Transcript

Diplo (0:00)

There's one point in our history where there was, like, all these humanoids, like, fighting for control. Like the little hobbit one in Indonesia. Like, can you believe that we are the only one that, like, we're, like, came back, we destroyed the rest of the whole thing.

Naeema Raza (0:14)

That's like, my big question for Bill Nye, because I'm like, there must be life in other. Space time.

Diplo (0:19)

Space time. What do you mean by space time?

Naeema Raza (0:21)

Like dimensions? Or like, living in different time from us because they're at light years ahead of us or something.

Diplo (0:25)

By rationality, there's. The universe is so huge that there's something else here. Yeah, that's one argument. But the other argument's like, there's just no reason to not ever know them.

Naeema Raza (0:33)

We have to ask Bill, but has Bill met aliens? We're asking today. Well, we can ask him when he shows up, when you're eating lunch, we'll ask him.

Diplo (0:40)

I was looking up topless pictures of Bill Nye yesterday because I want to know if he had, like, abs.

Naeema Raza (0:45)

Does he.

Diplo (0:46)

He has, like, a little V line.

Naeema Raza (0:47)

Was there any, like, topless photo with him just in the bow tie, like a Chippendale style?

Diplo (0:51)

There was, but I think it was AI Twisted kids.

Naeema Raza (0:53)

All right. Shall we?

Diplo (0:55)

That was in the beginning.

Naeema Raza (0:56)

No, we're using it. We're definitely using that. I'm Naeema Raza. This is Smart girl, dumb questions. And I feel like these days everybody is a dj, or at least every guy I date is. Why is that? I'm going to ask that question today to legendary musician, producer, and legit DJ Diplo, who is not a guy I date, but is a guest today.

Diplo (1:13)

I'm here.

Naeema Raza (1:14)

How are you a good date? Are you a good date?

Summary

Podcast Summary

Smart Girl Dumb Questions

Host: Nayeema Raza
Episode: Why Is Every Dude a DJ? Ft. Diplo
Date: October 7, 2025

Main Theme & Purpose

In this energetic, playful, and wide-ranging episode, Nayeema Raza sits down with superstar DJ/producer Diplo (Wes Pentz) to answer the “dumb question”: “Why is every dude a DJ?” Their conversation spins through Diplo’s origins, tales from the frontlines of global pop, the evolution of DJ culture, musical creativity, health hacks for the perennially jet-lagged, and the blurred lines between creators and culture. Equal doses of curiosity and irreverence mark their exchange, with stops at anthropology, foot fetishes, marathon running — and even a bet on whether Bill Nye knows Diplo’s name.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Life, The Universe, and Bill Nye

Opens with quick banter about space, the possibility of alien life, and a running joke about Bill Nye’s physique, setting the episode’s irreverent, curious tone.
[00:40] "I was looking up topless pictures of Bill Nye yesterday because I want to know if he had, like, abs." — Diplo

2. Why Every Guy Is a DJ

Nayeema observes the ubiquity of DJs, especially on dating apps, prompting the episode's core question: Why are so many dudes DJs?
For Diplo, DJing is “accessible”—you can grab some gear, learn the basics, and immediately be “the guy at the party.”
[40:24] “It’s just easy to do it also means you’re… It means you’re cool. It means you’re like, functionally, I know what’s going on.” — Diplo
He notes that not all self-described DJs are serious or skilled.

3. Diplo’s Origin Story & Creative Approach

The name “Diplo” comes from Diplodocus—his fascination with dinosaurs and an ex’s teasing nickname.
Early grind: After initial struggles, Diplo sold homemade mixtapes, bootlegs, and edits in Philly, making enough to scrape by.
[03:03] “I was making like $100,000 a year selling, like mixtapes, bootleg of my music I made, or like little edits I made and selling them.” — Diplo
His breakthrough came with M.I.A. (“Paper Planes”): making lo-fi music in cramped apartments, learning production on the fly, and leveraging guerrilla mixtape distribution.
On making it: “I make songs that are interesting. And they’re not hits, but they just somehow find their audience.” — Diplo [04:35]

4. What Makes a Great Producer/DJ?

A producer can be part-therapist, part-musician, part-brand manager; Diplo finds the job fluid and rarely formulaic.
[19:51] “Producing can mean so many different things. There’s people like Prince who…just made the whole song…others like Rick Rubin…‘Maybe turn up the bass.’” — Diplo
He compares producing and collaborating with different personalities, sometimes merging romantic and professional relationships — “I think I did date a lot of people I produced. I would never do it again. Maybe I would…” [21:18]
Reading the crowd: Diplo explains how a good DJ senses a room’s age, vibe, expectations, and tailors music accordingly, wielding a vast, flexible arsenal.
[24:33] “I could play a funeral. I could play a fucking rave for 10-year-old. I could play a…college tech house…I can kind of do anything.” — Diplo

5. Musical Eclecticism and Cultural Curiosity

Diplo’s musical career is shaped by a love for anthropology and world travel.
[29:55] “I went to Temple University for anthropology. I was like, my dream job was to be a National Geographic photographer…or just, something cultural.” — Diplo
Global experiences: majoring in film and anthropology, traveling across India and Pakistan, collaborating with South Asian artists (Diljit Dosanjh, Shah Rukh Khan), and incorporating global rhythms into Major Lazer and other projects.
Fascination with cultural exchange, DJing in “sketchy” spots (like Islamabad with bomb threats), and the diversity and cross-pollination he sees in modern music scenes.

6. Health, Sleep, and Party Life

Diplo’s modern regimen: running clubs, marathons, barely any alcohol (“you can’t really drink and DJ”), selective LSD use “like a caffeinated boost,” and survival on minimal sleep.
[14:23] “I’m probably on 340 flights a year…sometimes I get 9 hours in a day, but every other night it’s like four.” — Diplo
The paradox of the party life: “So many DJs my age are just totally sober.” [14:57]

7. On Making Hits, Earworms, and the Creative Process

Discusses the accidental vs. deliberate nature of musical progress—some hits come from happy accidents.
[26:29] “Everything’s probably accidental because I’m always fumbling my way into a great song…just messing with the audio file.” — Diplo
Distinguishing hooks, loops, and earworms; the latter is a “can’t-get-it-out-of-your-head” moment.

8. Fetishes, Footwear, and the Cultivated Eccentricity of Modern Men

Tangents into cultural eccentricities and sexual fetishes—prompted by a lighthearted foot fetish story.
[34:14] “I think it’s pretty random to have a foot fetish… You just kind of end somewhere.” — Diplo

9. On the Future: AI, Next-Gen DJs & Enduring the Algorithm

Diplo suggests the next “Diplo” might be an AI DJ/creator avatar.
[55:50] “It’s definitely an AI creation blob like person. Maybe like a really hot girl that is AI and does everything.” — Diplo
He emphasizes that while DJing is more algorithmic and accessible, the best DJs “give you music you never heard…confuses you, but you learn something.” [56:36]

10. Collaborations, Major Lazer, and Bromance Fallout

Confirms a second Jack Ü album with Skrillex exists, but their partnership is “broken” (“Skrillex hates me…I can’t understand why”). [58:00]
Shares stories about Major Lazer’s return at Coachella, global block parties, and massive concerts from Cuba to Twitch marathons.

11. Random Notables and Memorable Moments

Ongoing joke/bet: “Does Bill Nye know who Diplo is?” — $100 wager with Nayeema. [29:31]
Personal discipline rooted in his father’s military background and the family’s climb out of poverty via the GI bill. [44:13]
Dives into family, how he tries (and fails) to teach his sons music, and the generational perseverance needed for success.
Wild anecdotes: getting “kidnapped” by Indonesian police during a tour, playing clubs for dictators, surreal moments with pop icons.

Notable Quotes & Moments

“The name ‘Diplo’ is based after the animal, the dinosaur called Diplodocus… I shortened it to Diplo because it sounded interesting. I was into branding.” — Diplo [02:44]
“I don’t do a lot of drugs…but my doctor said to me…your brain health, like you sleeping is more important than whatever this can possibly do to you.” — Diplo [13:41]
“Our knowledge is a bit tainted, right? …There’s just something so pure [about being 11], when you start buying your own music.” — Nayeema Raza [46:13]
“I accidentally became a DJ… I do consider myself a cultural agitator. My career was trying to do something meaningful in the fabric of humanity.” — Diplo [55:48 – 56:14]
“A great DJ… gives you music you never heard and, like, you kind of confuses you, but you… learn something.” — Diplo [56:36]

Timestamps for Key Segments

[00:56] Why “every dude is a DJ” – episode’s main question
[03:03] Diplo’s beginnings: selling mixtapes, bootlegging, grind in early Philly days
[06:02] Partnering with M.I.A., early creative hustle, industry skepticism
[14:23] Diplo’s insane travel & sleep cycles, health habits as an aging DJ
[19:51] Explaining “producer” — from Prince to Rick Rubin
[24:33] On reading the room & DJing any crowd
[29:55] Anthropology and Diplo’s global music curiosity
[34:14] Sexual fetishes & eccentricities — the culture of “quirky” men in NYC
[40:24] Why DJing is so appealing (especially for men)
[55:48] Who is the next-gen Diplo? It could be AI
[58:00] Why Jack Ü (Diplo + Skrillex) isn’t coming back soon

Tone and Style

Equal parts playful, self-deprecating, and insightful, this episode is an irreverent tour through the mind and life of a modern musical polymath. Both Diplo and Nayeema bounce between pop culture, personal history, and philosophy with humor and warmth, filled with side-bets and asides.

For Listeners Looking for Takeaways:

Diplo didn’t plot a straight path to global stardom — he hustled, made mistakes, and adapted constantly, powered by curiosity and “just showing up every day.”
DJing’s current mass appeal is partly due to its accessibility, but becoming a great DJ/producer still demands intuition, taste, and showmanship.
Global musical influences, cultural exploration, and a willingness to fumble through creative chaos are at the heart of meaningful modern pop.
Health, sleep, and sobriety eventually matter — even for the world’s most tireless party-starter.
Artificial intelligence is poised to transform even the role and cultural cachet of the superstar DJ.

Memorable Closing Exchange

[58:00] “Why has Jack Ü not gotten back together?”
“Oh, that’s an easy one to answer. Skrillex hates me and I can’t even…and if you even follow me on Instagram and you talk to him…he’ll unfollow you. It’s a real kind of crazy hate that…I just can’t understand.” — Diplo

Catch the next episode to find out if Bill Nye knows who Diplo is — and keep sending in your ‘dumb questions.’

Recommended Tracks:

“Paper Planes” (w/M.I.A.)
“Lean On” (Major Lazer)
“Purr” (feat. Shah Rukh Khan)
“Sailor Song” (GG Perez)
“Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley” (country album)