Flow State with Harry Mack

In Episode 42 of Flow State Podcast, Harry settles into a new studio and reflects on the question, “Have I made it yet?” This episode’s Moments of Flow clips feature Busta Rhymes and Ethan Hawke, resulting in discussions of writing bars ahead of time, and the value of art. Harry considers the balance between cleverness and technique when creating, and talks about the process of practicing new skills. Finally, he reacts to a fan-submitted freestyle, and closes the episode out with some bars of his own.

Show Notes:

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

https://bookshop.org/a/102858/9781936891023

The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross: Freestyle Test Drive

https://youtu.be/JUyVxA5ODaY?si=uUQZ_ku9uCzV-bum

How Busta Rhymes Turned 300 Unreleased J Dilla Beats Into His New Album

https://youtu.be/PoVmFkWEoX0?si=lwWfTGzaDzI4uB4A

Give yourself permission to be creative | Ethan Hawke | TED

https://youtu.be/WRS9Gek4V5Q?si=N3q65AyiWoil-hB-

Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

https://bookshop.org/a/102858/9780061339202

Effortless Mastery by Kenny Werner

https://www.amazon.com/Effortless-Mastery-Liberating-Master-Musician/dp/156224003X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0

Beau Taillefer

https://www.youtube.com/@beautaillefermusic

Vyntage on Flow State Episode 1

https://youtu.be/-KfFIh2PbjE?si=LAAB0lmqoIIRd6pS&t=3807

00:00:00 Intro

00:06:24 “Making It”

00:33:05 Pen to Paper - Moments of Flow: Busta Rhymes

00:45:21 Art is Sustenance - Moments of Flow: Ethan Hawke

00:52:13 Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

00:55:55 Being Clever in Rap

01:04:04 Avoiding Skill Bottlenecks

01:14:59 Fan Freestyle Submission: Vyntage

01:22:16 Closing Freestyle

In Episode 41 of Flow State Podcast, Harry reflects on the lack of permanence in life as he prepares to move again, and explores how constantly chasing new gear can become a form of procrastination. He discusses the minimum conditions needed to create, how to push through mental fatigue, and whether it’s actually possible to perfect the art of freestyle. After responding to a fan-submitted freestyle, Harry puts the episode’s ideas to the test with a freestyle of his own.

_____

SHOW NOTES:

Top 20 Most Destructive Wildfires

www.fire.ca.gov/our-impact/statistics

Nothing Is Permanent | Flow State with Harry Mack #29

https://youtu.be/LLa6TBZNfk8

J.R. Ward

https://jrward.com/

The Singles Deluxe

https://www.harrymackofficial.com/the-singles-deluxe

GET OVER HERE! | Harry Mack Behind The Bars 016

https://youtu.be/ubDa_46t_9c?si=G35pLygZ6LY9jqc_

Scratch

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scratch_(2001_film)

Blackalicious - Blazing Arrow

https://open.spotify.com/album/0DyXkWHnFMIJSuHfLgNfcc?si=UREkll9GTyuw_GVIquhu3Q

Music Millennium

https://musicmillennium.com/

Crystal Ballroom

https://www.crystalballroompdx.com/

_______

00:00:00 Intro

00:03:39 Moving Again

00:20:28 Moments of Flow: J.R. Ward - Invest The Time

00:34:57 Managing Self-Censorship

00:41:56 Pushing Through Mental Fatigue

00:56:05 Falling in Love with Hip-Hop

01:02:49 Can freestyle be taught and perfected?

01:10:15 Freestyle Submission - Paul R.

