Rabbit Holes

S05E05 - The Relentless Rhythm of Henri Herbert

In this electrifying episode of Rabbit Holes, host Kawika Hoke sits down with piano firestarter Henri Herbert, the UK-born, Nashville-based boogie and blues phenom whose fingers have earned him viral fame, sold-out tours, and praise from The New Yorker and BBC Music alike. From viral performances at London’s St Pancras Station to headlining prestigious venues like the Blue Note, Henri brings the raw power of American blues into every room he touches. In this intimate conversation, recorded ahead of his Maui performances, Henri reflects on live performance as spiritual release and why he’s still chasing the groove like it's the first time. Come for the music. Stay for the soul. Episode Show Notes 🎹 Featured Guest: Henri Herbert – Pianist, Composer, Performer 🌐 Website: henriherbertmusic.com [https://www.henriherbertmusic.com] 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/henri.herbert [https://www.facebook.com/henri.herbert] ▶️ YouTube: HenriHerbert88 [https://www.youtube.com/c/HenriHerbert88] 🎧 Spotify: Henri Herbert [https://open.spotify.com/artist/0G32pVd2iVT6plLjN1MZOP?si=8omi_mhSSQ2VOx6P-hRTVw] 🎶 Music Featured in This Episode: “Gettin' On Down” By Henri Herbert from Street Pianos – Instrument of Change 🎥 Directed by Maureen Ni Fiann & Thomas Harold Rochester 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iy9FtC-7-0 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iy9FtC-7-0] 🎟️ Henri Herbert Hawaii Tour Dates – May 2025 ➤ May 10, Saturday – 7:30 PM 🎹 ProArts Playhouse – Kīhei, Maui 📍 Kihei, HI ➤ May 13, Tuesday – 7:00 PM 🎹 Blue Note Hawaii – Honolulu, O‘ahu 📍 Honolulu, HI 🌱 Support Independent Broadcasting Rabbit Holes is produced by Kawika Hoke for Laulima Public Broadcasting & Content in Kīhei, Maui. If you believe in fearless interviews, local storytelling, and independent public media, support the movement at LPBCMaui.org [https://LPBCMaui.org]

S05E04 - The Quiet Virtuoso - Tye Austin in Tune with the World

In this special Rabbit Holes feature, host Kawika Hoke sits down with American virtuoso guitarist Tye Austin, whose ability to make the guitar "sing like it was invented only to be in his hands" (NBC News) has taken him from the stage of Carnegie Hall to the shores of Maui. What unfolds is more than just a musician’s backstory—it’s a meditation on presence, artistry, and how sound shapes the spaces we live in. Recorded roadside on Maui, the interview explores Tye’s relationship to place, legacy, genre, and silence. Whether you’re a musician, a creative, or someone trying to find rhythm in a chaotic world—this conversation will leave you listening more carefully.   EPISODE NOTES 🎸 Featured Guest: Tye Austin – Virtuoso Guitarist, Composer, Educator 🌐 Website: https://tyeaustin.com [https://tyeaustin.com] 📩 Email: @tyeaustinguitar [https://www.instagram.com/tyeaustinguitar] ▶️ YouTube: Tye Austin Guitar [https://www.youtube.com/c/TyeAustinGuitar] 🎧 SoundCloud: TyeAustinGuitar [http://www.soundcloud.com/tyeaustinguitar] 🎶 Music in this Episode: “La Vie En Rose” by Édith Piaf — Arranged and performed by Tye Austin 🎟️ UPCOMING TOUR DATES: ➤ May 9, 2025 – 7:30PM ProArts Playhouse – Maui, Hawaii Public concert featuring Spanish flamenco, Latin jazz, Caribbean reggae, and Hawaiian slack-key guitar. ➤ May 15, 2025 – 7:00PM Da Playground – Maui, Hawaii Opening for Grammy nominee Luciano Messenjah. Set includes original reggae music. ➤ May 16, 2025 – 7:00PM Amakua Kava Lounge – Maui, Hawaii Public concert featuring Spanish flamenco, Latin jazz, Caribbean reggae, and Hawaiian slack-key guitar. ➤ May 18, 2025 – 7:00PM Jazz Maui – Maui, Hawaii Latin jazz performance with the house band at Jazz Maui. ➤ June 7, 2025 – 4:30PM Amaterra Winery – Portland, Oregon Private classical guitar concert for special guests. 📢 Support Independent Public Broadcasting This episode of Rabbit Holes was produced by Kawika Hoke for Laulima Public Broadcasting & Content, based in Kīhei, Maui. If you value local storytelling, fearless conversations, and indie public media—please consider supporting us at: 🌐 https://LPBCMaui.org [https://LPBCMaui.org]

