SmartLess - "Benny Blanco"

Episode Date: September 21, 2026

Fuel up the boat, it’s Benny Blanco. Medical consultations include: maritime insanity, post-pod showers, breakfast sandwiches, and intimate apparel. “I have nothing to say,” …on an all-new SmartLess. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hey, wow. Look at you guys. Hey, by the way, what they don't know is, the audience doesn't know, is that we had already started a cold open, and Rob and Bennett were rolling yet. Remember that? Oh, God. Remember we were about to go?

And then Rob goes, a rolling. So it's a lukewarm, lukewarm opening here. Now we're ready for all this warm. It's from Arbior. Welcome to Smartless. Somebody just had a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich for breakfast. And it wasn't me. And it wasn't you, and it wasn't J.B.

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. I'm having my tea. I got to catch up with you. Oh, boy.

That's so much. Will, did you make the bacon egg cheese sandwich? What does it make mean? Oh, no. Makes me. Do you go down to... You know what? Can I mention it?

I ordered it from Leora. Oh, that spot. I love that spot so much. My goodness. I feel like they're leaving a lot. little money on the table by staying in such a small spot i know i agree always booked up and they're buried in that uta building yeah and sean have you been there no it's unbelievable there have you had the frozen coffee jb no but nothing sucks there it's a joke i can't have it right now because 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 uh just real tasty creams and Well, no, 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 chewing, some crunch, but the center is so 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, J.B. used to have every morning when we were shooting rest of Vellment, we'd walk through rehearsal, and he'd be holding on for dear life to a breakfast.

Burrito, two hands. And Mitch Hurwitz would be like, yeah, we're doing this, and you can go, and he'd be hammering at breakfast. I mean, every morning, right, Jamie? Yeah, 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 needed it. I don't ever have breakfast yet. I fast.

Oh, I was up early because I'm on East Coast time, so I was up super earl, and I was like, I got to eat some. And did you walk over to the Liora place? You get elected delivery? I did an Uber Eats type deal Well, how can it arrive hot and fresh If it's delivered? It's not delivery, it's de journo.

Guys, have you not... Do you not know that? So stupid. I want you guys to know that I am in a puddle Of my own sweat right now. So is that sweat? I thought that way you got out of the shower. That's disgusting.

I know. I didn't time my workout Slash sauna slash shower slash get dressed. Stop slashing. get and then I slash to the podcast. Look, I got a fucking, I got a sauna sweat 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 the face, I mean, oh. Wow. Oh, my body. Well, thank God you took a shower. Yeah. I'm going to need another one after this.

Will you shower after this? You bet. Yeah. And did you already, did you already go through your, whole process this morning? Have I emptied? Yes. Yeah.

Yeah, okay. Have you? Have you? Obviously, did that happen? Sean? What, have I? I haven't taken a shower yet. No, I'll take a shower 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 got a zipper on that thing? What do you? No, I don't.

I don't eat breakfast. What do you? What do you? What do you? What's your nickname? Waste management? What's going on? No, I don't.

I don't. I don't have to poop in the morning. You're not regular. No, not at all. We've covered this a number of times over the years. I'm sorry. Hold on. But just real quick.

Is it once a day at least, though, Shoney? 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 you go 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.

This is a different. You went ahead and decided to restaff your team. No, I went to the ass doctor for all that stuff. Oh, yeah. He's great. But yeah, no, he said it's normal. But anyway, should we get to our guest? I mean, is that a weird transition?

I mean, sure. I think we're all still, our minds are all still on what's going on with you. Is this your, Sean's? This is mine's, mine. I was tipping my sandwich in, you. In ketchup, by the way, in case I'm just doing a drag. But you were dragging it too, yeah. 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 labels. Why you take a dump first before you think about putting more in your face?

Okay? Dump truck. Waste management. We're just so worried about the backup. Go ahead, Sean. I know. I don't have it. I don't 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'd co-written

and produced Keshe's TikTok and Rihanna's Diamonds, you may have heard of his wife, Selena Gomez. It's the singular and super cool, Benny Blanco. Beni Blanco. Here we go. This guy's got answers for us. How are you doing? There is. Benny, how's your morning, Ben?

