Rick Rubin: What Jay-Z Did in 30 Minutes Left Me Speechless!
Steven Bartlett talks with producer Rick Rubin about how trusting intuition over data and metrics leads to better creative work, drawing on his experience with artists like Jay-Z and Kanye West.
The gist
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Rubin says ignoring metrics and asking what genuinely excites you consistently produces more innovative work than chasing audience approval.
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Rubin has practised transcendental meditation since age 14 and says it helps him access deeper intuition and make better creative decisions.
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Seeking inputs from museums, old literature, and fields unrelated to your work drives original thinking more than staying in your lane.
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Rubin recommends resetting life circumstances that feel fundamentally wrong, whether a job or relationship, saying freedom to start over is always available.
"I learned to meditate when I was 14. And I think having TM as a grounding element in my life — transcendental meditation — that was the first type of meditation I learned when I was 14. It changed me. It's probably the most profound thing I can mention. That's one that's a lea..."
▶ Play at 20:475 creators recommend it, including Tim Ferriss, Anish Acharya, and Ray Dalio.
See all on the Transcendental Meditation page"I think you need to find some practices that ground you in yourself. Meditation is a great one. I'm sure there are others, but you have to get in touch with you. And I never looked inward. Even with all the years of meditation, I never looked inward."
▶ Play at 2:14:0519 creators recommend it, including Mark Hyman, MD, Andrew Huberman, and Ezra Klein.
See all on the Meditation page"I would say start going to museums. Go to museums, look at the art, take the walking tour with the headphones, listen to the stories, read the great literature."
▶ Play at 1:17:43"I remember the first time I ever was in a talk therapy session. I remember not knowing how to talk. I didn't know how I felt about anything. I didn't know about my inner state at all. And only through repetition and doing it over time you start understanding. So it's just anot..."
▶ Play at 2:14:29What they recommend · 8 picks
Health & fitness
4 picks · Rick Rubin ·Rick's health & fitness →
"I learned to meditate when I was 14. And I think having TM as a grounding element in my life — transcendental meditation — that was the first type of meditation I learned when I..."
"I think you need to find some practices that ground you in yourself. Meditation is a great one. I'm sure there are others, but you have to get in touch with you. And I never loo..."
"I went to therapy and ended up using an anti-depressant drug, which I tend not to be a drug person, but it was bad enough for long enough that that was the final — it was the la..."
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See what they all swear by Or pick your own peopleBooks
2 picks · Rick Rubin and Steven Bartlett
"I first read The Dao when I had just moved to California, probably 30 years ago. And I read it and I felt like this is different than anything I read before. It speaks to me on ..."
"So many of my guests have come here and talked about it. So many people hold it up as their favorite book on creativity. I think because it's challenging. I'm going to link it b..."
Other picks
2 picks · Rick Rubin
"I would say start going to museums. Go to museums, look at the art, take the walking tour with the headphones, listen to the stories, read the great literature."
"I like Carl Jung, and this is probably his most mystical book, but in general, his ideas of archetypes and looking into dreams and synchronicity are beautiful ideas, and I think..."
Rick Rubin
7 picks · guest
"I learned to meditate when I was 14. And I think having TM as a grounding element in my life — transcendental meditation — that was the first type of meditation I learned when I..."
"I first read The Dao when I had just moved to California, probably 30 years ago. And I read it and I felt like this is different than anything I read before. It speaks to me on ..."
"I would say start going to museums. Go to museums, look at the art, take the walking tour with the headphones, listen to the stories, read the great literature."
Steven Bartlett
1 pick · host
"So many of my guests have come here and talked about it. So many people hold it up as their favorite book on creativity. I think because it's challenging. I'm going to link it b..."
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