Finding Home, Breaking Rules & Becoming Yourself — with Tedashii

About this episode

John Kim and Tedashii discuss identity, belonging, and the journey of becoming oneself through creativity and music.

John sits down with boundary-breaking hip-hop artist, creative chameleon, and all-around renaissance soul Tedashii for a powerful conversation on identity, belonging, creativity, and the long road toward becoming who you actually are. From growing up biracial in the South, to navigating family dynamics, to discovering musical freedom beyond the ���rules,” Tedashii shares the deeply human story behind the art. He opens up about meeting his Polynesian father for the first time at age 20, feeling “too much” for every world he belonged to, and the lifelong search for a community that resonates not just with your mind — but with your soul. He and John unpack how that journey shaped his music, his refusal to “play the game,” and his evolution from label-defined rapper to full-spectrum creator who follows what the song itself asks for. Together they discuss: • Growing up half-Black, half-Samoan — and the ache of never fully fitting anywhere • The moment his mom finally understood he was really an artist • Why pretending is the enemy of connection — and why misfits find each other • Creating lifestyle music: honest, vulnerable, genre-bending, rule-breaking • How Dialect House unlocked…

People in this episode

Guest: Tedashii

Topics covered

• identity
• belonging
• creativity
• music
• family dynamics

Keywords

• biracial
• hip-hop
• art
• community
• self-acceptance

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Dialect House

Books & works: Finding Home,

Places: South

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