Joe Rogan Baffled by Turnstile, Claims US Rap Fell Off Due to Foreign Aid Cuts

Joe Rogan has officially stumbled into the modern punk scene, though he seems completely bewildered by what he found. On a recent installment of *The Joe Rogan Experience*, the podcast powerhouse received an unexpected crash course in contemporary alternative rock. The lengthy studio chat took an unexpected turn into heavy music when his guests introduced him to critically acclaimed Maryland hardcore group Turnstile. The musical detour unfolded during one of Rogan's recurring "Protect Our Parks" roundtables alongside fellow comedians Shane Gillis, Mark Normand, and Ari Shaffir. The conversation initially drifted toward live music after Gillis noticed Shaffir wearing merchandise for British indie band The Last Dinner Party. Shaffir attempted to steer the panel toward Turnstile, leading Gillis to admit he was already a fan of the band's older catalog, specifically citing "Generator" from their breakout 2018 release *Time & Space*.

Watch

Clips tied to this story.

▶Watch on YouTube

The mention left Rogan utterly lost. The host openly questioned who Turnstile was and demanded an explanation from his couch of comedy pals. When Normand described them as a young hardcore outfit, Rogan cracked a goofy vulgar joke, asking if their sound fell under the banner of "cumcore." Seeking a visual demonstration, the studio crew threw on the music video for "Seein' Stars / Birds," a release featured on the band's *Never Enough* project cycle. Rogan stared at the screen in disbelief, questioning the imagery and admitting he had no clue what he was observing. Even with the host's head-scratching reaction, the visiting panel erupted in celebration over the sight of real instruments being played by a fresh generation. The group declared that young artists joining bands was a sign that the world was finally healing and guitar-driven rock was officially back in business.

BUZZBEAT

“ Seeking a visual demonstration, the studio crew threw on the music video for ”

US rap music charts The musical banter did not stop at punk rock. The discussion eventually veered into hip-hop, where Rogan dropped an unusual theory about the current state of mainstream rap. According to the host, American rap acts have started falling off global streaming and sales charts specifically because foreign aid budgets have been defunded overseas. While the podcast crew seemed thrilled to see young musicians picking up guitars again, Rogan's odd pivot from hardcore headbangers to foreign aid policy proved once again that no conversation on his show stays on a single track for very long.