Charlemagne Tha God, 1/3 of the hosts of The Breakfast Club, is launching the Black Effect Podcast Network in partnership with iHeartRadio to bring more recognition to Black culture. With its mission “to amplify, elevate and empower emerging and established talent”, the podcast network aims to encourage discourse on important topics in the Black community and beyond.
“Our goal is to shift the narrative from Black creators signing transactional deals to instead forming legacy partnerships that build generational wealth while allowing each creative to have an equitable stake in their future,” Charlemagne said.
The network is scheduled to premiere this fall with 18 podcasts on iHeartRadio
featuring influential figures in the Black
community including social justice activist Tamika Mallory, actress-comedian Jess Hilarious, and attorney and TV host Eboni K. Williams and is projected to become the largest podcast publisher committed to Black audiences and voices in Black culture.
This news is exciting for two main reasons:
1. I enjoy Charlemagne as a host on The Breakfast Club, but I have always hoped that he would move on to bigger and better opportunities. Although he is a great host on the show, his value and potential exceed far beyond The Breakfast Club and his skills should be put to use elsewhere. Launching the Black Effect Podcast Network, especially as a passion project, is a great segue into more advanced opportunities for Charlemagne to spread his wings and do more with his unique talents.
2. Podcasting is becoming more and more popular and it’s so important to increase the representation of Black voices in the podcast space. The Black Effect Podcast Network will help elevate more Black voices, shed light on underrepresented communities, and share more authentic stories about the Black community. Additionally, increasing the representation of Black voices in the podcast space helps dismantle negative stereotypes in the media and allows podcast audiences to learn about stories and experiences different from their own, and gain a new perspective on various cultures and backgrounds. In addition, I appreciate that the mission is focused on established and emerging Black talent meaning the network isn’t just elevating the voices of Black influential figures, but also those who work hard and aspire to be influential figures in the Black community.
Considering the network is projected to become the largest podcast publisher committed to Black audiences and voices in Black culture, I am eager to witness the growth of the network and learn about new Black podcasters and what they care about.
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