk about this thing, and don't say too much of that. And maybe if she looks like it, and I'm sure you guys get that with stuff like through the podcast, or even people say that about you. And then, so I'm like there, and I'm like, okay, I'm like looking at the things I'm not supposed to say, and I get up there. And we just immediately, like we had hung out, but we hit it off in like a level that's so fun. I have a girlfriend at the time, that not like this isn't like sexually or romantically, like we just hit it off, and I'm like, wow, I'm like dude. I'm like, she's fucking cool. I'm like, I'm like, Selena, it's like the first time where like we actually like hung out and got deep. And like, there's like a picture. By the way, she insulted you're like, finally you're like after years like, hey, you know what, you're cool. And she's like, hey, thanks a lot. Yeah, finally. No, no, no, no, she wasn't because it's like, she's like, you know, in a studio sometimes, and like just like someone at her level, you can be a little bit guarded in a situation. And like, I really got a word saying. I was just say, I read that when she used to show up to your house a little early and sit outside and like fix herself and talk to her friend in the phone before she was going in because she was so nervous. And you knew it because you had cameras outside. This and you see after we started dating. Okay, so like literally that is really funny. Okay, so basically I'm at my foot. I'm at my shoe. I'm at my shoe. And my mother comes up to me, she says, you should really date someone like Selena. I think you should date. I said, I said, I have a girlfriend right now. What are you talking about? And she goes, no, no, but like you should really end up with someone like Selena. And I was like, mom, what are you, and I'm like the most, I'm like saying like you're crazy. Okay, 2020. We don't even have to get into it because the whole internet knows. There was like some sort of thing where the internet thought I meant one thing and I obviously didn't mean it. And they thought I was like taking a dig at Selena, okay? And it's like, you don't need to waste the time. It's been like talked about so many times. They thought I was taking a personal dig at Selena on like a radio show. And obviously I wasn't, I've never taken a dig at any human being in my life. Right, right. So, so things maybe seem a little weird. And like, I like, I'm gonna text her and then like, my friends like, no, just don't, it's fine. And then I see her over the next few years, a few times at like parties or I run into her. And then like sometimes it's like, oh my God, hey, and sometimes it's like, oh, was that awkward? Was that in my head? Was it, so like, I like don't know what's going on. And then 2023, she's making a song called Singles Soon. And some of my guys had written the song, okay? And I heard it and I was like, I'm not a huge fan of this song, but let me help you guys like make it better. And John calls me up and he said, okay, he said, but there's some weird thing with you in Selena that we should straighten out. And I was like, I don't think so. We were cool the last time we saw each other. And then he was like, maybe you should go to the studio and just like show face and like, just like, make things all good. And I'm like, okay. And then he was like, I don't think they're bad. But like, maybe just make them good. And I'm like, okay. So I go to the studio, I hang out, we like, hit it off. So we're like laughing, whether she hated me before or not, whatever is erased, we're like, we're laughing. But like, so not in a romantic way. Like we're laughing in a way where I'm like, oh my God, I have dinners all the time with my friends. You should come over, I'll hook you up with a great guy. >> By the way, I read a description of one of your dinners where your mom's in a rhinestone shirt that says, bought a Bing and people are tripping on toad. What is toad? >> Toad. >> What is toad? >> You're so, you're so well read. >> He's just a busy boy. >> Where you fucking slip into another dimension. Read about it when you're trying to take a shit next time. >> Okay, here's where we're at. So I'm in there, we're doing it. I leave the thing, I leave the session, I write her like a message, just smoothing everything over and saying, so glad we got into you. I had the best time ever. And we start talking back and forth. And it was just like, to me, simple artist talk. And then she starts sending funny selfies back and forth. And I'm still in the middle of doing a bunch of stuff. So I don't really pay much mind. I'm just like, oh, this is just like friendly banter. And then she asks me to hang out the next day. And she said, do you want to hang out? And I said, yo, I got my friends like birthday dinner. You want to come with me? And I'm thinking it's friends, because I'm obviously Selena Gomez doesn't want to go out on a date with me. And I had no idea, I'm obviously. >> Are we going to get to the date soon, right? >> Yes, we're getting the date. >> Okay, we're getting the date right now. Why you got to go take a poop or something? So we're at the date, we're at the date, she thinks it's the date. I have no idea it's the date. Okay, and she makes a comment where I'm like, it's this date, but I don't know. And then we're, because we're with other people, like first we got a glass of wine. Then we're with other people. And she like leaves suddenly early. And I'm like, okay, I guess it wasn't a date. And she's like, I got to shoot a music video tomorrow. And I said, okay. And then I'm like, oh, she's just like super busy. And that we were just friends. And then she texted me, she's like, that was the best time I've had in a really long time. And I'm like, oh yeah, that's so fun. Then we go out on a second date. Then I'm like, oh, this is a date. And I lay a smooch on her. >> Wow. >> And we literally since that day have been inseparable. She's the yang to my yang. She's my best friend. She's, I know she's been on your guys thing, she's the easiest person to talk to on planet Earth. She's so much smarter than me. She's so much funnier than me. She's definitely so much prettier than me. >> I just love how, I just love how open and honest you both are. And you both seem so comfortable in your skin and just like, look, I'm just human and I'm just me and like, you know, I'm just trying to get on with it, you know. It seems like it's just such a great, a great match to it. >> Yeah, you're lucky. You guys are both such genuine people. >> Yes. People always say things, they're like, what, they're like, okay, but what do you guys do on like a normal night? And I'm like, what do you mean what do we do