01:15:39 Closing Freestyle

In Episode 40 of Flow State Podcast, Harry reflects on his recent European tour and explores the power of musical influence in this episode’s Moments of Flow featuring Branford Marsalis. In Meet The Team, video editor Todd asks Harry how he processes the impact his work has on fans’ lives. Harry also answers questions about what makes a freestyle memorable, his thoughts on AI freestyles, and just how far ahead he thinks while freestyling. After reacting to a fan-submitted freestyle, Harry recaps the episode in classic Flow State fashion.Show Notes:

Iconoclast

https://www.harrymackofficial.com/iconoclast

Branford Marsalis

https://www.branfordmarsalis.com/

Marsalis Family

https://marsalismusic.com/marsalis-family

Art Blakey

http://artblakey.com/

Philly Joe Jones

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philly_Joe_Jones

Papa Jo Jones

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jo_Jones

Big Sid Catlett

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sid_Catlett

Kenny Clarke

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Clarke

Todd Bishop

https://www.instagram.com/bldg17/

www.toddbishop.co

Omegle Bars 18 (with Di3sel Optic)

https://youtu.be/VBBMfHGMs7Isi=0EbPR0rvEIVvCOyQ&t=785

Kendrick Video

https://youtube.com/shorts/91G9Y4Fj_Ls

Drive-By Freestyles In NYC - Nobody Saw It Coming

https://youtu.be/iwitE5_mW60

Harry Mack Turns Up The SEC Championship Tailgate | Guerrilla Bars 73

https://youtu.be/WUmFHa73rDI

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

https://bookshop.org/a/102858/9780143129257

My Most Embarrassing Moments in Freestyle | Flow State with Harry Mack #39 (Saul Good Freestyle)

https://youtu.be/MfLYdyw2CEs?si=hqSCrIALviYg-Ahw&t=4780

Wozz Beats

https://www.youtube.com/@wozzbeats/videos

Timestamps

00:00 Intro00:45 Euro Tour Recap14:36 Moments of Flow: Branford Marsalis - The Lineage of Influence27:31 Art Blakey is a character30:30 Meet The Team: Todd - Longform Editor48:00 Q1: What makes for a memorable freestyle?54:54 Q2: The Sweet-Spot of Word Suggestions01:04:14: Q3: AI Language Models and Freestyle01:11:58 Thinking Ahead During Freestyles01:18:13 Fan Submitted Freestyle - Wozz Beats*01:26:57 Closing Freestyle

In Episode 39 of Flow State Podcast, Harry returns with a solo episode as he prepares for his European tour. This episode’s Moments of Flow features Rick Rubin talking about ignoring the outcome when being creative, and a bonus Moment of Flow features a costumed character absolutely shredding it on the drums. In Meet The Team, iKaanic asks Harry about his obsession with practicing. Harry also reflects on embarrassing moments that have stayed with him over the years, reacts to a fan-submitted freestyle, and closes the episode with his signature recap freestyle.

Show Notes

Huberman Lab - Protocols to Access Creative Energy and Process | Rick Rubin

https://youtu.be/GpgqXCkRO-w?si=r9Du5w0qG5CNezDr

Nyango Star Drumming

https://youtu.be/-UYgORr5Qhg?si=ORSBRNJ4SOqwutrs

iKaanic - In Peace

https://open.spotify.com/album/7o47Ncq38sOpEaVFPknV2r?si=_8LPoTljTnS8GJ2ny-3ynA

iKaanic

https://www.youtube.com/ikaanic

https://www.instagram.com/ikaanic/

Israel Annoh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpcZpmRLm6A

https://pindangorecords.com/recordings-albums-artists/afuebe-by-israel-annoh/

Sonny Rollins

https://sonnyrollins.com/

J Dilla Batches

https://open.spotify.com/album/6weRSYjUgB6yPz3HAUTlFr?si=tx2PQSweTZ-klLr9TR_wwA

https://open.spotify.com/album/43dlRbuIleFKd8fOAsZv9B?si=2ca3884632ca4293

https://open.spotify.com/album/2YkfSY3iYHt8ntC0FF3JIu?si=aa4e55e8c43b42e2

https://open.spotify.com/album/1zpnkC3MR6hIaVfxgg0KFo?si=144603a550ba4e77

MF DOOM Special Herbs

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1YHFqY4cLcpCxSi4hplSzJ?si=1yVZprcUT_60iNP1iH0dQA

