Calvin Michaels on K-Pop, Culture, & Capitalism

DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray sit down with musician, dancer, comedian, and YouTuber Calvin Michaels. Together, they discuss the influence of Black music on K-Pop, and what gets lost (or copied) in translation. Calvin shares insights about his creative path, personal projects, and the North Star that drives him as a true multihyphenate.  

From Calvin’s personal journey growing up internationally, to the guys’ critique of the “factory” formula behind much K-Pop, the conversation is playful, smart, and honest.

Calvin Michaels Bio

Calvin Michaels works in many realms of entertainment as a musical producer and creative director. He's also had experience working as a choreographer, stand-up comedian, public speaker, magazine contributor, actor, and choir director. He also has several self-produced studio albums and is a graduate of Howard University.

He recently executive produced the short film "Pull Over So I Can Hit You!". The project is currently showcased at the LA International Shorts Film Festival, Micheaux Film Festival, & Urban Film Festival. This project is an adaption of an episode from his Comedically Hardheaded Podcast.

In addition, he also released his third and fourth self-produced studio albums entitled "Before Tomorrow" and "After Yesterday", available on all digital music platforms.

Calvin Michaels is most known for his YouTube channel that tackles conversations centered on popular culture, politics, music, life and current events. He also served as the director of a nationally top-ranked and critically acclaimed after school program in the Washington DC metropolitan area for 11 years.

Highlights of his creative work and choreography have also been showcased and performed at the Kennedy Center, Howard University, and in the Seattle Metropolitan Area.

Follow Calvin Michaels

Website: https://calvinmichaels.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/calvinmichaels

X: https://x.com/gimmieabeat

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gimmieabeat

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/gimmieabeat.bsky.social

Email: [email protected]

Chapters

00:00 Intro Theme

00:16 Introduction and Greetings

00:38 The K-Pop Controversy

01:05 Introducing Calvin Michaels

01:30 Calvin's Musical Journey

08:15 The Birth of a YouTube Channel

12:19 K-Pop: A Critical Perspective

20:24 The Rise and Fall of K-Pop Groups

21:16 Generational Differences in Music Appreciation

22:29 Cultural Appropriation and Racism in K-Pop

24:07 The Influence of Black Culture on K-Pop

25:59 The Business Model of K-Pop

26:21 The Evolution of Boy Bands

29:04 The Commercialization of Black Music

31:07 The Decline of R&B in the 2000s

35:18 Calvin Michaels' Music and Projects

38:54 Final Thoughts and Farewell

39:52 Closing Theme

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