Mike Posner is a Grammy-nominated rapper, singer, songwriter, and music producer from Detroit. His Spotify channel has generated over 3 billion plays and his song 'I Took a Pill in Ibiza' reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100. Mike "had it all" at a young age and captured his lifestyle in the lyrics of his biggest hit: “A real big baller (who) made a million dollars and...spent it on girls and shoes.” But Mike wanted more—he wanted to live a life of meaning and purpose - to become the person he was supposed to be. As he shares in his recent TED Talk, '5 Lessons on Happiness – from Pop Fame to Poisonous Snakes,’ he began a 3,000 mile on-foot trek across the United States, starting in New Jersey and making it all the way to Colorado where he was waylaid by a rattlesnake bite. After a few weeks of recovery, he set back out on the road, completing his walk with a run into the Pacific Ocean at Venice Beach, CA. In this joyous conversation, Paul and Mike cover:

Mike's journey from pop star to becoming his own person

Mean things people said about him on social media

What he rapped about when he was 8 years old

Mike’s youthful collaboration with Big Sean 

The duality of human nature and how we all have good and bad within us

Self-awareness and the importance of compassion

Following one's own path, rather than relying on external validation. 

Why we must embrace our mortality, and the reason others want you to forget it

The importance of faith

Check out Mike’s TED Talk: 5 Lessons on Happiness and his Spotify profile.

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About Paul Ollinger and Crazy Money

After working as one of Facebook’s first 250 employees, Paul retired from the corporate world at 42, only to find himself bored, lonely, and driving his wife crazy. Today, he’s a standup comic, captivating audiences with his unique blend of humor and insight, performing alongside a diverse group of comedy powerhouses and iconic musicians, including Daniel Tosh, Dave Attell, Chelsea Handler, Norm Macdonald, Styx, and Collective Soul.

In 2019, Paul started this podcast, Crazy Money to explore the connection between money, happiness, work, and meaning. In one-on-one conversations with some of the world's most interesting people, he helps uncover the true sources of happiness in life and what wealth, success, and fame can (and can't) do for us. Previous guests include LL COOL J, Judd Apatow, Moby, and winners of the Nobel Prize, Heisman Trophy, PGA Championship, and Olympic gold medals.

Paul is always on tour and coming to a comedy club near you. Check dates here.