30. Is There a Link Between Creativity and Mental Illness or Neurodivergence?

Marcus and Esme pay tribute to the lives and works of Sly Stone and Brian Wilson–two of the most wildly creative, innovative, and influential singer/songwriters the world has ever known. While sharing their illuminating, entertaining, and occasionally heartbreaking stories, Marcus and Esme also confront the classic trope of the “Tortured Artist” to determine if there is a connection between creativity and mental illness, mood disorders, and/or neurodivergence. 

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Sources for this episode include:

• Sheffield, Rob. “Sly Stone Believed Everybody Is a Star: The Massive Legacy of an Avant-Funk Revolutionary.” Rolling Stone, 10 June 2025, https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/sly-stone-sly-and-the-family-stone-tribute-1235361170. 


• Edwards, Gavin, and Daniel Kreps. “Brian Wilson, Beach Boys Co-Founder and Architect of Pop, Dead at 82.” Rolling Stone, 11 June 2025, https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/brian-wilson-beach-boys-dead-1234810073 


• Carlin, Peter Ames. Catch a Wave: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson. Rodale, 2006.


• Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius). Directed by Questlove, Onyx Collective and MRC Non-Fiction, 2025.


• Myers, Owen. “The Burden of Black Genius: Documentary Examines Career of Sly Stone.” The Guardian, 13 Feb. 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/feb/13/black-genius-documentary 

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