Photo: Matteo Vincenzo (right)

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Herbal Tea & White Sofas: Akon And Teemanay's Favorite Tour Meal Is So Iconic That It Has Its Own Festival
Over plates of Nigerian jollof rice, global superstar Akon and Afrobeats mainstay Teemanay explain the finer points of this staple West African dish — which is also their staple meal on the road.
When it comes to music, R&B giant Akon and rising Afrobeats star Teemanay (aka Young Icon) have a lot in common. Not only are they both from West Africa — Akon's family roots are in Senegal, while Teemanay hails from Nigeria – but the two teamed up on the four-song EP Konvict Kulture Presents Teemanay, which came out on Akon's label earlier this year.
The two acts have similar tastes when it comes to food, too — though they might disagree on the finer points. Jollof rice, a staple throughout West Africa, is a dish that both artists grew up loving, even though they hail from different countries within the region.
"For a meal, if they have jollof rice for me, I will give them an extra 15 minutes of free performance," Teemanay jokes in the newest episode of Herbal Tea & White Sofas.
"So the rice is actually smoked, almost like when you cook barbeque," Akon details, explaining what it is that makes this particular dish so special. "When you look at jollof, it ranks in the top five of those things you just can't forget. It's a part of the meal, every meal."
The dish is so essential that Akon hosts an annual Jollof, Music & Food Festival in Atlanta, which features a lineup of music and food trucks. But the pinnacle of the event is the jollof cook-off, in which recipes from different countries compete to see which region creates the best version of the dish.
"This year, Senegal won. But we kinda expect that, because Senegal is really the creators of jollof rice," Akon proudly explains, as Teemanay shakes his head in disagreement.
"I'm in a very aggressive, fighting mood right now," Teemanay shoots back with a smirk. "Nigerian jollof is the best jollof in the world."
Whichever regional version they prefer, Akon and Teemanay can agree on one thing: There's no better post-show meal or tour bus snack out there than jollof rice.
Press play on the video above to watch the two stars duke it out over their favorite jollof, and keep checking back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Herbal Tea & White Sofas.

Photo: Jimmy Fontaine
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Herbal Tea & White Sofas: How Gnash Promotes Joy & Stays Healthy On Tour
Pop singer/songwriter gnash details the five things he always needs with him on the road — as well as the one thing he wishes he could always have before every show.
When gnash is on tour, it's important for him to have items that will keep him in tip-top shape — and it's not much different than his daily routine on or off the road.
"My current tour rider is what I do on a daily basis here at home," he reveals in this episode of Herbal Tea & White Sofas.
While four of the five items he mentions are food or beverages, gnash has one tour essential that helps him create and capture fond memories: a disposable camera. As he explains, not only are they simple, but they're more efficient — a win-win while traveling the world.
In gnash's eyes, shows are as much about sparking joy as they are about the music. That's why he wishes that he could also consume "a little bottle of pure love" before each show.
"When you're going out on stage — in person, in front of people — that's a really, really raw form of expression and joy," he adds. "There's a big obsession in the music world with things going viral, but music isn't a virus — it's meant to heal."
Press play on the video above to hear more about gnash's passion for music and tour diet, and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Herbal Tea & White Sofas.
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Photo: Shervin Lainez
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Herbal Tea & White Sofas: Sofi Tukker Reveal How Their Keys To Staying Healthy On Tour
The two members of EDM duo Sofi Tukker strive to stay in shape on tour — it's how they fuel their high-energy performances.
After traveling the world together over the past decade, there's one thing EDM duo Sofi Tukker quickly agrees on: staying healthy is the top priority. That's why their tour rider primarily consists of fruits, vegetables and vegan snacks.
"Our rider is filled with things like kale, avocado and olive," Sophie Hawley-Weld explains in this episode of Herbal Tea & White Sofas. "We both have pretty restrictive diets. We're trying to be as healthy as we possibly can be because we want to give out the best energy every night, and traveling for a living is not easy."
Her bandmate Tucker Halpern emphasizes that they always request a trash bag full of ice — a surprisingly disputed item. "The most controversial thing, especially in Europe, is ice," Halpern says. "People will fight you about it!"
Hawley-Weld often opts for a cryo tank, a sensory deprivation tank filled with salt. "I find that to be one of the most recharging things I can do. I think it's polar opposite to what we do on stage."
The duo is also slated to appear at more than 10 music festivals this summer, including the Governors Ball, Bonnaroo, Electric Forest, Lollapalooza, and Osheaga. Sofi Tukker most recently returned to Coachella, where they live-debuted their latest single "Jacaré," a cheeky Portuguese-language single inspired by Hawley-Weld's longtime appreciation for Brazilian culture.
Press play on the video above to learn how Sofi Tukker stays in shape while on tour, and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Herbal Tea & White Sofas.

Photo: Matt Misisco
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Herbal Tea & White Sofas: Jay Pharoah Maintains A Healthy Lifestyle On Tour With These Essential Foods
Comedian, actor and rapper Jay Pharoah shares the proteins, juices and veggies that are always on his tour rider — and as for the rest, he breaks out his signature impression of Barack Obama.
While traveling the world as a comedian, actor, and rapper, Jay Pharoah's top priority is maintaining a healthy lifestyle — mainly with a diet of baked chicken, broccoli, gin, grapefruit juice, and beet juice.
"I'm all about health, man. I was an overweight kid, so I'm pretty much scarred," Pharoah explains in this episode of Herbal Tea & White Sofas.
One thing Pharoah emphasizes will never be a part of his tour rider are anchovies due to his severe allergies. "If I have them, I will puff up like Will Smith in Hitch. Or, I would look like a blowfish… after you aggravate the blowfish," he jokes.
He also enjoys an assortment of wasabi almonds and shelled pistachios. "When you eat spicy things, they really do make your metabolism quicker — along with exercise. Don't think you're just going to sit around and watch 'Euphoria,' and then you'll lose weight!" Pharoah laughs.
Pharoah closes this episode with an impression of former president Barack Obama discussing his hypothetical tour rider, which includes cigarillos, his wife's memoir and his daughters' whereabouts.
Press play on the video above to watch Jay Pharoah's hilarious explanation of his tour rider, and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Herbal Tea & White Sofas.
Herbal Tea & White Sofas: Fortune Feimster's Tour Rider Includes This Southern Snack Staple

Photo: Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images
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Herbal Tea & White Sofas: Justin Quiles Reveals The Touring Essentials That Remind Him Of Home
While traveling the world, reggaeton singer Justin Quiles always brings tequila, coconuts and plantains to remind him of his home country, Puerto Rico.
Hailing from Puerto Rico, reggaeton singer Justin Quiles aims to bring pieces of Latin America with him on tour. At the top of his list are tequila and fruit.
"Actually, I love coconuts. They call me the Coconut Man," Quiles beamed in this episode of Herbal Tea & White Sofas. "[Puerto Rico] is an island, so it's one of the main things we have there. If you want coconut water, you don't even have to buy a coconut. You just go to a palm tree and grab it. Everybody knows how to climb them."
Quiles enjoys coconuts so much that he made them the subject of one his recent singles, "Whiskey y Coco." "[Whiskey and coconut] is something we drink a lot in Puerto Rico," Quiles explained before giving a shout-out to his home country.
Outside of coconuts and alcohol, Quiles also has an appreciation for sweet and fried plantains. "These are important because they're a part of our culture. They go with every meal that we have," Quiles said.
Press play on the video above to learn more about the essential food items that Justin Quiles includes on his tour rider, and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Herbal Tea & White Sofas.
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