MadLib

https://open.spotify.com/album/12Ul3nb1lU4EJN8ZFSMHGn?si=fd66f109339f4bf1

2001 Instrumental

https://open.spotify.com/album/3t3Ar2cJUVLY6yTRmrezI8?si=c8ada02270cc4774

Still Dre

https://open.spotify.com/track/503OTo2dSqe7qk76rgsbep?si=127976cc06164997

Mobb Deep

https://open.spotify.com/track/1VIG2mUBL5JoXbcKKXU2af?si=16f0269076bd417e

https://open.spotify.com/track/7N1Vjtzr1lmmCW9iasQ8YO?si=9092bd467eb440f8

Milkbone Keep It Real

https://open.spotify.com/track/2pFqCPGkedpl5ThtyNvmEG?si=b0fbb4fadd964a9b

Wu-Tang

https://open.spotify.com/track/119c93MHjrDLJTApCVGpvx?si=fb132632df6e40bd

https://open.spotify.com/track/37jaEO9DnuZmpcHPWyBF6A?si=0e95abcd845c48c8

PeteStrumentals

https://open.spotify.com/album/3BXHZmPR0u5TBVlxcp4Tjk?si=o2rqbsh4SLibZzP8uW2EvQ

Gang Starr

https://open.spotify.com/track/30oTS7bm0aH3p7lqjEIu8q?si=e18547386f4e4ef0

https://open.spotify.com/track/3lGBvPUgO7MJltUnBlOpe9?si=5003e42b89dd44fa

Pharcyde Runnin’

https://open.spotify.com/track/0XgpiStoxq1IJncYlPrvZ5?si=bb0a40aa4a404ca1

SaulGoodwww.youtube.com/@saulgood_music*Corrected to accurately reflect the name of the freestyler

00:00:00 Intro

00:01:35 Rehearsing for Euro Tour

00:11:56 Moments of Flow: Rick Rubin

00:29:19 Moments of Flow: Nyango Star

00:35:56 Meet the Team - iKaanic asks “Why is Harry so obsessed with practicing?”

00:56:31 Filling Y’all With Joy

01:04:53 Jazz Standards of Rap

01:12:02 Stories of Embarrassment

01:18:46 Fan Submitted Freestyle - SaulGood

01:23:52 Closing Freestyle

In Episode 38 of Flow State Podcast, Harry returns with a solo episode introducing the world to his alter ego, "Vacation Harry," and reflecting on the importance of rest, balance, and creativity. This episode’s Moments of Flow features Austin Kleon, who shares why there’s no finish line to a creative life, along with a bonus moment of inspiration from David Bowie. In Meet The Team, Cheyne asks Harry how becoming a father has influenced his creativity. Harry also answers fan questions about the relationship between music and memory, finding flow state in the kitchen, and rap’s lasting influence, before reacting to a fan-submitted freestyle and closing the episode with some bars.

_____

Show Notes:EUROPE 2026 FESTIVALS TICKETS ON SALE

https://www.harrymackofficial.com/shows

Austin Kleon

https://austinkleon.com/

Blackout Poetry

https://austinkleon.com/newspaperblackout/

Keep Going

https://bookshop.org/a/102858/9781523506644

Steal Like An Artist

https://bookshop.org/a/102858/9780761169253

Show Your Work

https://bookshop.org/a/102858/9780761178972

Roy Haynes

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Haynes

Inspirations - Michael Apted

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspirations_(film)

The Creative Act by Rick Rubin

https://bookshop.org/a/102858/9780593652886

Cheyne Jones

https://www.instagram.com/cheynejones/

Deusy59

https://www.youtube.com/@deusy59

00:00:00 Intro00:01:46 Harry Takes A Vacation00:20:44 Moments of Flow: Austin Kleon00:32:41 Moments of Flow: David Bowie00:44:48 Meet The Team: Cheyne asks “How Does Starting A Family Affect Your Creativity?”00:56:23 The connection between music and memory01:07:26 Flow State In a Professional Kitchen01:11:58 The Influence of Rap01:23:26 Freestyle Submission: DeusyRaps01:32:35 Closing Freestyle

In Episode 37 of Flow State Podcast, Harry reflects on his recent appearance on Playing Along With Norah Jones and the musical insights he gained from the experience. He explores the role of repetition and motif in music, and how familiar patterns can create powerful moments of connection and expression. In this episode’s Meet The Team segment, DJ Sur Jazz asks about the business side of Harry Mack, leading to a conversation about balancing creativity with entrepreneurship. Harry also shares his thoughts on control versus surrender in freestyle rap, reacts to a fan-submitted freestyle, and closes the episode with a recap freestyle in classic Flow State fashion.