Well. That's a soft question right there. You go ahead, take it wherever you want to go with that. First of all, I'm empty. That's a boy. Second of all. Second of all, your doctor said you can, four days. That's insane.

They need to leave their license. What are you talking about? Yeah, he said that was okay. Did you get a deal on this doctor? No, his doctor doesn't hold any actual licenses, you're saying. Yeah, my doctor. says four days too. Yeah.

Four days, Shawnee? Yeah, yeah, yeah, four days. That's not. All right, we'll get off a subject. Maybe I got it wrong. Wait, hi, Benny, how are you? Benny and I do know each other a little bit. We do know each other a little bit.

We do know each other a little bit. We did a commercial together. Oh, what commercial? For Duncan. Duncan Donuts. Oh, right on. Wow. That's all we got.

That's all we got. How about the Tim Horton's folks? Would they be upset about that, Willie? Well, we don't know, eh? we haven't been in touch with them. That's a Canadian outfit, Benny. Oh, I know. It's a Canadian dunking.

Wait, Benny, what's on the wall behind you with all the charts and the graphs? The other side. Guys, I don't. No, the other side. The other side. What office are you borrowing? Are you in a school?

I'm in my doctor's office right now. Hold on. It says, shitting, every four of the next days. 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, sure. If you're renting a house. Like, there's no other name. It's like any time. It's a cut and swab.

Yeah, yeah. I'm in a rental home in London. God. And I've been here for a very long time. How long have you been there? About six years. No, I've been, well, it's such a stupid story. Basically, I don't fly.

By the way, can I tell you something? That's my first question. I want to get into it. Okay, well, hey, well, he's telling it. He was halfway through it. I know, 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.

You might need to get out. Excuse me, he's a little backed up. Go ahead, Benny. So you don't fly. It's affecting his brain. Oh, yeah, I know. It's getting on a brain. Circulation to his brain.

Okay. So, so basically, I stopped flying a long time ago. My neuroses 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 L.A. to New York. And then I get on a boat for seven days to Europe. But how long is the drive from L.A. 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, 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 Shearin's story?

No, 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. I'm on, it's not like a Yyronin'I. or something. I'm on the Cunard.

Like, yeah, I'm on like a, essentially like a carnival cruise with all British people. But it's kind of badass, right? You got a nice cabin. Yeah? Define high end. Well, like, let's say the Orient Express

but floating. No, no. It's like, does that exist? No, no. Oh, I think it does. Like the Titanic doesn't exist anymore, right? 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. My mom's actually on a fancy, my mom's on a fancy cruise right now. So there's, 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. Yeah.

I was, I was, I was making an album with Ed Shearer. 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 go. grew up 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. Right. Everything else, you're like, I usually start to go insane about four days in, and you're just like, you don't even know who you are anymore. It's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, right, right. You've all four corners of this boat and all the people and you just, you're ready to jump over. They got the intranet on there. They got the internet.

They got the internet. They got like Starlink. It's, it's, that's, that's, that's good. The first time I went, the internet was so bad, and it cost like, it costs like, it costs like a million dollars. Like, the first time I went on, you would be like this. I'd be like, like, like, just signing on, just trying to, like, figure out everything. Uh-huh. And then what?

about any high seas ever? Yeah, I've been on in a hurricane. God, flying is better. That scares me. Big, big, big waves. There's only been one, there's only been one, the both sunk one time out of like a million. It's the best odds.

And they've made a great movie out of it. Yeah, but I mean, but aren't you worried? I can't, every documentary is like about diarrhea on a cruise ship, on any ship. Yeah. How bad. Sean, you should be doing. Yeah, you need to go tomorrow. Get a ticket tomorrow.

Yeah. Let's get the motor running. Yeah. Prime the pump a little bit. Well, I actually make my own food on the boat. Oh, let's get about foggoy for his bathroom. Yeah, exactly. I actually make my own food on the boat.

What food? What do you mean? What does that mean? How do you do? 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.