S05E03 | The McMansion Theseus - Wailea 670

In this episode of Rabbit Holes, we take a deep look at the Wailea 670 (Honuaʻula) development and the long-standing fight over its impact on Maui. What started as a plan to provide mixed-use residential housing has morphed into yet another luxury-driven project, with broken promises along the way. We explore: * The history of Wailea 670, from its original approval in 2008 to its latest legal and environmental challenges. * The shrinking affordable housing commitments—how 700 promised units became just 288, and what that means for local families. * Environmental and cultural concerns, including threats to one of Maui’s last dryland forests and over 200 cultural sites, including iwi kūpuna (ancestral burials). * The political landscape, the legal loopholes developers use, and how similar projects across Hawaiʻi follow the same pattern. * A conversation with Stacey Alapai, breaking down what’s at stake and how people can take action. How to Testify Against Wailea 670 The Maui Planning Commission is holding a special public hearing on March 11, 2025 to determine the future of Wailea 670. Your voice matters. 📍 In-Person Testimony: 🔹 Location: The Malcom Center, 1305 North Holopono St., Kīhei, HI 96753 🔹 Time: 9:00 AM HST (until pau) 💻 Virtual Testimony: 🔹 Submit online testimony: https://bit.ly/311-WAILEA670 📧 Email Written Testimony: 🔹 Email: planning@mauicounty.gov 📜 County Agenda & Meeting Details: 🔹 Official Maui County Agenda for the Public Hearing [https://www.mauicounty.gov/archivecenter/viewfile/item/32625] Sources & Further Reading For listeners who want to explore more about Wailea 670’s history, the legal battle, and environmental concerns, here are key resources we used in this episode: 🔹 History & Background 📜 Wailea 670 (Honuaʻula) Development History – Maui Tomorrow [https://www.mauitomorrow.org/honuaula-wailea-670-history/] 📜 Maui News: Honuaʻula Back Before County Council (Jan 2024) [https://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2024/01/honuaula-project-back-before-county-council/] 📜 Civil Beat: Maui Council Questions Affordable Housing Reductions (Nov 2023) [https://www.civilbeat.org/2023/11/maui-council-questions-affordable-housing-reductions-at-honuaula/] 🌱 Environmental Concerns 🌿 Sierra Club Maui: Honuaʻula Project Update (2024) [https://sierraclubmaui.org/honuaula-wailea-670-project-update-2024/] 🌿 Center for Biological Diversity: Hawaiian Dryland Forest Conservation [https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/hawaiian_dryland_forest_conservation/] 🌿 Honolulu Magazine: Wildlife & Water Concerns Stall Maui Developments [https://www.honolulumagazine.com/wildlife-and-water-concerns-stall-maui-developments/] 🏛️ Cultural & Historical Significance 📜 Maui News: Honuaʻula Project Clears Planning