A trap-loving DJ takes on economics

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Indicator from Planet Money Episode: A Trap-Loving DJ Takes on Economics
Release Date: April 21, 2025
Host: NPR’s Waylon Wong and Adrienne Ma
Guest: DJ Melvin, a trap music DJ from Vancouver, Washington

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Introduction: A World in Flux

In this engaging episode of The Indicator from Planet Money, hosts Waylon Wong and Adrienne Ma acknowledge the chaotic state of the world, marked by events such as tariff shocks, stock market turmoil, and even Katy Perry venturing into space. Adrienne humorously remarks, “We have got tariff shock and stock market upheaval and Katy Perry going to space” (00:15), setting a lighthearted tone amid serious economic discussions.

Introducing DJ Melvin: Blending Music and Economics

The episode features DJ Melvin, a passionate trap music DJ from Vancouver, Washington, joining the hosts for the Indicator Quiz. Melvin’s enthusiasm is palpable as he introduces himself: “If you leave it entirely up to me, I prefer to mix trap music more than any other type of music” (01:36). His unique combination of music and economics brings a fresh perspective to the show, highlighting the diverse interests of today’s economic players.

Indicator Quiz: Testing Economic Acumen

1. Alphabet Soup: Deciphering Economic Acronyms

The quiz begins with the "Alphabet Soup" segment, where Melvin identifies key economic acronyms:

• WTO: Hosts present options, and Melvin correctly identifies it as the World Trade Organization (04:15). Waylon explains, “The World Trade Organization is an intergovernmental body that deals with the global rules of trade between nations” (04:22), emphasizing its role as a trade referee amidst ongoing global conflicts.

• VAT: Melvin accurately deciphers VAT as Value Added Tax (05:04). Waylon elaborates, “The term Value added tax, or vat, refers to a consumption tax on goods and services levied at each stage of the supply chain where value is added” (05:07), providing listeners with a clear understanding of its economic impact.

2. Test Your Terms: Filling in the Gaps

In the "Test Your Terms" segment, Melvin tackles fill-in-the-blank economic terms:

• Wildlife Damage Management: Asked about the specific animals targeted in federal wildlife management programs, Melvin initially guesses "Wolves" but corrects himself to Coyotes (06:01). Waylon playfully remarks, “Biologists don't come for me” (06:11), highlighting the nuanced challenges in wildlife economics.

• Panama Canal: Melvin successfully identifies the critical waterway as the Panama Canal (07:04). Adrienne notes Melvin’s celebratory dance, reflecting his excitement and knowledge, while Waylon praises his performance: “This is truly, truly an impressive run on the indigator quiz” (09:56).

3. Name That Voice: Recognizing Influential Figures

The final quiz segment, "Name That Voice," challenges Melvin to identify speakers from audio clips:

• Bad Bunny: Melvin correctly identifies Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny when hearing his song about cultural loss due to gentrification and displacement (08:19). Waylon connects this to a previous episode on Puerto Rico’s transformation into a tax haven, underscoring the interplay between culture and economics.

• Old Spice Advertisement: In another clip, Melvin identifies the iconic voice from the Old Spice ads (08:49). The hosts discuss how modern marketing strategies have evolved, with brands adopting more familiar and casual tones compared to their traditionally distinctive voices.

Conclusion: Celebrating Economic Knowledge

As the quiz concludes, the hosts commend Melvin’s impressive performance. Melvin shares a personal anecdote about introducing his children to economic concepts through road trip entertainment, to which Adrienne humorously remarks about the effectiveness of passive learning: “I like to think that all of this knowledge is seeping in through their brain just by osmosis” (10:07).

Behind the Scenes

The episode credits acknowledge the production team:

• Produced by: Angel Carreras
• Engineering: Neal Rauch
• Fact-Checked by: Sierra Juarez
• Edited by: Julia Richie
• Show Editor: Keegan Cannon
  The Indicator is a production of NPR.

Advertisements and Promotions

The episode includes brief advertisements for Amazon Business, Capital One, Fisher Investments, Capella University, Lisa Mattresses, and Discover, seamlessly integrated without disrupting the content flow.

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Notable Quotes:

• Adrienne Ma on current events: “We have got tariff shock and stock market upheaval and Katy Perry going to space” (00:15)
• DJ Melvin on his music preference: “If you leave it entirely up to me, I prefer to mix trap music more than any other type of music” (01:36)
• Waylon Wong on the WTO: “The World Trade Organization is an intergovernmental body that deals with the global rules of trade between nations” (04:22)
• DJ Melvin reflecting on his quiz performance: “Dang it. Dang it.” (06:05)
• DJ Melvin on introducing his children to economics: “It's gonna come up at some point in their lives and they're gonna go, my dad said Roth, Ira” (10:14)

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This episode of The Indicator from Planet Money seamlessly blends economics with pop culture, using DJ Melvin’s unique perspective to explore complex economic concepts through an accessible and entertaining quiz format. Whether you’re an economics enthusiast or a casual listener, this episode offers insightful discussions that make the intricacies of today’s economy both understandable and enjoyable.