Kill, what was, tell me, tell me about the inciting incident that got you out of the sky and into the water. Okay. I love the way I phrase my question. Sure. I love phrasing questions. Basically, I'm in, it's the same day. What's that guy's named Sully, who got the plane in the-

Sully Sullenberger. Yeah, yeah. It's the exact same day. Sully landed the plane in the fucking river. 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. I get on a plane to Atlanta. And 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. 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 the level of turbulence? There was a 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 like slightly a bad flight like a few weeks later. And I was just like, you know what? Maybe I'll drive to New York the next time. That was like, 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, you know, I bet that. boat is super relaxing for you, you know? I mean, like, it truly, I mean, it gives you, like, focus time to just, like, do what you want to do and, like, get bored and, you know, a lot of relaxation happens in boredom, I find. Yeah. Well, and creativity. Yeah.

Which is a great segue, Will. Well, thank you. Well, no, I was just going to say, I mean, people talk about it. It's not an original idea, but you talk, you see people talk about these days about how we used to, prior to social media and smartphones and stuff, I mean, you remember as you were a kid, how many hours spent staring out the window as you were driving? Oh, my God. Yeah.

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. 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 know, it's too much. Yeah. I want to go backwards. Yeah. Yeah, let's go backwards. But speaking about creativity.

When flying was luxurious. Yeah. I remember you used to show us up. Sean, get back to the plan. Sorry, you got a plan ahead of you. Yeah, talk me. Get back to the grid. What's your plan, Sean?

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's name? My sister's name is Tracy.

Hey, Tracy. Hey, Tracy. Yes. But all, I mean, do you ever, do you ever just stop and think about all the success you've had and you're still so young. You've written massive hit songs for Justin Bieber, Ed Shearren, Katie Perry, Maroon 5. I mean, I'm reading these.

Kesha, Brittany Spears, Snoop Dog, Halsey, I mean, Kanye West. I mean, 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. Essentially. That's true. That's true. Okay. And what happened? and like what are some of the first albums you got and like why did that? I was, 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, you 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. 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. Why I got all the envelopes? I still have mine. I still have mine. Yeah, yeah. So, yeah, tapes first came out. Case logic, I think was a big one.

Yeah, I went to store. Here we go. Here's a gifting from Case Logic on its way. No, I think they're resting right now. First tape I ever bought was by Nas. It was called The World is Yours. And then the second tape I ever bought was all for one. Yeah, yeah, the icewear by the moon. Yeah.

And so I was buying this shit and my mom was like had such a good taste of 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 ying 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. Was, like, when you were doing all that, 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 there ever a big rock and roll draw for you? Yeah, first. So when I'm a big, about seven 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 a big war in my house. My mom, my mom was Beatles and my dad was stones. So it was like a big war when I was first growing up. So they were big, yeah, like my mom, like grew up like going to like CBGBs in Studio 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 music. Nobody did anything. No, but they appreciated it.

Yeah, they appreciated music. Everyone appreciated music. And even though like, my. My mom was like, shut the fuck up, stop banging everything, like, all over the house. Like, like, I was, I was so annoying. Did you have, but my mom used to make us turn the music down in the car. She always hated music in the car. Yeah, to this day.

She'd be like, turn it. She can't take the noise. My mom was oblivious to people who were like, like, remember Culture Club, boy George? She'd be like, he has such a beautiful voice. Like, she wouldn't know he was the big gay guy. She's pretty 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 long eye. She had two, just one of them was glass. Which we brought up.

It was glass. It wasn't glass. Oh, I don't know, it was glass. It was glass. It was glass. One eye. Wait, what were we going to say, Benny? Sorry.

So my mother, I took her to a Maroon 5 show, okay? and I've 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 perform? No, really? No. My mom is, she's so fucking oblivious.

And I said, Mom, he's not going to turn down the base? She said, why? Why is it such a big deal? It's so loud. Yeah. She told them to turn down the base. My mother also, like, when someone's coming, like, let's say, like, Let's say like Britney Spears was going to, like, do Jimmy Fallon or something.