_____

Show Notes:

Norah Jones Is Playing Along with Harry Mack (Podcast Season 2 Episode 27)

https://youtu.be/F4gGroSuYWk?si=zBgFOkqGEbjgukyN

Brian Blade

https://www.brianblade.com/

Logic

www.youtube.com/@logic

Questlove

https://questlove.com/

Christian McBride

https://www.christianmcbride.com/

Harry Mack Drum Solo Live In Tilburg

https://youtu.be/7NX2StRvdoI

Harry Mack - "Bounce House" Car Freestyle - Jacob Mann

https://youtu.be/gqGThHzAilw?si=kcpuk6uf5HwZeIi6

Euro Tour — All Headlining Shows SOLD OUT

https://www.harrymackofficial.com/shows

Keith Haring

https://www.haring.com/

Michael Small’s I Couldn’t Throw It Out - How Keith Haring Changed Art: Hear Him in '83

https://www.throwitoutpodcast.com/how-keith-haring-changed-art-hear-him-in-83/

Wild Style

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Style

Harry Mack Freestyles from Randomlists.com

https://youtu.be/fYFiBJVbdf8?si=pnFOG61uui--KLTI

Harry Mack Portland Freestyle

https://youtu.be/EJp8pHc2MQQ?si=Cix_wpA_7ueXE32F

Scratch

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scratch_(2001_film))

Sur Jazz

https://www.youtube.com/@surjazz_

https://www.instagram.com/surjazz/

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Intro

00:01:01 Norah Jones Podcast

00:29:37 Moments of Flow - Keith Haring

00:47:33 Meet the Team - Sur Jazz Asks About the Business Side of H Mack

01:09:28 Do Your Best Lines Come From Control or Surrender?

01:18:13 When Did You Know It Wasn’t Time To Quit?

01:26:42 Freestyle Submission - Mark R

01:32:23 Closing Freestyle

In Episode 36 of Flow State Podcast, Harry returns with a solo episode centered on pushing beyond comfort zones in pursuit of growth. He reflects on opening for Lil Jon in Idaho, creating a brand new type of freestyle performance for his TED Talk, and the therapeutic possibilities of art. In this episode’s Meet The Team segment, Jordana asks Harry how he deals with perfectionism. Harry also answers fan questions about the hardest freestyle skill to master and how different beats influence the direction of a rap. After reacting to a fan-submitted freestyle, he closes the episode with a recap freestyle in classic Flow State fashion._____

Show Notes:

Submit a Question or Freestyle to Flow State Podcast

https://www.harrymackofficial.com/flowstatepod

Lil Jon

https://www.liljon.com/

TED

https://www.ted.com/

Jacob Collier

https://www.jacobcollier.com/

Reggie Watts

https://www.reggie-watts.com/

Euro Tour

https://www.harrymackofficial.com/shows

David Lynch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH4qD5Fzyjk

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Lynch

Jordana Wright

https://www.instagram.com/jordanawright/

https://www.jordanawright.com/

EPIC 14 Word Freestyle For Baseball LEGENDS

https://youtu.be/JDCPVRHgG_M?si=MR98XwU1M-gOoUIO

Sur Jazz

https://www.youtube.com/@surjazz_

Neural Correlates of Lyrical Improvisation: An fMRI Study of Freestyle Rap

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3498928/

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mihaly_Csikszentmihalyi

ARIatHOME x bkNext

https://www.twitch.tv/ariathome/clip/InspiringPrettiestChickpeaTheRinger-8Cz11Ajtc-BdHsIX

_____

00:00:00 Intro

00:01:16 I Got To Open for Lil Jon

00:04:03 My TED Talk

00:28:17 Euro Tour 2026

00:29:20 Moments of Flow: David Lynch on Suffering in Art

00:43:49 Meet The Team: Jordana Asks “How do you deal with perfectionism?”

