Actor and activist Woody Harrelson (True Detective, Now You See Me) boards the New York City subway with Kareem Rahma for an unfiltered 15-minute conversation about anarchy, class systems, and the absurdity of modern life.
From airplane boarding policies and “psychological class warfare” to his belief that government doesn’t work, Woody says exactly what he thinks with the charm and chaos only he can deliver. Along the way, he talks about living off the grid, raising kids, and why fruit might be the answer to everything.
Produced on the New York City subway.
Host: Kareem Rahma
Creators and Producers: Kareem Rahma & Andrew Kuo
Creative Producer and Editor: Tyler Christie
Associate Producer: Ramy Shafi
Associate Producer: Woody Harrelson
Camera: Anthony DiMieri & Tian Sippel & Jake Lazovick
Interstitial Footage: Jake Lazovick
Mixer: Dale Eisinger
Artwork: Andrew Lawandus
Theme Music: Tyler McCauley

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Director, producer, and cultural icon Spike Lee (Do the Right Thing, Highest to Lowest) boards the New York City subway with Kareem Rahma for an unfiltered 15-minute conversation about movies, art, legacy, and the city that shaped him. From fatherhood and fashion to why he still believes film matters, Spike keeps it honest, sharp, and full of perspective… the way only he can.

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Radio host, producer, and storytelling legend Ira Glass (This American Life) rides the subway with Kareem Rahma for a conversation about listening, storytelling, and the strange ways we consume media now. From defending listening to podcasts at 2x speed to declaring war on dream sequences, Ira breaks down how we’ve all been doing it wrong.

Produced on the New York City subway.

Host: Kareem Rahma
Creators and Producers: Kareem Rahma & Andrew Kuo
Creative Producer and Editor: Tyler Christie
Associate Producer: Ramy Shafi
Camera: Anthony DiMieri & Tian Sippel & Jake Lazovick
Interstitial Footage: Jake Lazovick
Mixer: Dale Eisinger
Artwork: Andrew Lawandus
Theme Music: Tyler McCauley

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Subscribe to ⁠Fela Kuti: Fear No Man.⁠

Can a song save a life? Change a law? Topple a president? Get you killed?

In Fela Kuti: Fear No Man, Jad Abumrad—creator of Radiolab, More Perfect, and Dolly Parton’s America—tells the story of one of the great political awakenings in music: how a classically trained 'colonial boy’ traveled to America, in search of Africa, only to return to Nigeria and transform his sound into a battering ram against the state—creating a new musical language of resistance called Afrobeat.

For years, the world’s biggest stars made pilgrimages to Nigeria to experience Fela’s Shrine, the epicenter of his musical revolution. But when the mix of art and activism got too hot, the state pulled out its guns, and literally opened fire.

Fela Kuti: Fear No Man is an uncategorizable mix of oral history, musicology, deep dive journalism, and cutting edge sound design that takes listeners deep inside Fela’s life, music, and legacy.

Drawing from over 200 interviews with Fela Kuti’s family, friends, as well as scholars, activists, and luminaries like Burna Boy, Paul McCartney, Questlove, Santigold, and former President Barack Obama (just to name a few), Fela Kuti: Fear No Man journeys deep into the soul of Afrobeat to explore the transformative power of art and the role artists can play in this current moment of global unrest.

An Audible Original presented by Audible and Higher Ground. Produced by Western Sound and Talkhouse.

©2025 Higher Ground, LLC (P)2025 Audible Originals, LLC.

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Actor, director, and podcast host Jason Bateman (Arrested Development, Black Rabbit, SmartLess) boards the subway with Kareem Rahma for an unfiltered conversation about germs, fame, and what it means to stay grounded. From public transit anxiety to his lifelong battle with hand sanitizer, Jason opens up about why he stopped drinking, why he doesn’t dance, and how he’s learned to live with life’s mess—literally and figuratively.

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Actor, writer, and director Ethan Hawke (Before Sunrise, Training Day, Dead Poets Society) rides the subway with Kareem Rahma for a raw conversation about art, fame, and what really matters. He breaks down why chasing money ruins creativity, why fame is a trap, and why true artists make work for the love of it, not for applause. Along the way, Ethan reflects on The Beatles, humility, and the idea that the real miracle isn’t walking on water, it’s walking at all.

SubwayTakes Uncut is like SubwayTakes, but longer, looser, and with more stops, more takes, and more room to go deeper.

Host: Kareem Rahma

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Actor, director, and musician Zoe Kravitz (Caught Stealing, The Batman, High Fidelity) rides the subway with Kareem Rahma to share her hottest takes. From wondering if we’re living in a simulation to why Bluetooth never works, Zoe opens up about life, death, art, and the small everyday frustrations that drive her crazy. She also talks about pressure, control, and finding the magic in creativity.SubwayTakes Uncut is like SubwayTakes, but longer, looser, and with more stops, more takes, and more room to go deeper.
Host: Kareem Rahma
Guest: Zoe Kravtiz
Creators: Kareem Rahma & Andrew Kuo
Camera: Thomas Kasem Lim & Tian Sippel
Editor: Tyler Christie
Mixer: Dale Eisinger
Associate Producer: Ramy Shafi
Artwork: Andrew Lawandus
Theme Music: Tyler McCauley

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Actor, rapper, and activist Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal, Rogue One) rides the subway with Kareem to drop one of the wildest takes yet: abolish elections and pick leaders the way we pick juries. Riz explains why he thinks politics attracts the wrong kind of people, how a randomized lottery system could change who gets power, and what democracy might look like if we stripped away ambition. Along the way, he opens up about identity, belonging, and the role of storytelling in changing culture.

SubwayTakes Uncut is like SubwayTakes, but longer, looser, and with more stops, more takes, and more room to go deeper.

Host: Kareem Rahma
Guest: Riz Ahmed
Creators: Kareem Rahma & Andrew Kuo
Camera: Anthony DiMieri & Tian Sippel & Ramy Shafi
Editor: Tyler ChristieMixer: Dale Eisinger
Associate Producer: Ramy Shafi
Artwork: Andrew Lawandus
Theme Music: Tyler McCauley

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Actor Austin Butler (Caught Stealing, Elvis) opens up on the subway about his hottest takes, from bachelor parties to embarrassment as a life philosophy. He also laughs about people still asking him about his Elvis voice, tells the story of dancing at a Bad Bunny concert in Puerto Rico with director Darren Aronofsky, and talks about the weirdness of fame, water, and why making a fool of yourself might be the best thing you can do.
SubwayTakes Uncut is like SubwayTakes, but longer, looser, and with more stops, more takes, and more room to go deeper.
Host: Kareem Rahma
Guest: Austin Butler
Creators: Kareem Rahma & Andrew Kuo
Camera: Thomas Kasem Lim & Tian Sippel
Editor: Tyler Christie
Mixer: Dale Eisinger
Associate Producer: Ramy Shafi
Artwork: Andrew Lawandus
Theme Music: Tyler McCauley

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Musician, artist, and Talking Heads frontman David Byrne (Stop Making Sense, American Utopia) joins Kareem on the subway for a conversation about how technology has reshaped the way we listen to and experience music. From life before the internet to the impact of streaming on artists and audiences, David shares his thoughts on what’s been lost, what’s been gained, and why the way we consume music might need to change. They also dive into creativity, culture, and what keeps David inspired after decades in the spotlight.
SubwayTakes Uncut is like SubwayTakes, but longer, looser, and with more stops, more takes, and more room to go deeper.
Host: Kareem Rahma
Guest: David Byrne
Creators: Kareem Rahma & Andrew Kuo
Camera: Anthony DiMieri & Maksim Axelrod & Hudson Price
Editor: Tyler Christie
Associate Producer: Ramy Shafi
Artwork: Andrew Lawandus

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