Commission (2022) [https://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2022/09/honuaula-project-clears-planning-commission/] 📜 Office of Hawaiian Affairs: Protecting Iwi Kūpuna on Maui [https://www.oha.org/advocacy/protecting-iwi-kupuna-on-maui/] 📜 Ka Wai Ola: Protecting Hawaiian Burial Sites [https://www.kawaiola.news/aina/protecting-hawaiian-burial-sites/] ⚖️ Legal & Political Landscape ⚖️ Maui County Official Archive – Wailea 670 Approvals [https://www.mauicounty.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/28534] ⚖️ Maui News: Legal Challenges to Honuaʻula Continue (Feb 2024) [https://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2024/02/legal-challenges-to-honuaula-development-continue/] ⚖️ Maui Now: Council Reviews New Conditions for Honuaʻula Project (Jan 2024) [https://www.mauinow.com/2024/01/15/council-reviews-new-conditions-for-honuaula-project/] 🌊 Community Response & Activism 📢 Sierra Club Maui: Community Action Against Honuaʻula [https://www.sierraclubmaui.org/community-action-against-honuaula/] 📢 Hawaiian Council: Community Opposition to Honuaʻula (2023) [https://www.hawaiiancouncil.org/community-opposition-honuaula-2023/] 📢 Maui News: Council Hears Testimony Against Wailea 670 (Jan 2024) [https://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2024/01/maui-council-hears-testimony-against-wailea-670-project/] 📌 Current Status & Delays 📅 Civil Beat: Honuaʻula Project Delays Continue Amid Legal Disputes (Feb 2024) [https://www.civilbeat.org/2024/02/honuaula-project-delays-continue-amid-legal-disputes/] 📅 Maui County: 2024 Honuaʻula Hearings & Decisions [https://www.mauicounty.us/2024-honuaula-hearings/] 📅 KHON2: Maui Development Halted Due to Cultural Concerns [https://www.khon2.com/news/maui-development-halted-due-to-cultural-concerns/] 🌺 Ties to Land Sovereignty & Hawaiian Self-Determination 🌎 Office of Hawaiian Affairs: Land Sovereignty & Honuaʻula Case Study [https://www.oha.org/land-sovereignty-honuaula-case-study/] 🌎 Maui Now: Native Hawaiians Call for Preservation of Honuaʻula (Jan 2024) [https://www.mauinow.com/2024/01/18/native-hawaiians-call-for-preservation-of-honuaula/] 🌎 Civil Beat: Maui Land Rights Dispute Highlights Need for Sovereign Governance (Feb 2024) [https://www.civilbeat.org/2024/02/maui-land-rights-dispute-over-honuaula-highlights-need-for-sovereign-governance/] Credits 🎙️ Host & Producer: Kawika Hoke 🎛️ Produced by: Laulima Public Broadcasting, Kīhei, Hawaiʻi 🎧 Guest: Stacey Alapai 🎵 Music in this Episode: 🎶 Moarn - If You Like The Blues (Instrumental) 🎶 Miles Kvndra - I am Satoshi Nakamoto (Jam No. 4) (Instrumental) 🎶 Seb - Elements 📢 Help us grow the conversation. If this episode resonated with you, share it, leave a review, and let people know what’s at stake. 🌿 Stay informed. Stay engaged. Keep questioning everything.

