Mask Off with Hawaii Mike episode #26: A-Trak

Mask Off with Hawaii Mike episode #26: A-Trak

Author: Hawaii Mike August 26, 2025 Duration: 1:41:19

You know him as a world-champion DJ, Kanye West’s tour DJ, Fool’s Gold Records co-founder and a pioneer who shapes global music culture. But behind the accolades is Alain, a kid from Montreal who became a 5x world champ by 18 — and then hit his first burnout before most of us even started college.


In this episode, A-Trak opens up about:
✨ The pressure of winning young and learning to deal with stress, doubt, and burnout

✨ Discovering Hip Hop and building his craft with his brother Dave 1

✨ Why therapy, exercise and “refilling the tank” became as important as music

✨ Lessons on balance, vulnerability and longevity in a fast-paced industry


This is Mask Off with Hawaii Mike — the stories behind the names, the human side of cultural icons.


🎙 Hosted by: Hawaii Mike @hwmk

🎬 Produced by: Hawaii Mike, Cynical Smith & Zenobia Simmons

✂️ Edited by: General Steele

🎵 Music by: Buda

📍 Filmed at Fly Private Social in Brooklyn

💭 Subscribe for more unfiltered conversations at the intersection of life, mental health, and Hip Hop culture: youtube.com/@hwmk111



Hosted by Hawaii Mike, Mask Off with Hawaii Mike exists at a vital crossroads where daily life, mental well-being, and the powerful influence of Hip-Hop culture meet. The conversation around mental health remains particularly difficult in many communities, a reality Mike understands firsthand after navigating his own unexpected struggle with depression. His decision to speak openly about it revealed a shared, often silent, experience among many. This podcast builds on that moment, creating a space where those unspoken stories can finally be heard. Each episode uses the raw honesty, lyrical depth, and resilience found in Hip-Hop as a lens to examine our inner lives. You’ll hear candid discussions that strip away the stigma, moving beyond statistics to the personal truths of getting through the day. The aim is to foster a genuine cultural shift, one honest conversation at a time. By blending personal narrative with broader cultural commentary, this podcast offers both solidarity and practical perspective for anyone who has ever felt the need to hide their struggles. Tune in for a series that is as much about finding strength in community and art as it is about confronting difficult topics head-on.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 33

Mask Off with Hawaii Mike: The intersection of life, mental health and Hip-Hop culture.
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