She'd be like, oh, I saw Britney Spears in a time. You know, she could stay at my house if she wants to. She's not staying at your house. She's like, well, you know her. Why does she just, like, she's staying at, what are you talking about? Like, my mom lives in, like, some alternate reality. Yeah, what about your dad? What did your dad do growing up?

Both my parents had, 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. Hell yeah. Oh, really. Like, he made, yeah, yeah, very sexy. He made like old lady nightgowns.

Like literally like the ones who like see in Target. Yeah, it's like super. Oh. Oh, yeah. Well, he said like you're really choking one off there. Oh, yeah. He's like, oh. And then my mother's job was like,

Couldn't be, it's like even worse. My mom, like, do you know, like, do you know J.C. Penny's? Of course. And like Macy's. My mother would fix the jewelry display boxes when you went to J.C. Petty. Oh, 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 folks home. And she worked there for, like, 15 years.

Oh, wow. That is Angel Worth. That is a good way to also help your dad move some product with the other. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Intimate apparel for older people. Now opening that demo is now availed. Honestly, 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. 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. They want to be you. How would they, how do you do that? How do you, I mean, what, tell, what, how do you, I had that

same question. Well, Sean said that you just went, you, you, you, you sort of fudged your way, you went to New York and kind of, like, just pure hustle. Yeah, it was so different. 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, 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, that was, like, YouTube didn't exist yet. Like, MySpace first came out. And that was how I started making my, like, first connections. And, like, what did that look like? Would you, like, listen to somebody's song and then, like, you'd email them on this new thing called email?

Yeah, this was before the music. The music portion was even, the music portion became, you 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 in an inevitable snowball that begins to have. So 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 9 or 10, and I got to go into a studio. Wow. And I used to like rap, and I got to go into a studio. Yeah. And my guitar teacher, like, made a demo tape with me. and it would 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, it was like, 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. You know, and it's like, yeah. And I remember I was on ESN. 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, I, wasn't even like the main act.

I was nothing. I had no words. I was wearing a helmet. I wasn't even, you didn't even see me. Right. 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 next, leading to the next. There must have been.

Yeah. Yeah. And I was. I was. I was. I mean, 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. No, no, no, no. But I'm saying, like, I've told this shit so many times. I haven't heard it.

I know, but we're dumb-dums, and we haven't heard it. It's new to us, Benny, we want to know. It's just us, Benny. Here it's just us. Hey, Bee-B. Just sit down. Who calls you BB? My wife, sometimes.

But only when we write. Only in text messages. She always says, BB. 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? She's also like, I know. I think she's in the other room, but I'm all hooked up. I can't even walk in there. Oh, you're right, yeah. So, okay, so here's what happened.

Right. I got into music at a very young age. I start making songs. With boom boxes. Yeah, just like anywhere I could. I didn't have like, I didn't, I didn't, I wasn't like a bigillionaire 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 Boombox, the yellow one. Remember the yellow one? It was like this big and you could carry it on the beach. It was like 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 an eight track eventually.

But I didn't know I was doing that. It just because there was no, 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 brothers,

and my brother's fraternity. He had done like a few things. He knew a few people, 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?

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, a thousand dollar thing. Right. It just, like, it wasn't an option. Right. So, 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 still was terrible. Can I just pause and just say, first of all, is just a point of order? Is Benny Blanco your real name? You're given a... Benny Levin. How did you go from Benny Levin?

When did you become Benny Blanco? I was 13. See, it's a great name. Carlito. 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 of 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 Carlito's Way. And I... Wait, was that a character's name? In Carlito's... Yeah, his character is John Liguizamo

in Carlito's 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. Yeah.

So now you're Benny Blanco, and you're making news, and people are starting to kind of notice. You're traveling, Jersey's... 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, 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, mix-tapes. Like, it's, like, I'm, like, I'm, like, 50s' cousins' business. brother's nephew. I'm on like his thing and I'm like, no, there's, 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, A, they couldn't get, like, samples cleared. Or, like, there was, like, artists on them. It was, like, it was illegal, making illegal music, usually, like, before an album's coming out to lead up to it, or to get yourself a record. And they're not sold in stores.

