iHeartMedia And Charlamagne Tha God Celebrate Five Years Of The Black Effect Podcast Network

Charlamagne Tha God doesn’t shy away from having uncomfortable conversations. But, as a renowned radio personality, television personality, author, and businessman, it’s that very trait that has positioned him as a frontrunner in creating platforms for others. When Charlamagne Tha God partnered with iHeartMedia five years ago, he was clear on his mission: to become one of the world’s largest publishers of podcasts, committed to uplifting unique Black voices. In just a short amount of time, The Black Effect Podcast Network has grown to include more than 60 shows that serve diverse audiences within Black communities. There are shows like “The Breakfast Club”, “All the Smoke”, “Drink Champs”, and the “85South Show” that appeal to urban audiences, but there are also shows such as “Devi Brown’s Deeply Well”, Nina Turner’s “Hello Somebody”, “Pretty Private With Ebone”, and Zuri Hall’s “Hot Happy Mess” that lend themselves to more graceful conversations that have a more universal appeal. There are podcasts by learned scholars and businessmen, like “Money and Wealth With John Hope Bryant” and “That Moment With Draymond John”.
Charlamagne is known for embracing differences of opinion, and his commitment to showcasing voices that have different spectrums of thought is a testament to the effectiveness of The Black Effect Podcast Network. At the recent 5th Anniversary Black Effect Podcast Network Celebration held in New York City at the Headquarters for iHeartMedia, Charlamagne shared the sentiment, “Our mission has always been to build a dedicated platform where Black voices can thrive. We have accomplished that mission and more. The past five years have been extraordinary, and the future of the Black Effect excites us. We will keep inspiring, empowering, and creating culture and opportunities for all.” Collectively, the Black Effect Podcast Network garners more than 11 million monthly downloads and has recently expanded to include the genres of parenting, literature, and true crime with the podcasts “Good Moms, Bad Choices,” “Hunting 4 Answers,” and two Black Effect original series, “BLK LIT” and “Family Therapy.” The Black Effect Network includes podcasts that have consistently topped podcast charts, and recognition from the NAACP Image Awards, iHeart Podcast Awards, NAACP Image Awards, and Signal awards, as a result of the impact these podcasts have made.
For Charlamagne, the Black Effect Podcast Network is not just a network; it’s a community. And, the anniversary celebration truly felt like a gathering. It included an exclusive live event experience in an intimate setting and showcased several of the podcast hosts who are a part of the Black Effect Podcast Network. The event’s moderator was Loren Laroso, host of the podcast “The Latest With Loren Laroso”, and featured other podcast hosts. All of whom spoke briefly about their podcasting journeys thus far, as well as some of the benefits of being a part of the network.
Just Heal With Dr. Jay
Dr. Jay Barnett, a mental health expert and host of the “Just Heal With Dr. Jay” podcast, shared, “Programming like the Black Effect is imperative, because recently Charlamagne began to speak about his own mental health journey. And what this platform has helped me to do is not only expand the conversation, but also to help people expand how we see mental health as Black people, especially Black men. Recently, Kirk Franklin, Rico Love have been having these conversations, and it has been critical for people to come and hear and even see healing take place.” Barnett further shared about the growth of his platform and how the visibility has helped him and others. Charlamagne supported Dr. Jay’s tour early on, and as a result, they’ve been able to reach more than 18,000 men. “I was a former NFL player 20 years ago, and also someone who has survived suicide two times. And, when I started talking about suicide, Black men were not having these conversations.” And, after writing his book, Just Heal, Bro, the mental health conversations just took off.
Green Tech Green Money With Will Lucas
Will Lucas shared, “I come to every episode with the perspective of a listener. The best way to learn is to teach, and I’m not coming as the teacher. I’m coming from the perspective of a student, saying, ‘How can I glean something from these interviews?’ Sometimes we come to these interviews arrogantly trying to show how much we know. But, if I come to an interview trying to put myself in the seat of the audience, the audience will get something out of that. My life purpose is to help people realize their entrepreneurial success beyond their wildest dreams. So, everything I do is designed to help others, because so many of us put limits on ourselves unintentionally, whether it’s because of the environment that we grew up in, or not seeing someone else do certain things…and I want to showcase what we can really do. Before there was Afrotech and Green Tech Green Money, many platforms were not showcasing black technologists, and those who were really getting money. Charlamagne and I were at BlackWeek earlier, and we were discussing how [now] there are inserts of my voice in other people’s podcasts on the radio around the country [talking about Blacks in tech]. And it’s important, because my goal is to reach “The least of these.” Will Lucas, through his podcast, is ensuring that there’s more representation showcasing Blacks in tech.
Reality With The King
Carlos King is known for keeping it real and having candid conversations. So, it’s not surprising that his podcast is a success. “The biggest thing that has come from my podcast is that it has provided [space] for reality stars to feel seen and heard, and that’s the reason why 100% of my guests always send me a “Thank you!”. Because on reality television, they only have 42 minutes of shared screen time to tell their story. So, my platform allows them to be welcomed by someone who does not write down any questions…I listen and allow my guests to feel the energy.” King further shared,” A flight attendant shared with me, thank you for what you’re doing for the culture…I recently interviewed with Matthew Knowles, and many people do not realize that this man left his corporate job because his daughter had a dream…And, that conversation is allowing Black culture to see [the human side] of this man and his sacrifices.” King also shared that having his own podcast gives him autonomy, and expressed that there’s freedom in that. He further shared, “My podcast is honest, and I’m not here to please people who feel as if I should just shut up and dribble.”
Reasonably Shady
Robyn Dixon of “Reasonably Shady” shared, “Being a part of the Black Effect Podcast Network gives us legitimacy in the real world [outside of the context of reality television].” And, Gizelle Bryant shared that she actually leverages the exposure that they get on he reality show to mention their podcast. “Whenever having a conversation on the show, I’ll drop in there, ‘reasonably shady’ as much as possible,” exemplifying the mindset of a savvy businesswoman, she’s aware that these things are interchangeable. Bryant further shared that before their podcast, she’d never listened to a podcast before. But she decided to jump in, and now, they’ve recently completed their 200th episode. “Over the summer, we hit 10 million downloads. So, obviously, we’re doing something right! Thank God! Dixon chimed in, “I do want to add that we are one of the few housewives who have started a podcast, and have not stopped, in a short period of time. And, I think Black Effect for that.”
Dollie S. Bishop, President of The Black Effect Podcast Network, offered the sentiment, “The Black Effect Podcast Network is a testament to what happens when talent meets opportunity,” added Dollie S. Bishop, President of The Black Effect Podcast Network. “As we celebrate this major milestone, we remain committed to uplifting the power of Black Media representation, shaping the future for Black creators, amplifying unique voices, and leading boldly into the next era of culture and creativity.”