Creative Control

Why Moby keeps giving music away for free Jun 10, 2025

Moby’s prolific music career spans 35 years, most notably helping to bring electronic music to the mainstream—and perhaps less notably, but still importantly, giving so much of that music away for free.

Amid consistently putting out albums, Moby launched Mobygratis in 2005, a platform where creatives can download instrumental music made by Moby to use in any number of projects.

Moby has continued to update and iterate on Mobygratis, but the ethos has remained the same: helping creatives realize their projects with less financial burden and unleashing the “democratic chaos” of seeing what people create with the music.

In this episode, Moby explores his relationship to creativity and commerce, the tsunami of AI, what effective activism looks like, and why as a creative it’s okay (and even better) to not have a plan B.

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Creative Control is Back! Jun 03, 2025

The days of celebrities, athletes, and creators relying solely on their talent to build their brands is over. Today, it’s all about partnering with brands, investing in companies, or even launching a business of your own. Join host KC Ifeanyi each episode as he talks to one of the world’s most creative people about how their business endeavors intersect with, and grow, their creativity.

Creative Control series roundup! Sep 18, 2023

How Watcher Entertainment is changing the rules of content creation Jul 06, 2023

Steven Lim used to work at Buzzfeed, cohosting the wildly popular show ‘Worth It.’ But a few years ago, he left to start his own digital studio, Watcher Entertainment, to take a chance on making content a little differently. Being a creator himself, Lim knew the struggle of writers, producers, and talent fighting to keep their own IP and earn what they’re worth, so he decided to take a unique approach that could be a new standard for digital content production—or as Lim puts it, ‘the stupidest decision’ he could ever make.

Steven told us all about his perspective working at a small independent studio after being at a large media company, and his ambitions to raise the bar for digital content in the future.

How TikTok’s Medical Mythbuster exposes racism in healthcare Jun 29, 2023

Last week, we took a trip to VidCon in Anaheim, California, to meet up with some of the top creators in the industry. Joel Bervell, a fourth-year medical student at Washington State University, rose to fame on TikTok for calling out racial inequities in the healthcare system. One of his first videos, posted early on in the pandemic, taught people that pulse oximeters can overestimate oxygen saturation on people with darker skin—a fact with serious implications for Black COVID patients who weren’t receiving the necessary care. In our conversation, Joel talked about the myths about race that he’s encountered in medical school and how social media can be a powerful educational tool.

How SuperOrdinary links brands and creators to international markets Jun 22, 2023

SuperOrdinary launched in 2017 as a way for U.S. brands to reach consumers in China. The company has since expanded to working with creators in other international markets. SuperOrdinary cofounder and CEO Julian Reis explains how his company is further leaning into what he calls the “supporter economy”—and how he’s navigating operations amid geopolitical tensions.

What if an AI Elvis sent you a birthday Cameo? Jun 15, 2023

Founded in 2017, Cameo is a platform that allows people to buy custom messages from celebrities to send to their family and friends. The company has expanded the business and created a viable revenue stream for celebrities and creators—even for those who may not be in the traditional Hollywood spotlight. Cofounder and CEO Steven Galanis believes the company amounts to a public utility, connecting celebrities to fans in a direct, accessible way. He shared his perspective on where Cameo is headed, and why its future may or may not involve AI celebrities.

Is AI art innovation or infringement? Jun 08, 2023

AI art generators such as DALL-E, Midjourney, and Craiyon have gained noticeable attention in the past months. But like so much of what AI touches, there are some big questions that need answers: Who owns the images that feed into these generators? Who owns the images they produce? Entertainment lawyer Wynton Yates shares his perspective on AI art generators, copyright infringement, and the legal questions being debated right now. And transmedia artist Stephanie Dinkins dives into how she uses AI in her work while maintaining her curiosity and excitement for the future of art and technology.

