Red Rooster owner Chef Marcus Samuelsson and hip-hop artist Jason Diakité launch This Moment podcast

On Tuesday, June 23rd, internationally renowned chef, Marcus Samuelsson, and ground-breaking hip-hop artist, Jason “Timbuktu” Diakité, premiered the This Moment podcast, a look at the unique viewpoints of two longtime friends based in Sweden and NYC, sharing how the coronavirus launched a series of circumstances that led to radical changes in their personal and professional lives.

This Moment comes at a time when the world is confronting two global issues simultaneously: the COVID-19 pandemic and systemic racial injustice. Speaking from two cultural centers ⁠— Sweden and New York City ⁠— that find themselves in the midst of the issues, Diakité and Samuelsson aim to use the podcast to examine current events through the lens of their respective countries and their deep roots in both places, along with a vast network of global guests.

“First the pandemic shattered our daily lives, leaving me in my adopted hometown of Harlem and driving Jason back to our native Sweden. With this ocean between us but these tremendous tidal waves affecting us both, we knew now was the time to launch This Moment,” said Marcus Samuelsson. “Each episode is the unfolding of the conversation that we are having as we navigate these times, as two creatives seeking to find and create meaning amidst it all.”

Marcus Samuelsson and Jason Diakité have been close friends for twenty-five years, and they are both passionate about social issues and the importance of daring to have a conversation. The first time they met, a strong bond immediately emerged, and as creators, they inspire each other.

“Our podcast is meant as a bridge across the Atlantic, between our countries, origins, experiences, and emotions. With the world in a state of massive change right now, we aim to use This Moment to have a dialogue on social issues we are passionate about. Starting a podcast together felt like a natural step for us to take, to create a place to discuss and debate issues together with our listeners,” says Jason Diakité.

This Moment is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

About Marcus Samuelsson

Marcus Samuelsson is the acclaimed chef behind many restaurants worldwide including Red Rooster Harlem, MARCUS Montreal, and Marcus B&P in Newark, NJ. Samuelsson was the youngest person to ever receive a three-star review from The New York Times and has won multiple James Beard Foundation Awards including Best Chef: New York City and Outstanding Personality for No Passport Required on PBS. He is the author of multiple books including The New York Times bestselling memoir Yes, Chef, The Red Rooster Cookbook: The Story of Food and Hustle in Harlem, and his latest book-- The Rise, coming out this fall. To listen to other audio projects, check out Our Harlem on Audible. Follow Samuelsson on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter at @MarcusCooks.

About Jason Diakité

Jason “Timbuktu” Diakité is one of Sweden’s most well-known hip-hop artists. He has released eight solo albums and numerous singles, the majority of which have reached gold or platinum status. Jason has performed all over the world, and is now the author of the critically acclaimed memoir A Drop of Midnight, which has sold more than one hundred thousand copies in Sweden, with subsequent editions coming out in Norway (Top 10 in the sales charts) and through Amazon Crossing globally (topping lots of internal Amazon charts). The book was also adapted into a stage performance. After a hugely successful run in Scandinavia it will premiere in New York City during Spring 2021.

About Acast

Acast is the engine powering podcast creators, advertisers and listeners everywhere. Its services are the most sophisticated available and are constantly being updated with innovative new tools and functionality. Acast hosts 10,000 podcasts worldwide and monetizes shows from independent creators and networks, including Watch What Crappens, Forever35, and The Earios Network, and those from publishers such as VICE, HuffPost, Scientific American, Complex, The Economist, The Guardian, BBC, and PBS NewsHour. Co-founded in Sweden in 2014 by Johan Billgren, Acast’s team of audio lovers is creating a sustainable and open podcast ecosystem — ensuring the whole industry continues to grow and flourish. The company has teams on the ground in 13 markets around the world, including in the UK, US, Australia, France, and Germany.