Interview
Diplo: College Dropout To World's Most Iconic DJ | E128
- Diplo anticipates a 20-year career journey characterized by financial instability, predicting that music will rarely provide a consistent paycheck and that failure to earn in a specific month could lead to homelessness, though he expects to remain resilient enough to restart in different professions if necessary.
- He plans to invite subscribers to in-person shows monthly, continue exploring diverse genres like reggae and country as audiences shift every three years, and maintain a presence in Malibu by 2026 when he expects to stop touring.
- Over the next 10 years, Diplo intends to take his sons on tour to demonstrate his work, while also navigating their growth from ages 4 and 5 to 11 and 7, teaching them discipline, work ethic, and various life lessons to help them avoid becoming clones in a saturated social media landscape.
- Material expectations include managing a fast-paced lifestyle that makes romantic relationships difficult, requiring the selection of partners who can handle emotional walls, and finding a great woman to settle down with in the future.
- Diplo expects to face significant challenges in balancing his career with family life, including the need to block out critics, manage anxiety related to others rather than himself, and occasionally slow down from a "100 miles an hour" pace to a strolling one to maintain well-being.
- He plans to prioritize creating timeless art over chasing trends, anticipating that his new album will feel fresh and remain significant 20 years into his career, while also needing to sit at home and exercise daily to feel normal.
- Risk factors involve the volatility of the dance music audience, the difficulty of maintaining relationships in the industry, and the potential for emotional numbness, which he expects to suppress highs to avoid lows, while acknowledging the possibility of losing his career but remaining emotionally okay with that outcome.