The thin line between borrowing and stealing in fandom Jun 01, 2023

This is the third of our special series about fandom. To start from the beginning, listen to our episodes from the past two weeks!

When it comes to fan creators and making money, copyright law is pretty strict—any unlicensed use of a property that doesn’t fall under fair use (like the characters from Star Wars, for example) is considered copyright violation. But at the same time, plenty of fan merchandise and other creations, both for-profit and not, proliferate online and at conferences. Afterall, fandoms can be their own marketing machines for profitable franchises, so companies don’t always crack down on violations. That is, until they see their profits or trademarks threatened—as was the case recently with Netflix and The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical.

So, is it possible to encourage and protect the inspiration-fueling fandoms while still honoring the original authors? What’s the line between derivative and original? And most importantly, what’s werewolf erotica got to do with this?

The dark side of fandom May 25, 2023

This is the second of our special series about fandom. To start from the beginning, listen to last week’s episode!Being part of an active fandom creates close communities, even families, especially for those who haven’t found any shared interests with friends in other areas. And after several exoduses from various platforms, some of the biggest fandom spaces are fan-operated, like the fanfic archive AO3. But within these communities, people can face discrimination, gatekeeping, and other obstacles around identity, body type, and income. While some fans might find wild success with their writing or artwork, others have experienced rampant harassment and threats—and the difference has a lot to do with who they are.So how do fan creators balance independence from big platform companies with the challenges of moderating inclusive communities?To see some of the fantastic costumes Yalda’s created, check out her Instagram @yaldamn.

Welcome to the (fandom) dance party! May 18, 2023

‘The Witcher’ TV show might not seem like the most natural inspiration for enthusiastically queer romance writing, but for some fanfic authors, it’s a world rich with creative inspiration. Fanfic writers, especially those missing authentic representation in mainstream media, have long used their own writing to make stories that speak to them. And fandom communities, once niche conventions and now massive online archives and popular forums, offer welcoming spaces to explore and build friendships.

This is the first of our special series about the many worlds of fandom. To see the (explicit!) fanart of Gulliver’s Travels mentioned in the episode, head to the Met Museum’s archives.

Coming soon: A deep dive into the world of fandom May 11, 2023

Next week, we’ll be back with a special series of episodes about fandom—covering fanfic, fan art, cosplay, and all the passion that goes into building these communities. We’ll also be unpacking the hurdles fan creators face, from harassment to legal issues, and how these challenges affect the wider creator economy.

Is banning Tiktok “un-American?” May 04, 2023

Since the last time we discussed the efforts to ban Tiktok, we’ve been hearing more about future legal challenges to these restrictions and the international impact they would have.

So to get some different perspectives on Tiktok’s actual security risks and the courtroom sagas already shaping up, we talked with Timothy Edgar and Anupam Chander. Timothy is a professor at both Harvard and Brown, specializing in cybersecurity, and Anupam is a law professor at Georgetown who focuses on global regulation of new technologies. Both experts emphasized how banning Tiktok opens up a lot of new questions about how tech companies, specifically social media platforms, are treated in the U.S. and other countries. Because, while other countries including China and India have banned certain apps in the past, an American ban on Tiktok would send an entirely new message about how we do—or don’t—want to communicate with the rest of the world.

How AI could shape the next 50 years of hip-hop Apr 27, 2023

This year marks the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, a genre that’s gone from a niche art form to a cultural and financial powerhouse across the world. But with that huge burst of growth, are the true hip-hop creators getting their due? And what role will AI play in hip-hop in the next 50 years?

To help us unpack hip-hop’s history and future, we talked with Sacha Jenkins. Sacha is a filmmaker, musician, and the creative director of the media company, Mass Appeal. He’s also the cocurator of Hip Hop: Conscious Unconscious, a photo exhibit presented by Fotografiska New York and created in partnership with Mass Appeal.

