In the latest episode of Gen.T’s podcast Crazy Smart Asia, Jaeson Ma, co-founder of music and media platform 88rising, talks about the rise of Asian culture, the importance of humility, and how Paris Hilton helped him invest in Tik Tok
Gen.T’s podcast Crazy Smart Asia explores the unexpected stories of Asia’s disruptors—and not many successful entrepreneurs have a more unconventional story than this week’s guest.
Jaeson Ma is a musician, entrepreneur and investor best known as the co-founder of 88 Rising, a music label, talent management and media company that focuses on bridging East and West through culture, technology and entertainment.
But that only tells a fraction of the story. Much like the content he produces, Jaeson’s life is pure box office. There’s his childhood run-ins with the law, his years spent as a celebrity preacher and evangelist, not to mention his career as a musician, when he discovered a little-known artist called Bruno Mars. And that’s before we get into his career as a trend-spotting VC.
We’re leaving the tales of Jaeson’s personal journey as podcast exclusives—they're best heard in their full, long-form glory from the man himself. But here are a few excerpts from our conversation that cover how to spot trends, the power of cool and why the most difficult battle will always be with yourself.
Click the audio player below to listen to the episode or subscribe via Apple, Spotify, Google or wherever you get your podcasts.
THE RISE OF ASIAN CULTURE
"When you just look at it by sheer numbers, it's inevitable that Asia is going to rise become the most dominant force. Not just in economics, not just in politics, but in culture. And that's what you're seeing with the rise of K-pop. That's what you're seeing with movies like Parasite."