And they're not sold in the scene. Yeah, they're passed around and sold in the city. And they're done on burned cassettes or burn CDs. So they're not. Like on, like, Canal Street? Yeah. Yes, yes, exactly, exactly. And it's not such a thing anymore.

I'm acting 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

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. No way. Yes. 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 Bow Wow and Lil Romeo.

And Schechter kind of validated you. Schecter validated me. Little Benny. Yeah, Sam, validate, yeah, 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. But before that, I read that the first money you ever made in music was for a softcore porn series, and you were like 14, 15. That is true. Jonathan Schechter owned a thing called Hip Hop Honeys,

which was basically where they took all the girls for. 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 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. It should work.

It's trash. Yeah. It's trash. We were on the airplane, and it was disgusting. Yeah. So, okay, things are happening. I'm fast forwarding a little bit. Yeah, yeah.

In high school, I trick a man. One of my favorite producers. Same. What's this guy named? Sean said that. Yeah, exactly. Same. I was on MySpace.

And I reached out to one of my favorite producers, and I saw he was booking studio time at his studio. His name was DiscoD, and I said, hey, man, 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 of 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, like, as part of the thing. And like... How much is studio time, like an hour?

That's, oh, my God. Is it like $5,000 or $5? 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 $150 short. But I got enough of the money.

And he saw it. He let me come work for him. I started working for him. I move out to New York when I'm, you know, 17, 18. I tell my mom, you know, my mom doesn't have, we don't, like, she can't, like, let me live in like a lavish plate. Like, it's like. Right.

So I'm, where are you living? And 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 it 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 interning 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 like 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, you know, 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 worked. Nothing worked. 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 Barclay came out. Remember that song? Like, does that make you crazy? Yeah, that's, oh my God. Totally. So it was right when this came out. And I was like, I got to become a duo. That's the only way I'm going to make it. I got to 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, Naim Jouan.

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 had all, 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 got to work with me and he wouldn't do it. Somehow after DiscoD passed away, we were at my ex-manager's house,

and we were just like reminiscing. And I said, dude, please, you got to 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? This was about five months into me being in New York. And I said, 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 way. Yeah, he said, and it's called Downtown Records.

The most ironic thing is Narls Barkley was signed to the same label. So like the fate is crazy. Wow, yeah, that is wild. 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 anything. I didn'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 at this view. I'm like, dude, I just did this meeting. I'm like, fuck this dude. And then I get a call.

I get 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 like 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 L.A. with me

and work on, like, work on artists like Britney Spears and stuff like that. And I'm like, of course I knew. Like, I wasn't into 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 the Titans.

These are like the godfathers of pop music. Like Max Martin has like the most number ones of, he has 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 Brittany gets there. So I'm like, okay, blah, blah, blah. 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 L.A. And it's like a cool like 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. 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, it's all moving. When did you, when did you pretend to be Jay Z's attorney? Like, what part of the time?

That was like, 13. Oh, okay, okay. I thought that was later. I'm skipping, I'm skipping around. I'm part of it. I'm party with Paris, man. We can't talk about Jason. That's funny.

Wow. So I'm 18. Yeah. I put the music. I put the rapping 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 got to 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, 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. And so it was like... Yeah, I mean, for Trace, well, you guys too, you might not know Dr. Luke.

He produced like, since you've been, since you've been gone, you know that... Everything. Him and Max... I kissed a girl. It came in like a racking ball from My Osiris and... Yeah. Tons of him. And Max Martin produced every song for Britney...

Hit me, baby, one more time. Yeah, every song for the back. On it that way. Every in sync song. Yeah, like all the new Taylor Swift stuff. He does, he does a lot on 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 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 song. And I'm like the cool guy who like goes out to the clubs and like knows where the cool food is.

Well, you've 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 songs. That's what I tell all these people. They're like, well, I'm not classically true.

I'm not this. Guys, I'm like barely a musician. I just like, I'm sure you guys are the same way. I 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, A, A, there's that.