What do politicians not understand about TikTok? Apr 20, 2023

As Montana becomes the first state to pass a bill banning TikTok on all personal devices, discussions about why and how to restrict the Chinese-owned platform are circulating everywhere. TikTok creator V Spehar, @underthedesknews, has amassed 3 million followers with their clear, brief explanations of current events, and they believe that the communities and conversations on TikTok play a vital role in how we engage with each other across the globe. So when TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified before Congress a few weeks ago, V went to listen in, and see firsthand how politicians are talking about the controversial app.

Navigating the creator economy 2.0 Apr 13, 2023

To jumpstart season 3 with an overview of the creator economy, we’re featuring a roundtable conversation with some experts, recorded a few weeks ago at SXSW.

Our panel of experts—Julie Haleluk, global head of video creator program at Amazon Live Shoppable Videos; Adrienne Lahens, global head of operations at TikTok Creator Marketing Solutions; Julian Reis, founder and CEO of SuperOrdinary; and Brent Weinstein, chief development officer at Candle Media—chatted with KC about the ups and downs of the creator economy. Given the huge influx of creators who entered the space in 2020 and the economic concerns that emerged last year, how is the creator economy maturing? And how do political conflicts play out, with so many creators staking their livelihoods on TikTok and other platforms?

Announcing Season 3 of Creative Control! Apr 06, 2023

Next week, Creative Control is back with Season 3! Some of the topics we’re unpacking this season include the push to ban TikTok, how hip-hop has undeniably shaped social media, and why it’s so difficult for adult content creators to monetize their work. Also, we’re diving into how the creator economy is challenging our norms around copyright, ownership, and originality.

CC Flashback: Brittany Broski live from Fast Company’s Innovation Festival! Mar 30, 2023

While we’re on break, working on the next season of Creative Control, we’re revisiting this live episode from Fast Company’s Innovation Festival last fall. Content creator and comedian Brittany Broski gave her candid take on the creator economy and how she’s building a career beyond that kombucha meme that made her famous.

CC Flashback: Emma Chamberlain on taking a coffee break from YouTube Mar 23, 2023

In between seasons, we’re taking another listen to this interview with Emma Chamberlain, one of YouTube’s undisputed royalty.

Since starting her channel in 2017, Emma has amassed more than 11 million YouTube subscribers, in large part because of her wry comedic tone and signature lo-fi editing style. Her vlogs aren’t overproduced or too slick, instead she’s candid with her fans—which means being honest about needing a break from YouTube.

Emma’s shifted her focus to building out her podcast, Anything Goes, and her coffee company, Chamberlain Coffee. We talked about how she’s redefining her relationship with YouTube and finding her place in the coffee industry—potential haters and all.

CC Flashback: Should your doctor be an influencer? Mar 16, 2023

We’re working on the next season of Creative Control. In the meantime, we’re revisiting this still-relevant topic: doctors on platforms like TikTok and Twitter making medicine less of a mystery for people—and becoming celebrities along the way.

But the ethics of being a medical influencer are a bit hazy. We’ve seen how misinformation can run rampant on social media, and it doesn’t take much for anyone to gain a following, no matter their credentials. So what are the implications of doctors being influencers, and is it actually making us healthier?

CC Flashback: Why copyright law is out of step with choreographers in the digital age Mar 09, 2023

While we’re on break, working on the next season of Creative Control, we wanted to revisit this throwback episode about copyright law and dance, and how some choreographers are fighting to get their work protected as intellectual property. It’s part of the wider issue of how popular trends can spread online without proper credit or compensation—something creators of color, in particular, have been calling out.

CC Flashback: How NCAA athletes are navigating the Wild West of NIL deals Mar 02, 2023

We’re taking a little break right now while we work on the next season. We’ll be back soon with new conversations and stories about what’s changing in the creator economy. In the meantime, in honor of March Madness, we wanted to revisit this throwback episode about the NCAA changing their rules to finally allow college athletes to make money from their own name, image, and likeness.