Transcript

[NPR]

Npr.

[Waylon Wong]

This is the Indicator from Planet Money. I'm Waylon Wong.

[Adrienne Ma]

And I'm Adrienne Ma. Typically on the show we do some sort of incisive, very smart, serious econ explainer about the news of the day. But the world is. It's worlding a lot right now. We have got tariff shock and stock market upheaval and Katy Perry going to space.

[Waylon Wong]

Did you hear what she sang when they were in space?

[Adrienne Ma]

Was it. No. What did she sing?

[Waylon Wong]

She sang what a Wonderful World, the Louis Armstrong song.

[Adrienne Ma]

Good choice. I was gonna say. I was like. Is it the one about kissing a girl? It's a good song.

[Waylon Wong]

Where are we? I have blasted off into a different planet. Let's come back down to Earth to take the Indicator Quiz.

[Adrienne Ma]

That's right, the Indicator Quiz, where we test one lucky contestant's knowledge of the topics we've been covering on the show so far. And you, dear listeners at home, you can play along, test your wits.

[Waylon Wong]

Today on the show we have. Can we call you by your professional name, DJ Melvin. Hello.

[DJ Melvin]

Hey.

[Waylon Wong]

Hello. DJ Melvin. You are, as your name suggests, a dj, among many other things, in Vancouver, Washington. Welcome to the Indicator.

[DJ Melvin]

Hey, thank you so much for having me on, Cass.

[Adrienne Ma]

What kind of DJ are you?

[DJ Melvin]

If you leave it entirely up to me, I prefer to mix trap music more than any other type of music.

[Waylon Wong]

Fun. Okay, now, DJ Melvin, you might have a new co DJ for your gigs because today you're playing for a plushie of Indy, the Indigator. Indigator.

[Adrienne Ma]

Yeah.

[DJ Melvin]

It's just one of the best mascots ever, man. I love gators. And I love economics. I know that sounds goofy.

[Waylon Wong]

No, we love it. We are so excited to have you here. And for those of you playing along at home, all this merch and more is available at shop.npr.org but for now, we're gonna blast off with this quiz.

[Adrienne Ma]

That's after the break.

[NPR]

This message comes from Amazon Business with Smart Business Buying. Get everything you need to grow in one familiar place, from office supplies to it essentials and maintenance tools ready to bring your visions to life. Learn [e-mail] this message comes from Capital One. Banking with Capital One helps you keep more money in your wallet with no fees or minimums on checking accounts. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capitalone.combank for details. Capital One NA Member FDIC.

[Michael Hosmar]

This message comes from Fisher Investments Senior Vice President Michael Hosmar. Shares one way their fiduciary duty comes to life when working with clients. We listen to to our clients goals, their objectives, their personal needs. And we build a plan that puts their needs first. They want to know what we're truly thinking about, how that thinking is being built into our plan for them. Because that's how seriously we take our fiduciary responsibility. Learn [e-mail] Investing in securities involves the risk of loss.

[Waylon Wong]

It is indicator quiz time with our guest, Melvin.

[Adrienne Ma]

Hey, if you need a hint, I'm your phone, a friend in this situation.

[DJ Melvin]

Okay.

[Waylon Wong]

All right, Melvin, we're going to get rolling with our first segment, which is something we call Alphabet soup. We are going to name an acronym and you tell us what it stands for. You ready?

[DJ Melvin]

Ready.

[Waylon Wong]

Okay. President Trump has launched a trade war with, well, pretty much every country. Big tariffs and changing course and more tariffs all across the globe. Is there someone who can mediate this conflict? Well, there is. There is something called the wto. So what does the WTO stand for? Is it A, woof, Tariffs? Ouch. Is it B, World Trade Oversight, or C, World Trade Organization?

[DJ Melvin]

I want it to be A, so bad, but I know it's not. I know it's C, World Trade Organization.

[Waylon Wong]

World Trade Organization. You are exactly right. The World Trade Organization is an intergovernmental body that deals with the global rules of trade between nations, and they're supposed to play trade referee for conflicts. But right now, it's not really happening. As we explained in our episode, on to the next acronym in our Alphabet soup, President Trump is using tariffs to fight what he considers unfair trade barriers. He singled out Europe's use of VAT as one example. So what does VAT stand for? Is it A, Value added tax, B, Vastly asinine tax, or C, variable actuality tax?

[DJ Melvin]

Ooh, that's a value added tax.

[Waylon Wong]

Ah. You knew it. You knew it. You are correct. The term Value added tax, or vat, refers to a consumption tax on goods and services levied at each stage of the supply chain where value is added. All right, we are rolling on to a round we're calling test your terms. This is a fill in the blank and it's an economic term, a person or organization that you're looking to fill in the blank here. Are you ready to test your terms, Melvin?

[DJ Melvin]

Absolutely. Let's go.

