01 / uncertainty
I’ve got to say overrated, but that’s just because I don’t know anything about it.
“I’ve got to say overrated, but that’s just because I don’t know anything about it.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
Conversations with Tyler / episode intelligence
Ben Westhoff on Synthetic Drugs, Dive Bars, and the Evolution of Rap
Speakers in the public record
Claim mix
belief 13uncertainty 4prediction 4evaluation 4commitment 2preference 1observation 1
Evidence policy
Every row below preserves an exact excerpt. Identified speakers are linked; unresolved voices are labeled and excluded from people counts.
Claim ledger
The useful parts, with receipts.
29 published records
02 / belief
I think a lot of it has to do with the internet. Initially, he and other scientists who were making these new drugs published them in papers, and they were in obscure university libraries.
“I think a lot of it has to do with the internet. Initially, he and other scientists who were making these new drugs published them in papers, and they were in obscure university libraries.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
03 / belief
I tend to think, and I think you’ve said this on your blog or a link to it, that decriminalization is maybe a way to think about it.
“I tend to think, and I think you’ve said this on your blog or a link to it, that decriminalization is maybe a way to think about it.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
04 / commitment
I will give Trump credit for making the fentanyl discussion part of his trade war.
“I will give Trump credit for making the fentanyl discussion part of his trade war.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
05 / uncertainty
I haven’t seen a lot of that, but I don’t know why it shouldn’t be the case, though.
“I haven’t seen a lot of that, but I don’t know why it shouldn’t be the case, though.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
06 / uncertainty
I don’t know. I’ve interviewed a lot of musicians, a lot of celebrity musicians over the years.
“I don’t know. I’ve interviewed a lot of musicians, a lot of celebrity musicians over the years.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
07 / belief
I think that’s a misconception, actually, about hip-hop, is that it’s transgressive.
“I think that’s a misconception, actually, about hip-hop, is that it’s transgressive.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
08 / commitment
Therefore, we turn to underrated versus overrated. We are going to get to rap music, but some of these will leap ahead a bit.
“Therefore, we turn to underrated versus overrated. We are going to get to rap music, but some of these will leap ahead a bit.”
- Speaker
- Tyler Cowen
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
09 / belief
I think I go back to it more, or even the very early albums, the short EP, I forget what it’s called.
“I think I go back to it more, or even the very early albums, the short EP, I forget what it’s called.”
- Speaker
- Tyler Cowen
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
10 / belief
I think that just plying your trade on the streets, if you will. Not trying to get a job and be employed by someone else.
“I think that just plying your trade on the streets, if you will. Not trying to get a job and be employed by someone else.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
11 / belief
There were, yeah. I think people probably like KRS-One. A lot of these big boosters in New York saw it, but really, the executives were the ones who dropped the ball.
“There were, yeah. I think people probably like KRS-One. A lot of these big boosters in New York saw it, but really, the executives were the ones who dropped the ball.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
12 / belief
I would say underrated, generally — his body of work, but overrated as the forefather of rap music, for example.
“I would say underrated, generally — his body of work, but overrated as the forefather of rap music, for example.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
13 / belief
I think that is 100 percent true. These are decidedly unpretentious places, and that’s part of their DNA.
“I think that is 100 percent true. These are decidedly unpretentious places, and that’s part of their DNA.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
14 / belief
I think you’re deluding yourself if you think you can keep it out, even in a landlocked, even in a place like Singapore that’s so hard to have entries.
“I think you’re deluding yourself if you think you can keep it out, even in a landlocked, even in a place like Singapore that’s so hard to have entries.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
15 / belief
If we go back to the very early days of rap music, say the very early 1980s, I think a lot of people at the time figured, “Well, this is a new trend.
“If we go back to the very early days of rap music, say the very early 1980s, I think a lot of people at the time figured, “Well, this is a new trend.”
- Speaker
- Tyler Cowen
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
16 / belief
I think New Jersey gets a bad rap in just about everything, but the first popular hip-hop song, “Rapper’s Delight,” came from New Jersey.
“I think New Jersey gets a bad rap in just about everything, but the first popular hip-hop song, “Rapper’s Delight,” came from New Jersey.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
17 / belief
People have addictive personalities, and I think everyone knows if they have one of these or not.
“People have addictive personalities, and I think everyone knows if they have one of these or not.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
18 / uncertainty
I don’t know his whole biography, like his real, real biography. There’s not that much written about him, but if I had to put money on it, I would suspect that was likely true.
“I don’t know his whole biography, like his real, real biography. There’s not that much written about him, but if I had to put money on it, I would suspect that was likely true.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
19 / belief
I think that, in general, shorter is always better when it comes to CDs of any genre.
“I think that, in general, shorter is always better when it comes to CDs of any genre.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
20 / prediction
I think that there’s some great rap coming out of Nigeria. There’s Afrobeat, Afropop stuff coming from lots of parts of Africa.
“I think that there’s some great rap coming out of Nigeria. There’s Afrobeat, Afropop stuff coming from lots of parts of Africa.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
21 / preference
No, I’m a fan of the entourage because, for a lot of rappers who get famous — the people who supported them — there’s kind of this implicit agreement that if any of us break big, we’re going to bring the other ones.
“No, I’m a fan of the entourage because, for a lot of rappers who get famous — the people who supported them — there’s kind of this implicit agreement that if any of us break big, we’re going to bring the other ones.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
22 / evaluation
For one thing, the crime rate is very, very high, and it’s also made to seem even higher because the county and the city are tabulated separately.
“For one thing, the crime rate is very, very high, and it’s also made to seem even higher because the county and the city are tabulated separately.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
23 / evaluation
I think the simplicity, though, is part of its appeal because anyone can be a rapper, for example.
“I think the simplicity, though, is part of its appeal because anyone can be a rapper, for example.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
24 / prediction
I don’t know how it works in, say, New Hampshire, but I know in places like West Virginia, it’s still a primarily pill market.
“I don’t know how it works in, say, New Hampshire, but I know in places like West Virginia, it’s still a primarily pill market.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
25 / evaluation
They’re not allowed to hand out these kits that help people realize if they’re taking what they think they are or something else. That’s why at these raves, you always hear about someone dying, and in my opinion, this is just a crazy law.
“They’re not allowed to hand out these kits that help people realize if they’re taking what they think they are or something else. That’s why at these raves, you always hear about someone dying, and in my opinion, this is just a crazy law.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
26 / observation
If I think of the crack epidemic of the 1980s, the 1990s, there’s a pattern, a significant chunk of at least a generation burning itself out.
“If I think of the crack epidemic of the 1980s, the 1990s, there’s a pattern, a significant chunk of at least a generation burning itself out.”
- Speaker
- Tyler Cowen
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
27 / evaluation
China has the biggest chemical industry in the world, but the problem is, they don’t make as much money because it’s focused on generics, mostly.
“China has the biggest chemical industry in the world, but the problem is, they don’t make as much money because it’s focused on generics, mostly.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
28 / prediction
I’m fairly certain that it’s going to make some difference because whenever China bans one of these drugs, you see an effect in the US.
“I’m fairly certain that it’s going to make some difference because whenever China bans one of these drugs, you see an effect in the US.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
29 / prediction
I don’t think it will be that way forever because I think people are starting to think about the problem in the right way, finally.
“I don’t think it will be that way forever because I think people are starting to think about the problem in the right way, finally.”
- Speaker
- Ben Westhoff
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler