In this electrifying Episode 48 of Cody Kai Cast, we kick off 2026 with powerhouse drummer Daniel Watson! From filling in for Bruno Mars at his Vegas club to touring with icons like the Supremes and Temptations, Daniel drops raw stories, unfiltered advice, and hilarious insights into the music grind.

We dive deep into the Austin scene, why character trumps talent, generational gaps in motivation, embracing failure as growth, and the real keys to a lasting career (hint: it's not just chops—it's the hang!). Plus, metaphors for success, shedding sessions, and shoutouts to TW for Austin Music Awards Hall of Fame and Tomar and the FC's for Album of the Year. Whether you're a musician, aspiring artist, or just love a good jam sesh convo, this episode is pure fire. Don't miss Daniel's wisdom on practicing like your craft depends on it—because it does!

Subscribe for more unscripted hangs with Austin's finest. Like, comment your fave music metaphor, and hit that bell! Available on YouTube, Spotify, and everywhere podcasts vibe.

#DanielWatson #BrunoMars #AustinMusic #DrummerLife #MusicAdvice #CodyKaiCast

In Episode 47 of the Cody Kai Cast, Austin artist and creative force Zeale joins Cody and Kai for a wide-ranging, unfiltered conversation about what it actually means to be an artist in public.

Zeale breaks down why cancel culture feels temporary, but real-world consequences—what he calls “murder culture”—are permanent, and how context, geography, and power change what artists can and can’t safely say. The conversation touches on Dave Chappelle, taboo, free speech, and why artists instinctively push toward forbidden ground the moment someone tells them not to go there.

From there, Zeale reflects on his background in battle rap, freestyling for hours with live bands, and how repetition, bombing, and pressure build real creative muscle. He explains why performance is about being in the arena, not the comment section—and why criticism, when it’s honest, can accelerate growth instead of killing it.

The episode moves fluidly between music, comedy, internet culture, and existential risk—touching on Kill Tony, audience judgment, creative ownership, and why sticking to your principles matters more than riding cultural tides.

This is a candid, funny, and thoughtful episode about risk, responsibility, and staying grounded while living in chaos.

Drummer Joel Turcotte joins Cody Kai Cast.

In Episode 45 of the Cody Kai Cast, comedian and Delaware State Representative Madinah Wilson-Anton joins Cody and Kai for a wide-ranging, unfiltered conversation at the intersection of politics, comedy, power, and integrity.

Madinah breaks down her viral metaphor of “selling out as a virus,” explaining how political power quietly infects good intentions, why ego and access are more dangerous than money alone, and how even grassroots campaigns aren’t immune to corruption. She shares firsthand stories from inside the Delaware House, including some of her most difficult votes, the psychological toll of constantly blocking bad legislation, and the subtle ways politicians lose touch with the people who once kept them grounded.

The conversation moves fluidly between stand-up comedy, Kill Tony, media algorithms, Citizens United, assisted suicide legislation, Gaza, hunger strikes, Epstein-level power structures, and why comedians may be some of the most effective political philosophers of our time.

Dark, funny, uncomfortable, and honest—this episode is a rare look at what it actually means to try to stay human inside a system designed to reward surrender.

What happens when one of the most iconic guitars in music history isn’t on display—but sitting in storage?

In this episode, Cody and Kai are joined by Nico Little and 17-year-old blues guitarist Rhys John Stygal to unpack the strange reality that Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Lenny” is currently offstage while awaiting approval to be displayed at Austin’s new flagship Guitar Center.

The conversation expands into blues mythology, tone obsession, heavy strings, analog vs digital recording, and the uniquely alive music culture of Austin—where legends still show up, history is felt, and the pursuit of sound never really ends.

For guitar nerds, blues fans, and anyone who appreciates the space between the notes.

In this guest-free episode of The Cody Kai Cast, Cody and Kai sit down for an unfiltered, wide-ranging conversation—joined throughout by producer Josh Cabaza—covering everything from collective trauma and media fear cycles to food systems, influence culture, propaganda, and what the “American Dream” even means anymore.

The trio unpack how events like 9/11 and COVID reshaped society, why fear is such a powerful tool for control, and how public perception is manufactured—from advertising and PR to modern social media narratives. Along the way, the conversation veers into food science, marketing psychology, generational power, and the quiet shift from “creating” to “influencing.”

Despite the heavy topics, the heart of the episode stays true to CKC’s core philosophy:
we’re not here to influence—we’re here to have real conversations with cool people.

No guests. No agenda. Just curiosity, humor, and honest dialogue.

🎙️ Hosts: Cody & Kai
🎛️ Producer / Third Mic: @joshcabaza
📍 Recorded in Austin, TX

D Madness doesn’t just play music — he channels it.
From Kill Tony to C-Boy’s every Tuesday, to writing music without ever seeing it, this episode dives into how he and Ter’ell Shahid create live, improvised music like it’s breathing.

We talk creating without rules, what it’s like becoming recognizably famous overnight, taking 15 photos in Buda on a random night, and why D still laughs about never being able to see any of the pictures anyway.

If you love soul, jazz, Austin music, or watching musicians build something in real time — this one hits deep.

• Blowing up on Kill Tony & adjusting to fame

• Why Tuesdays at C-Boy’s are never the same twice

• Playing free vs. playing for "the job"

• How D Madness experiences performance without sight

• Music as recipe, improvisation as cooking

• Why an audience should witness creation, not replication

In This Episode:

Comedian Michael Ridley sits down with Cody for one of the wildest, rawest CKC episodes yet — covering everything from starting comedy straight out of jail, clean comics vs. “clean brands,” crypto, AI insanity, dating in 2025, culture wars, assimilation, conspiracies, testosterone, China, Cuba, politics, modern masculinity, and why the world feels like “the United States of Dissonance.”

If you’re into stand-up comedy, truth-telling, and unfiltered conversations — this is the episode.