This week, we’re tapping into the intersection of hip-hop, technology, education and startups with a true pioneer—Arabian Prince. If you know your rap history, you know Arabian Prince as one of the founding members of N.W.A, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame rap group that redefined music and culture. But what you might not know is that he’s also a lifelong technologist, entrepreneur and futurist—a kid from Compton who got his hands on a computer early and never looked back. From songwriting, rapping and DJ-ing to producing electro-funk beats and Grammy-nominated #1 hit song Supersonic to leading innovation in 3D animation, video games, and blockchain, he’s been pushing the boundaries of technology for decades. In this episode, we talk about how a chance encounter with an N.W.A-inspired crypto-merch baseball cap led to this conversation, and from there, we cover everything—his early love for tech, how music and technology shaped his career, and his mission as founder of INov8 Next Open Labs and co-founder of INov8 Capital to bring the next generation of kids into the world of tech. Form beats to bytes, Arabian’s story is all about curiosity, hustle, creativity, and breaking boundaries—whether it’s in music, business, or technology, so this is one you don’t want to miss. EPISODE LINKS Follow OGArabianPrince on social: Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter Learn more about iNov8 Next Open Labs Learn about Arabian Prince’s music and past work here Check out Arabian Prince’s GGGOAT Golf and GGGOAT PC brands Check out Swarm, the crypto real-world asset platform that started this conversation: www.swarm.com QUOTES FROM THE EPISODE “I was just a kid with a computer in Compton. That changed everything for me.” “If you want to make real change, you have to give kids access—not just knowledge, but tools, networks, and opportunities.” “Most of the people running tech companies today grew up on our music. That connection helps me open doors to push innovation forward.” SHOW NOTES 01:45 – The backstory: A crypto merch cap leads to this conversation 04:10 – Growing up in Compton, discovering computers, and early influences 08:50 – Blending music and technology: from electro-funk to hip-hop 11:15 – The birth of N.W.A and leveraging tech in the studio 14:40 – Why Arabian Prince left N.W.A and pivoted into animation and video games 16:20 – Working on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Silver Surfer, and Casper 18:30 – Founding iNov8 Next Open Labs and building tech education initiatives 21:05 – The regional approach: Adapting tech education to different U.S. communities 24:15 – Leveraging relationships and hip-hop’s legacy to open doors in tech 27:40 – Thoughts on blockchain, AI, and the future of digital ownership 29:50 – The impact of teaching kids about technology and entrepreneurship 32:00 – Fun facts about Arabian Prince: his love for SpongeBob and video games 34:00 – Arabian’s connection to Ireland and plans for visiting soon 35:00 – Closing thoughts and where to find Arabian Prince online Keywords: #arabianprince #nwa #rap #hiphop #tech #education #inov8next Shout-outs and hat-tips: Amor Sexton, Philipp Pieper, Timo Lehes, Katie Evans, Kene Ezeji-Okoye Leave a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Spotify MoneyNeverSleeps (website) Email us: info@norioventures.com Follow on X(Twitter): Pete Townsend: https://twitter.com/petetownsendnv MoneyNeverSleeps: https://twitter.com/MNSshow Follow on LinkedIn: Pete Townsend: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete-townsend-1b18301a/ MoneyNeverSleeps: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28661903/ MoneyNeverSleeps newsletter: https://moneyneversleeps.substack.com/