100% there is that because you had it and 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 Narz Barkley, is you created your own, you manifested it by working hard. It didn't happen by accident, dude.

You, every step of the way, you hustled, and you created those opportunities for yourself by continuing 100%. I know what you're saying. I know what you're saying. Like I always tell people, the harder you work, the more chance. is you have to be lucky. Yeah.

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. Of course. Right, right. How do you get that? Well, you got to do, like as you said before,

you've 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. Yeah. Like, here's what I'll say for you, 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, 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. People skills. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And, Benny, go ahead. You go. I have nothing to say. Okay. 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 he had all the time in the fucking world. Also, that was an hour ago.

The truth is, for me, is also, I'm a really good lay. Yeah. I can tell you, look, you're hot. You guys are all so beautiful. Thanks, man. You are too. Benny. 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 am such a big fan of Salinas. How did you meet? By the way, Betty just passed her for me. I mean, we don't know each other, Benny. This is, of course, for me.

I'd like to officially ask for your friendship. You don't have to answer now, but, yeah, I'd like you a part of my life, please. Guys, first of all, before I say, 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 different people. Selena and I, every single night we go to bed

to Will and Grace every single night no matter what it's like it's 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 no every straight guy says the same thing yeah I can say the Sean we have a quick visit from Jack can you visit your character but it's so funny everybody it's so funny straight guys always coming to me

like my wife I mean, I don't watch it with her, but I, but then, you know, but then they quote it. I watched it with my mother and then I've rewatched it now 700 times with my wife. Okay, so how did I meet, how did I meet my wife? 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 because 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 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 Janick. 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, I love her stuff. Like she was getting big, and she was, it was, and I was like, oh, I love her stuff. I didn't even know about the TV show.

Didn't know any of that. Because I'm too old for 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. 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 Jay 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 like and it was like you know when like you're getting like second hand information from someone and they're like yeah and like when she like don't talk about this thing and don't say too much of that and like maybe like if she looks like and it's like I'm sure you guys get that with stuff like through the podcast or like even people say that about you and then um so I'm like there and I'm like okay what am 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. 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, 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, 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, were you saying?

I was just saying 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 on the phone before he was going in because she was so nervous. And you knew it because you had cameras outside. And you see her. That was after we started dating. So like literally. That is really funny. Okay.

So basically I'm at my photo. I'm at my shoot. I'm at my shoot. And my mother comes up to me. She says, you should really date someone like Selena. I think you should date. I said, mom. 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 do you? And 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, right. So things maybe seem a little weird. And, like, I, like, am going to text her. And then, like, my friend's 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? Yeah. And I heard it, and I was like, oh, 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 was there some weird thing with you and Selena, like, 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 go. 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, 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 Bada Bing and people are, and people are. And people are.

And people are tripping on Toad? What is Toad? What is Toad? Wait, let him fair. Wait, I want to hear. You're so well read about all the time. Toad is a thing where you like slip. His assistant is busy.

Yeah, really busy, believe. It's where you fucking slip into another dimension. Read about it when you're trying to take a shit next time. Okay. Very good, very good. 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, saying like, so glad we got in Sue. I had like the best time ever. And we start talking back and forth. And it was just like, you know, to me like simple artist talk. And then like she starts sending like funny selfies back and forth.

And I'm still, I'm like in the middle of doing a bunch of stuff. So I don't really like pay it much mind. I'm just like, oh, this is just like friendly banter. And then she asks me to hang out the next day. She said, do you want to hang out? And I said, oh, I said, yo, I'm, I got my friends' birthday dinner. You want to come with me? And I'm thinking it's friends because I'm like, obviously Selena Gomez doesn't want to go out on a date with me.

And I had no idea. I had no, I'm obviously. We're going to get to the date soon, right? Yeah, we're getting to the date. Okay. We're getting to the date right now. Why, you got to go to take a poop or something? So, okay, we're at the date.