on a normal night, like after this, like what am I going to do? I'm going to sit on a couch with her and watch a movie and maybe I'll make her dinner. >> Yeah, I love that. >> Benny, you know, we got to let you go because we've taken way too much of your time. But I saw on your website, you'll sell someone a strand of your hair for $4,995. Or your actual phone, passcode photos and contacts for a million dollars. Has anybody tried to buy either one? >> So that was the thing from like, like nine years ago when I first became an artist and it went like super viral back then. >> Yeah. >> Does anybody called and bought it yet? >> I don't even think you can hit the link. You want it for free. You can just have either one. >> Okay. >> I love that. I love that. >> I love that. You album and Hermoso, which is, I listen to some of it, it's really, really, really, really cool. I love it. >> I also have a book. I got a book. >> Well, yeah. >> I want the book. >> Yeah. >> I have a book. >> It's called Fuck Failure. Is that what it's about? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Like, yeah. >> I love that. >> On just like how to fail upwards, you know. >> And just like that. >> Yeah. >> That's out now. >> It probably will be when this thing's out. >> Yeah. >> Let's just say, watch, watch this. My new book's out, right? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Now watch this. Now watch this. My new book's coming out soon. You should get it soon. >> Yeah. I don't know. You don't know. I just insert a mask. Benny, but there's not a lot of people on the planet with your success. So I'm just so blown away by your story and how you got here and all the contributions you've made to society through music, like it's, everybody knows your songs. It's got to be the best feeling in the world. And how earned it is is really impressive, truly, truly, truly, truly, truly, I mean it. It's so well earned and deserved because you worked really, really hard. And you're really hard. I don't like compliments. Say something really bad about it. Yeah, yeah. Say something terrible about them. I never get it. I never get it. So I don't know. When do you sail back to the States? I sail back in September. I'm going back in September because I got to go promote my book in New York. And then I'm really taking some time off. I won't have been home in four and a half months. Is New York home or Los Angeles? No, Los Angeles is home and I just want to like. Shut up. Yeah, I haven't slept in my bed in almost five months. Yeah, I just finished that. Are you guys thinking what I'm thinking? The four of us, New York to LA road trip? Oh, shit. Where do you guys live? Are you all LA? Yes. Yes. Both. Can I hang out with you guys? Yeah, right when you get back. Yeah, please. Is this the last thing I want? I'm going to be a big part of the next one. Is this fake? No, it's real. Is there actual. Will I ever actually have your guys' numbers? Is this the thing we're talking about on here? And then we never speak ever again, be honest. I love you either way. I would kill to hang out with you. All kinds of weird things. We're going to forward you. We're going to text you. It's going to be awkward. Here, I'm going to tell you guys something. Your phone number right now. No, just. Yeah, I'm telling you my number right now. I'm about to go on Howard Stern by the time this airs. If you guys haven't texted me by the time I go on Howard Stern, I'm literally airing you out on Howard Stern. So I'm just letting you know that. Because I'm a people's people. And I got to let the people know if this thing is going to happen. I'll tell you what, we're going to cut it. We're going to cut it. Give us your phone number right now. We're going to write it down old school cell. Go cut it. Okay. What is it? Are you going to write it down with a pen? Yeah, I got a pen. Me too. Hey guys, don't cut it. Guys, don't cut it. Yeah, don't cut it. Whatever you do, do not cut it. I felt for that number by mistake like four times. And I just like, my phone just rings all day. By the way, you know what? By the way, you know what the thing is? Anybody can have my number. It doesn't mean I'm going to respond. I know. I know. My phone just rings. Holy shit. Whoa. You know deepest fuck. You guys are actually amazing. Benny, we love you. Hey, listen. How about we go to the studio? Yes. And also, you guys, I don't know if you've seen it, but like you guys really inspired me and Dave and his wife to have a podcast. We have a podcast. Oh, great. And you guys really inspired us to do it because we were like, oh, podcasts are so stupid. And then once we saw you guys do it, we were like, okay, now it's cool to have a podcast. Yeah. And it's been like one of our favorite things we get to do together because I do it. They're my two best friends. And I get to do it. Oh, that's fine. That's fine. Yeah. It was very nice to be to come on this. Yeah, dude. So good. Thank you. You guys are rad, man. Thank you guys so much. All right. Give her a love to Selena. All right. Well, we'll talk soon. Okay. Bye, buddy. Bye, buddy. Text me that number, Willie. Yeah, I will. I love that, um, threat. I love that threat. If we don't call him, he's going to air us out on the. A hard turn. A hard turn. I just texted him first. Ah, that's great. Shoot. That's a nice fella. Real nice. I like him a lot. What a story. I mean, like, uh, inspiring. Like, you know, we talk about it a lot in here. But it is all about baby steps to get to the thing you want. And anybody can get there. You just have to put the work in, right? Yeah. It seems like he's already lived like a long lifetime. I know. But he's 38. Wow. He's got like, he was talking about vibe and stuff. Like, he's got great vibe. He's got great thing with people and he. Like, there's something about him and you can try. Yeah. You combine that with the hard work and a true sort of talent from music and ear and all that sort of stuff. And it's just a winning combo. I want to hang out with him. Yeah. Well, I think, well, wasn't there a hang that I missed that you guys were at? I was there. Not with Sunday. Or something. I know. Maybe. It might have been while you were both out. I was out of town for 71 days. - Oh, can you be more specific? - Oh boy. - Boy you served your time, Willie, and now you learned your lesson, I think, right? - But it just goes to, I mean, he's works coming out as, but I was gonna say, like he achieved it all, but you were saying it's all just baby steps, right? And then you do those, and then once you get through those, it's 'Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye! crafted by Michael Grant Terry, Rob Armjarve, and Bennett Barberco.