01:00:02 What’s the hardest freestyle skill to master?

01:21:20 How does the beat influence the rap?

01:30:38 Can we see a brain scan while Harry freestyles?

01:37:17 Fan Submitted Freestyle: Y

01:51:43 Closing Freestyle

In episode 35 of Flow State Podcast, Harry Mack talks about preparing for his recent TED performance, wild moments improvising with Marc Rebillet, and taking time to follow your own creative path. In this episode’s Meet The Team segment, short-form video editor Bryan asks Harry what it takes to turn off the impulse to rhyme. Harry answers questions about keeping freestyling fun, mental buffering while flowing off-top, and avoiding overwhelm, before reacting to a fan-submitted freestyle, and closing it out with some bars.

_____

Show Notes:

TED

https://www.ted.com/

Jacob Collier

https://www.jacobcollier.com/

Marc Rebillet - HARRY MACK IS ON THE STREAM

https://www.youtube.com/live/ggLpFa6CQyU?si=lyX21FUu2047o0ve

Boomtown with Marc Rebillet

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_8ZigCvtAn/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Euro Tour

https://www.harrymackofficial.com/shows

Lauryn Hill talks about the pressure of making more music vs. creative freedom

https://youtu.be/KM87JhDpZcw?si=JNz5xUEtJkPkL5ae

Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

https://open.spotify.com/album/1BZoqf8Zje5nGdwZhOjAtD?si=yJIacMpUSu6OYH-Z0u8XvQ

Nas - Illmatic

https://open.spotify.com/album/3kEtdS2pH6hKcMU9Wioob1?si=vBcMnBdMQFCYtqhw12nc3Q

Harry Mack - Contents Under Pressure

https://www.harrymackofficial.com/contents-under-pressure

Joey Bada$$ Impressed By YouTube Rapper Harry Mack's Freestyle

https://youtu.be/-YKaNXIyfD4?si=vw5gcrPbFzJiC3xA

Bryan

https://www.instagram.com/ichbinbryan/

00:00:00 Intro

00:01:10 Fear and Excitement for TED

00:28:03 Moments of Flow: Lauryn Hill

00:38:22 Meet The Team: Bryan - Can You Turn Off Rhyming?

00:48:18 How Do You Keep Freestyling Fun?

00:52:55 Does Your Brain Ever Lag?

01:07:29 How Do You Avoid Being Creatively Overwhelmed?

01:15:46 Fan Freestyle Submission - Shawn Phillips

01:26:11 Closing Freestyle

Harry Mack is BACK with Flow State Podcast Episode 34! This time Harry talks about revolutionizing his time management with the help of a Big Ass Calendar and he discusses his belief that creativity is universal and there’s no wrong way to be creative. This episode’s Meet The Team segment features AxsDeny with a question about how Guerrilla Bars episodes are made. Harry answers burning questions about what exactly is in his backpack, and can Sam with the cam actually read Harry’s mind, before reacting to a freestyle submission and closing things out with some bars.

_______

Show Notes:

Big Ass Calendar

https://thebigasscalendar.com/

Jesse Itzler

https://jesseitzler.com/

Running Man Festival

https://runningmanfestival.com/

TED - All Of Us 2026

https://conferences.ted.com/ted2026

Euro Tour — **Vienna Show is now sold out

https://www.harrymackofficial.com/shows

Cartoonist Lynda Barry teaches us how to silence our inner critic and draw like a child - Q with Tom Power

https://youtu.be/2CfmeTPQHLE?si=b77X9yK-8Zvs-_oC

Lynda Barry

https://drawnandquarterly.com/author/lynda-barry/

Keith Jarrett Essay

https://nyti.ms/48AWEwr

Victor Wooten

https://www.victorwooten.com/

Harry Mack - Venice Beach Freestyle (Part 1)

