Quick to deny his status as a cultural ambassador, he does affirm, “it’s pretty cool” to engage with young people learning about music through his work. Diplo seems humbled when his pioneering sensibility inspires listeners to transform into aspiring DJs. While he has never been a fan of rules in the creative realm, if he were to have a mission, it would be to go beyond the expectations of race, class, and genre. “When we get to the weird shit,” he explains, “that’s when the magic happens.”

Favela on Blast is the directorial debut of Diplo and collaborator Leandro HBL. The DVD and digital release is set for July 20 from Mad Decent.