Some Relationships Aren’t Built on Love—They’re Built on Survival with Rasheed Newson

About this episode

What if freedom isn’t about chasing the biggest dream, but staying curious enough to recognize the opportunities you never imagined?

On this episode of Shaping Freedom, Lisane Basquiat sits down with acclaimed television writer, producer, showrunner, and bestselling novelist Rasheed Newson. From co-developing Bel-Air to writing his latest novel, There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood, Rasheed has built a career by following curiosity rather than a master plan.

Rasheed opens up about the hidden bargains behind success, the difference between ambition and curiosity, and why the life you think you want may not actually be the one that makes you happy. He also takes us inside his vision of “Hollywood noir,” using historical fiction to restore Black queer lives that have too often been erased from the historical record.

The conversation also explores love and relationships beyond the fairy-tale ideal, how celebrity has shifted from mystery to accessibility, and why Rasheed believes today’s aspiring writers may need to rethink the traditional Hollywood dream altogether. For him, real success may be less about awards, fame, or a perfectly mapped-out future—and more about creating work that interests you while building a life you actually want to live.

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