Why celebrities are choosing equity over endorsements Feb 23, 2023

Over the past few years, it seems that celebrities and influencers are increasingly choosing to have their own brand instead of simply endorsing a product. Take Emma Chamberlain, for example. When she was on the podcast, she explained why, as an avid coffee lover, she started her own brand instead of doing a regular endorsement. To dig into this a little more, we spoke to Marian Leitner-Waldman, founder and CEO of canned wine company Archer Roose, about why she chose director/actor Elizabeth Banks as not just a celebrity endorser but a partner in the company and its chief creative officer.

Making Sh*t Up: Improvisation and the Art of Making Something out of Nothing Feb 16, 2023

We’re taking a little break while we work on the next season. In the meantime, we’re sharing an improv workshop from Fast Company’s Innovation Festival last year, led by actor, singer, and improvisor extraordinaire Wayne Brady. He gets into the importance of active listening in improv, and focusing on inclusion in his growing media empire.

Monetizing your brand in the creator economy Feb 09, 2023

We’re taking a little break right now while we work on the next season. But we’ll be back soon with new conversations and stories about what’s changing in the creator economy. In the meantime, we wanted to share a conversation from Fast Company’s Innovation Festival last fall. Associate editor Yaz Gagne moderated the panel, Monetizing Your Brand in the Creator Economy, featuring Tracy Chan from SoundCloud, Ami Gan from OnlyFans, Ritu Khanna from Shopify, and entrepreneur and content creator Jackie Aina.

How brands should elevate (not exploit) Black creators Feb 02, 2023

Last week we talked to some creators about how they’re approaching Black History Month this year. If you haven’t already listened to that episode, please check it out. And for this episode, I’m keeping the conversation going with Tiffany Hardin, founder and CEO of Gild Creative Group. Tiffany shared her perspective as an influencer marketing agent who has all the do’s and, most importantly, don’ts of how brands should be thinking about Black History Month.

How Black creators are navigating Black History Month Jan 26, 2023

Black History Month is almost upon us. It’s a time meant to celebrate Black culture, but as we’ve seen year after year, it’s also a time for racist trolls, tone-deaf brand campaigns, and corporate platitudes that amount to little change if any at all. It’s a lot to deal with, so I wanted to explore how Black creators are handling it all. Hear how Tyra Blizzard (@tblizzy), Garrison Hayes (@garrisonhayes), and Millana Snow (@millanasnow) are navigating February this year.

Where are we now after the Facebook Papers? Jan 19, 2023

Back in the fall of 2021, a whistleblower named Frances Haugen dropped a bombshell. She released what would become known as the Facebook Papers, a massive set of internal documents that essentially showed the harmful impact Facebook and Instagram can have on society and politics. Deeper still, the documents showed that Facebook knew of those dangers but seemed to put profits over everything.

It’s easy to forget just how big a story this was, given our relentless news cycle. So, to understand what impact the Facebook Papers really had, I spoke to Hayley Tsukayama, a senior legislative activist from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and Bill Burton, a political consultant working with Frances Haugen.

Is the creator economy dead? Jan 12, 2023

We’ve discussed where the creator economy is headed this year. And there are general trends that I do think will be important to keep in mind in the short term. But what about the long term? The creator economy is still relatively young. So what will it look like once the dust and hype really settle down? Dmitry Shapiro, cofounder and CEO of app platform Koji, has some thoughts that are pretty surprising. For starters, the creator economy as we know it is dying.

How jazz powerhouse Samara Joy went from a viral video to Grammy nominee Jan 05, 2023

If you haven’t heard of Samara Joy, I’m about to put you on. Samara is a jazz singer whose buttery vocals have earned her some of the top accolades jazz has to offer, including two Grammy nominations for Best New Artist and Best Jazz Vocal album. And I think it’s worth mentioning here that Samara is only 23. She’s being touted as the “first Gen Z jazz singing star.” So it’s no surprise that her career got a massive boost by going viral on social media. But she’ll be the first to tell you, and I think it’s clear from her level of talent, that she’s much more than her age or social media presence. In our conversation, Samara charts her career from honing her talent in the Bronx to becoming an international jazz star. She also explains what her success could mean for jazz, and why she’s treading lightly on social media.