[Waylon Wong]

Okay, your first term. The federal government spends millions of dollars each year on wildlife damage management. This is a program that includes killing thousands of of blank rifles. Cyanide and even aerial gunning have been used to kill blanks. These methods have actually caused the spread of them to different Places. What is blank?

[DJ Melvin]

Wolves.

[Waylon Wong]

So close. Coyotes.

[DJ Melvin]

Coyotes. Dang it. Dang it.

[Waylon Wong]

Like, basically, wolves. Biologists don't come for me.

[DJ Melvin]

And it's funny because I remember that episode because they have an internal thing where, you know, their body will sense that, you know, there's less of us out here, and it'll start making way more of them, and you're never gonna get ahead of them.

[Waylon Wong]

Oh, man. You really remember that episode. I love the close listening. I love it.

[DJ Melvin]

I just mixed up the two different dogs. Whatever.

[Waylon Wong]

I mean, they're very similar. Okay, moving on to the next test. Your terms question. This is a place we've been covering a lot lately on the indicator. It is a critical piece of of waterway that President Trump has had his eye on for quite some time now. It's a major hub of international trade. And recently, a consortium led by American investment fund BlackRock agreed to buy majority stakes in two ports here. What is the name of this waterway?

[DJ Melvin]

The Panama Canal.

[Waylon Wong]

That is right. It is the Panama Canal. This waterway connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, creating a more direct and convenient trade and travel route.

[Adrienne Ma]

I just want to know. For people listening, Melvin's doing a little, like, head shimmy in celebration.

[Waylon Wong]

You should be celebrating. You are doing amazing.

[DJ Melvin]

Thank you.

[Waylon Wong]

Mm. And now we're going on to a segment called Name that Voice. We're going to play a clip, and you have to tell us who it is. The range of answers can go from US politicians to people across the pop culture spectrum to maybe someone whose voice just made a little cameo on the. For this one, you may want to get your dancing shoes. This singer was featured in a March episode because they wrote a song about the massive changes hitting their home. The song was full of lyrics. Ruining what was being lost on their native island, losing cultural identity by way of gentrification and displacement. Let's hear the clip. I see that glimmer of recognition in your eyes. Melvin, who is the singer?

[DJ Melvin]

That is none other than Mr. Bunny himself. Bad Bunny.

[Waylon Wong]

Yes. Bad Bunny, as you probably know, is from Puerto Rico. And on a recent episode, we covered how political leaders have been trying to turn Puerto Rico into a tax haven for a long time. The lyrics here are saying, they want to take my river and my beach, too. They want my neighborhood and your kids to leave. So that was clip number one. Now we're gonna do another Name that voice. This one comes from our episode about marketing pet peeves.

[DJ Melvin]

Hello, ladies. Look at your man.

[Michael Hosmar]

Now back to me. Now back at your man.

[DJ Melvin]

Now back to me.

[Michael Hosmar]

Sadly, he isn't me.

[Waylon Wong]

But if he stopped using. Ladies, you know what brand this ad is for?

[DJ Melvin]

I don't know. Old Spice. Is it Old Spice or am I wrong?

[Waylon Wong]

It is. It is Old Spice. Yeah.

[DJ Melvin]

Yeah.

[Waylon Wong]

Your instincts are totally correct. Yes, it is Old Spice. And in this episode, we explored how brands are getting a little comfier and maybe overly familiar with consumers in their marketing. And one of our marketing experts said that's different from advertisements back in the day, like Old Spice that had a very strong, distinctive voice. Like, you would never hear the Old Spice guy being like, hey, bestie or whatever.

[DJ Melvin]

Right?

[Adrienne Ma]

That was awesome. Again, Melvin, with the celebration dance, I wish we had some, like, some trap music we could play to, you know, to be your celebration song.

[DJ Melvin]

Nah, it's okay. I got all the music right here.

[Waylon Wong]

Melvin, I have to say, you like speed ran this thing. This is truly, truly an impressive run on the indigator quiz.

[DJ Melvin]

Yeah, it's funny because my kids, whenever we went on long road trips, I'd always make them listen to this and to Planet Money and some of these other economic shows. I listen to, oh, oh, no, no, no. Fall asleep in the back of the.

[Adrienne Ma]

Car, like, and I go, but that's fine.

[Waylon Wong]

You know, I like to think that all of this knowledge is seeping in through their brain just by osmosis.

[DJ Melvin]

Oh, no. It's gonna come up at some point in their lives and they're gonna go, my dad said Roth, Ira.

[Waylon Wong]

This episode was produced by Angel Carreras with engineering by Neal Rauch. It was fact checked by Sierra Juarez and edited by Julia Richie. Keegan Cannon is our show's editor and the indicator is a production of npr.

[Michael Hosmar]

This message comes from Capella University. At Capella, you'll learn relevant in demand skills you can apply in the workplace. Right away, a different future is closer than you think with Capella University. Learn [e-mail].

[NPR]

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