S05E02 | Manufactured Media & The Illusion of Choice

What if your favorite movies, the daily news, and viral social media trends weren't just reflections of reality but carefully manufactured narratives designed to keep you inside a controlled paradigm? In this episode of Rabbit Holes, we break down the illusion of choice in media—how Hollywood, the corporate news cycle, and social media algorithms manufacture reality, shape public perception, and influence what we think we know. From the six corporations that control 90% of American media to the scripted nature of modern journalism and the algorithmic chokehold on social media, we uncover how the stories we consume are chosen for us—and what that means for critical thinking, free speech, and independent thought. Buckle up, truth seekers. It's time to go down the rabbit hole. 🕳️ Episode Highlights & Timecodes: ⏱️ 00:00 – Cold Open: The "Algorithmic Reality" We Live In How media shapes your worldview before you even realize it.   ⏱️ 00:31 – Intro & Show Overview Welcome to Rabbit Holes, plus what's coming up in this episode.   ⏱️ 03:53 – Segment 1: Hollywood & The Illusion of Choice Why every blockbuster, reboot, and franchise film feels the same—and how radical ideas get absorbed and neutralized.   ⏱️ 10:40 – Segment 2: The Manufactured News Cycle – A Scripted Reality How corporate ownership, pre-approved narratives, and algorithmic curation ensure you only hear what the system wants you to hear.   ⏱️ 19:31 – Segment 3: Social Media – The Controlled Opposition Engine From algorithmic censorship to astroturfing and AI-generated influencers, we explore how digital platforms shape public opinion while maintaining the illusion of free speech.   ⏱️ 26:58 – Segment 4: Weird of the Week – The Fake Reality Machine A real-life case study on how AI-generated content, bot networks, and viral misinformation can create entirely fabricated events—and why most people never notice. How do you break out of the media manipulation cycle, think critically, and take back control of your attention?   ⏱️ 33:57 – Show Credits & Outro Producer, music credits, and where to find us online. 🔗 Sources & Further Reading: Want to dig deeper? Here are some of the key sources that helped shape this episode: * The Six Companies That Own 90% of Media in the U.S. – Business Insider [https://www.businessinsider.com/these-6-corporations-control-90-of-the-media-in-america-2012-6] * The Pentagon's Influence on Hollywood – The Guardian [https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/feb/28/pentagon-hollywood-military-films] * News Anchors Reading Identical Scripts Compilation – Sinclair Broadcast Group Controversy [https://www.npr.org/2018/04/02/598674663/hundreds-of-sinclair-tv-anchors-recite-scripted-anti-media-messaging] * How Algorithms Decide What You See Online – MIT Technology Review [https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/04/16/1023273/how-algorithms-rule-our-world/] * AI-Generated Influencers & Fake Engagement – The Verge [https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/15/23762939/ai-influencers-instagram-tiktok-fake-people] * The Ghost of Kyiv: A Manufactured War Hero – BBC News [https://www.bbc.com/news/60579937] 🎵 Music Credits: This episode features music from the following artists: * JONES – ID Crisis (Instrumental) * Digital Moss – Hyna Ruje (Instrumental) * Liam Back – Strategic Invasion (Instrumental) * A/B – Feel It (Instrumental) * Arms and Sleepers – The Pedestrian (Instrumental) * Moarn – If You Like The Blues (Instrumental) * Miles Kvndra – I Am Satoshi Nakamoto (Jam No. 4) (Instrumental) 📢 Show Credits: Produced by: Kawika Hoke for Laulima Public Broadcasting, Kihei, HI 📩 Follow us for updates and behind-the-scenes content! 📱 Socials: @RabbitsOnSunday 📬 Contact: info.lpbc.maui@gmail.com © Rabbit Holes Podcast, 2025. All rights reserved.     Enjoyed this episode? Don't forget to: ✅ Subscribe to Rabbit Holes on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rabbit-holes/id1610423483] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6t4JJTrjVFO9gjBvzvSGz1?si=4206028070e640e2] | Podbean [https://rabbitholes.podbean.com/] and wherever you get your podcasts.   ✅ Leave a review – Help us stay independent by rating and reviewing the show!   ✅ Join the discussion – Follow us on Instagram & Facebook: @RabbitsOnSunday and tell us: What stories do YOU think the media isn't telling?   👀 Got a rabbit hole you think we should explore? Drop us a tip in the comments or our DMs.

S05E01 | HiLite

The Future of Hawaiian Social Media 🎙 Welcome to Season 5 of Rabbit Holes! 🚀 We're kicking off this season with a deep dive into the future of social media—and how Hawaiʻi is making waves in the digital space. With TikTok’s ban shaking up the industry and corporate social media platforms facing growing distrust, HiLite has emerged as a Hawaiian-centric alternative built for creators by creators. Joining us today is Sammy, the visionary behind HiLite, to discuss: ✅ What sets HiLite apart from other social platforms ✅ How digital sovereignty can empower local communities ✅ The challenges and opportunities in competing with corporate tech giants ✅ The future of social media in a post-TikTok world   💡 Plus, in our opening editorial, we explore: 🔹 The shift toward localized social platforms 🔹 The growing movement of community-driven tech innovation 🔹 What this means for digital privacy, content creation, and cultural preservation   Whether you’re a creator, a consumer, or just someone tired of the same old algorithmic nonsense, this episode is for you. 🎧 Hit play, and let’s go down the rabbit hole. 🔹 Show Credits 📝 Produced by: Kawika Hoke for Laulima Public Broadcasting, Kihei, HI 🎵 Featuring music by: * Liam Back – CastleGuard, Stranger Synths III * Seb – Essentials 📢 Follow us for updates and behind-the-scenes content! 🌐 Website: www.LPBCMaui.org  📩 Contact: info.lpbc.maui@gmail.com © Rabbit Holes Podcast, 2025. All rights reserved.