The Fast Company podcast team looks back on 2022 Dec 29, 2022

Kate Davis, KC Ifeanyi, and Amelia Hemphill discuss the biggest stories at Fast Company this past year and share their favorite moments from Fast Company podcasts. Kate highlights The New Way We Work's 4-part miniseries "Ambition Diaries," which examined the effects of the pandemic on women's progress in the workplace. KC reviews some of the biggest trends in the creator economy. Amelia explains some of the most innovative approaches to sustainability, including a toilet that incinerates your bowel movement under water. Finally, Kate, KC, and Amelia share their New Year's resolutions.

Subscribe to The New Way We Work, Creative Control, and World Changing Ideas on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Top predictions for the creator economy in 2023 Dec 22, 2022

It’s been another destabilizing year across the board. But the creator economy has surprisingly held strong—despite a looming recession, increasing pressure from lawmakers to ban TikTok in the U.S., and Elon Musk being Elon Musk at Twitter. The creator economy is currently valued at $16.4 billion, a 19% increase from 2021. So will that energy carry over into 2023? To get a better understanding of where the creator economy is heading next year, I interviewed Stephanie Smith, head of talent strategy at UTA IQ; Zehra Naqvi, senior investment associate at Republic; and Madison Long, cofounder and CEO of Clutch.

Unpacking the ‘Black Internet Effect’ with Shavone Charles Dec 15, 2022

This interview has been a long time coming because Shavone Charles is someone I’ve known for quite a few years now. When I met her, she was the head of global music and youth culture communications at Instagram. Prior to that, she held a similar position at Twitter. And last year, she became TikTok’s first head of global diversity and inclusion communications. Shavone is one of those people who has been working tirelessly behind the scenes to help creators of color gain more visibility and recognition, and she lays it all out in her new book, ‘Black Internet Effect.’ In my conversation with Shavone, we talk about her trailblazing career, how she’s developing her personal creative pursuits, and what she sees as the next step for creators of color.

How social media companies should think about paid subscriptions Dec 08, 2022

You might have noticed that more and more social media platforms are offering paid versions of their services, like Twitter Blue, Snapchat Plus, and Discord Nitro. But what you may not have noticed is that this is nothing new. Social media platforms in China have had a huge head start in getting users to not only pay for features, but in creating features that truly are innovative. In this episode, Connie Chan, general partner at the VC firm Andreessen Horowitz, analyzes what Western companies should be learning from their successes.

What Tumblr’s new rules on adult content means for creators Dec 01, 2022

Back in 2018, Tumblr banned all nudity, which, unsurprisingly, led to a massive dip in page views as well as adult creators being forced off the platform. But earlier this month, Tumblr, under new management, announced it would be relaxing its “no porn” rule to allow some adult content back onto the site. In this episode, Tumblr CEO Matt Mullenweg breaks down the fine print of what this means for creators and the future of Tumblr.

Coming up after Thanksgiving . . . Nov 24, 2022

We're taking a break this week and wishing everyone a warm holiday! When we come back, we'll be talking about what's changing in content policies at Tumblr and the effect of the Facebook Papers one year later.

If Elon Musk resurrects Vine, can it compete with TikTok? Nov 17, 2022

A few weeks ago, Elon Musk, Twitter’s new CEO, tweeted a poll asking if he should bring back Vine, the short-form video app Twitter purchased in 2012 but shuttered in 2016. Nearly 5 million votes later, 70% of people had voted to resurrect Vine. There were a number of factors that led to the app’s downfall. So if Vine were to come back, what would it need to do differently? More importantly, could it compete with the reigning short-form video juggernaut that is TikTok? To help me unpack this, I interviewed Lauren Schnipper, VP of corporate development at Jellysmack and co-host of the creator economy podcast Creator Upload.