https://youtu.be/jjjkAVgMzd4

Harry Mack King Liquor Freestyle

https://youtu.be/4Gl83XjzUKg

Harry Mack Echo Park Freestyle

https://youtu.be/dTPQkEzbRMc

Harry Mack - Santa Monica Freestyle

https://youtu.be/CTlqmmzlDB0

Contents Under Pressurehttps://www.harrymackofficial.com/contents-under-pressure

AxsDeny

AxsDeny.com

https://www.twitch.tv/axsdeny

https://www.instagram.com/axsdeny

https://www.youtube.com/@axsdeny

https://www.twitch.tv/hennsylvania

Harry Mack - SOULilloquies EP

https://youtu.be/F7FsA3JSOHQ

Harry Mack - Rap Coltrane EP | FULLY IMPROVISED FREESTYLE PROJECT

https://youtu.be/rLIkQLj3uJo

00:00:00 Intro

00:01:40 I Got A Big Ass Calendar

00:15:35 Moments of Flow: Lynda Barry

00:27:29 Meet The Team: AxsDeny - How Is Guerrilla Bars Made?

00:49:53 Why Does Harry Always Have A Backpack?

00:51:58 Back On Soulilloquies

01:00:34 Why does Harry twirl his headphone cable?

01:03:37 Can Sam Read Harry’s Mind?

01:13:38 Fan Submitted Freestyle - Jesse L.

01:19:32 How do you avoid saying something you don’t want to say?

01:22:29 Closing Freestyle

In Episode 33 of Flow State Podcast, Harry expresses his love for the unexpected directions that live improvisation can take, geeks out on jazz music theory while talking about Bill Evans and Miles Davis, and admits his secret weakness for coffee table books. This episode’s Meet The Team segment features video editor and animator, Sarah, who asks if freestyling is akin to talk therapy by teaching Harry lessons about himself. Harry also discusses keeping inspiration alive, freestyling as a form of magic, and the impressiveness of a well-crafted pun. Finally, he reacts to a fan-submitted freestyle before recapping the episode with some off-top bars.

Show Notes:

Euro Tour

https://www.harrymackofficial.com/shows

Marc Rebillet

https://www.marcrebillet.com/

ARIatHOME

https://www.youtube.com/@ariathome

LOWLANDS FESTIVAL 2024 FULL SET - Harry Mack

https://youtu.be/juR9CZuF3Xw

Bill Evans - Revealing Something

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xix9KVnPxPY

Sunday At The Village Vanguard - Bill Evans Trio

https://open.spotify.com/album/3uwufR7PwniMX7t3v4I5oB?si=79qJSOUUQ76_Yp3YYoLR7Q

Kind of Blue - Miles Davis

https://open.spotify.com/album/1weenld61qoidwYuZ1GESA?si=TA2Mwz_vS5qeY-5jHx_llg

Freestyle Medicine: Harry Mack x UCHealth

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtzi2XpYJaIa41TbVA6J3pUCxx07763aC&si=1ebM7If_I_21Jo89

The Book of HOV: A Tribute to JAY‑Z

https://www.thebookofhov.com/

Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop by Vikki Tobak

https://bookshop.org/a/102858/9780525573883

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson

https://bookshop.org/a/102858/9780062457714

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

https://bookshop.org/a/102858/9780143129257

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

https://bookshop.org/a/102858/9781936891023

Darren Walsh Puns

https://darrenwalsh.co.uk/

00:00:00 Intro

00:02:07 Improvised Live Performance

00:12:39 Moments of Flow - Bill Evans

00:30:11 Meet The Team - Question From Sarah

00:46:23 Q1: What other kind of art inspires you?

00:55:46 Q2: How do you deal with lack of inspiration?

01:04:32 Q3: Have you ever tried doing puns or one-liners?

01:11:03 Fan Submitted Freestyle - Luke M

01:16:53 Closing Freestyle