N.A.S.A.

N.A.S.A. stands for North America/South America. It's the duo of Los Angeles producer Sam Spiegel (then working as Squeak E. Clean, billed since 2020 as Sam i) and Brazilian DJ Ze Gonzales (DJ Zegon). Zegon came up as the DJ for Planet Hemp, one of the biggest hip-hop acts in 1990s Brazil, and in 2012 co-founded Tropkillaz. Their one album, The Spirit of Apollo (Anti-, 2009), took five years to put together. It's rooted in Brazilian funk, with an astonishing guest list: Kanye West, David Byrne, Tom Waits, M.I.A., George Clinton, Karen O, Method Man and more. The stated mission was showing that music can bring people together across borders and genres. 'Way Down' pairs Wu-Tang's RZA with Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante and singer Barbie Hatch. Spiegel, Spike Jonze's brother, went on to score commercials, and his music for the Kenzo World ad won gold at Cannes Lions. Rolling Stone's 2008 Hot List dubbed him 'King Sam'.

From the notes for Episode 04 · fact-checked Oct 4, 2026.