Will changes at Twitch help or hurt creators' pockets? Nov 10, 2022

Most creators know they won’t reach the level of getting insanely lucrative brand deals or tens of millions of followers—and that’s perfectly fine. The overall sentiment from creators is that they just want stable and reliable income, i.e. a more robust middle class. It's a reasonable request but one that hasn’t been so easy to attain. A perfect vehicle to explore this right now is Twitch. In case you missed it, there’s been a few changes at Twitch that the company says are in the best interest of creators. But some creators, particularly those in the middle class, aren’t so sure.

How much do you spend on the creators you love? Nov 03, 2022

When you think about what you’re already shelling out for on-demand entertainment with Netflix, Spotify, Disney+, Apple Music, HBO Max, how do content creators fit within your budget? We conducted a poll to get some answers. And to help me unpack these results, I reached out to Anthony Iaffaldano, VP of sales, marketing, and insights at Fandom.

Decoding what algospeak means for creators Oct 27, 2022

We’ve explored how algorithms and content moderation can make some creators feel targeted on social platforms. One way creators are getting around being flagged is through algospeak, e.g. using “unalive” instead of dead, “seggs” instead of sex, “corn” instead of porn, etc. Coded internet language has been around for decades, most commonly known as leetspeak. But no matter what you call it, massaging words to sidestep moderation raises some interesting questions we’re exploring in this episode.

Want 52 million followers on TikTok? Adapt and experiment like Michael Le Oct 20, 2022

If you’re on TikTok, Michael Le has undoubtedly landed on your For You page at some point with his dance videos, which have earned him 52 million followers and more than 10 billion views. Now Michael is launching Joystick, a gaming ecosystem that aims to empower users and content creators to become business owners. According to Michael, the key to his success has been adapting and experimenting both in the content he creates and in his business pursuits. But how do you translate 52 million followers into a new business—especially a new business that many might not see as part of your core brand?

FROM AWS AND FAST CO WORKS: At the Edge of Innovation: A Conversation with AWS’s Jan Hofmeyr Oct 18, 2022

In this special podcast episode, hear the latest on what’s taking place in edge computing and hybrid cloud from a top industry executive at AWS. Also learn how these innovations can ultimately help you transform your business.

Welcome to the hilariously bizarre world of Tony Talks Oct 13, 2022

You think you know where a skit from Antonio Baldwin (aka Tony Talks) is headed until the punchlines start hitting you in the most unexpected places. It’s the kind of random comedy that forces you to pay attention—and it’s certainly caught the attention of his growing audience. Tony landed a spot on Fast Company’s inaugural Creator 25 list, and you need only watch his content (and listen to this episode) to understand why.

Why marginalized creators are feeling invisible online Oct 06, 2022

A lot of people say success in the creator economy is democratized: You put in the work, stay consistent, and you’ll find your audience and revenue. That may be true for some, but for many marginalized creators success feels like a steeper hill to climb than it should be. Discoverability is crucial to any creator’s career online. But what happens when the algorithms powering discoverability seem to be working against you or don’t see you at all?

Brittany Broski live from Fast Company's Innovation Festival! Sep 29, 2022

Brittany "Broski" Tomlinson turned her 15 seconds of fame as "the Kombucha girl" meme into a full-fledged career. In this live episode of Fast Company's podcast Creative Control, Tomlinson gives her candid take on the creator economy and explains how she's building a name for herself offline.

What's On The Horizon For Season 2 of Creative Control Sep 22, 2022

Here is a sneak peek of Season 2! Creative Control premieres next week, and be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss new episodes every Thursday.

CC Throwback: How Soman Chainani darker lens creates fairytales Sep 15, 2022