We're at the date. It's Friday. She thinks it's a date. I have no idea it's a date, okay? And she makes a comment where I'm like, is this a 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, oh, 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. And we literally, since that day, have been inseparable. She's the yin to my yang. She's my best. And she's, and we're, and

friend. 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 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 the two of you. Yeah, you're lucky. You guys are both such genuine people. People always say things. They're like, what?

They're like, okay, but like, what do you guys do on like a normal night? And I'm like, what do you do on a normal night? I'm like, what do you 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. I love that. Benny, you know, we've got to let you go because we've taken what boys

for much of your time. But I saw on your website, you'll sell someone a strand of your hair for 4,900. $95 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 nine years ago when I first became an artist. And it went like super viral back then. Yeah.

Does anybody call 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, great. I love that. I'll send it over. And your new album Hermoso, which is, I don't even.

I listen to some of it is really, really, really, really cool. I love it. I also have a book. I got a book. Oh, yeah, the book, yeah. I have a book. It's called fuck failure? Is that what it's going?

Yes. Yes. Like, yeah, I have a book on just like how to fail upwards, you know? Oh, I like that. 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 now. Go ahead. Okay, now watch this. Now watch this. My new books coming out. soon. You should get it soon. Yeah. Now watch you. Yeah, yeah.

Just insert them right. 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. Yeah, yeah. It's really impressive. Truly, truly, truly, truly, I mean it. It's so well-earned. and deserved because you worked really, really hard and you really... I don't like compliments.

Say something really bad about it. Say something terrible about them. I never get them. I never get them, 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 Oh my God Yeah I haven't I haven't slept in my bed in almost five months

Yeah I just finished Are you guys thinking what I'm thinking The four of us New York to L.A. road trip? Oh shit Where do you guys live? Are you all L.A.? Yes, yes Yes Both.

Can I hang out with you guys? Yeah, right when you get back Yeah, please coming up with us I missed the last hangout But I want I'm going to be a big part of the next one Is this fake? No, it's real. Are we, is there actual, like, will I ever actually have your guys' numbers?

There's this a thing we're talking about on here, and then we never speak ever again. Be honest. I'll love you either way. I would be killed 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's turn. So I'm just letting you, 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's really going to have it. We're going to cut it. Give us your phone number right now. Okay. We'll write it down old school cell. We'll cut it. Okay.

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, yeah, don't cut it. Whatever you do not cut that. I can't believe he fell for it.

leaked that number by mistake like four times. And I just like, I just, my phone just rings all day. And 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 all day.

Holy shit. Whoa, dude, that was deep as fuck. You guys are actually amazing. Benny, we love you. Thank you so much. Hey, listen. How about we go to the studio? Yes. And you guys, 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. 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 with them. That's amazing.

That's great. That's great. It was very nice to be to come on this one. Yeah, dude, so good. So, so good. You guys are rad, man. Yeah. Thank you guys so much.

All right. Give our love to Selena. All right. I will. We'll talk soon. Okay. Bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye. See you when you're back.

Text you soon. Bye, buddy. Text me that number, Willie. Yeah, I will. I love that threat. I love that threat. If we don't call him, he's going to air us out on Howard Stern. I just texted him first.

That's great, shoot. That's a nice fella. Real nice. I like him a lot. What a story. I mean, like inspiring. like, you know, we talk about it a lot on 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. He's 38. He's got, like, he was talking about vibe and stuff, like, he's got great vibe. He's got a great thing with people,

and he under, like, there's something about him, and you combine that with the hard work and a true sort of talent for music and ear and all that sort of stuff and it's just a winning a winning combo. I want to hang out with him. I know.

Well, wasn't there a hang that I missed that you guys were at? On Sunday or something, maybe? No, maybe... Might have been while you were both out. I was out of town for 71 days. Can you be more specific? Oh, boy.

Well, you served your time, Willie, and now you learned your lesson, I think, right? But it just goes to... I mean, his books coming out, but I was going to 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, baby. Bye, bye, bye, bye. Bye. Bye. Right. Smartless is 100% organic and artisanly handcrafted by Michael Grant Terry, Rob Aramcharv. and Bennett Barbico. Smart less.