DJ Drama: The legendary 'Gangsta Grillz' creator has his very own Audible podcast

You know the game is changing and the culture is thriving when the legendary DJ Drama has his very own Gangsta Grillz podcast streaming for the world to embrace. The hip-hop producer has massive bragging rights with the launch of his very own Audible show.

DJ Drama’s ‘Gangsta Grillz' Audible podcast is officially here

Whether you’re there for the culture or just want to geek out with everyone from Tyler, the Creator and Fabolous to 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne pulling through on episodes, it’s clear Drama’s podcast flex is here for the long run.

Grammy-winning hip-hop producer, record executive, and tastemaker DJ Drama’s captivating Audible Original, DJ Drama’s Gangsta Grillz Podcast, premieres today, July 20, on Audible. Presented by Kenya Barris' Khalabo Ink Society, each episode of the podcast features DJ Drama and a legendary guest artist, including luminaries such as Lil Wayne, Tyler, The Creator, Wiz Khalifa, 2 Chainz, Pharrell, T.I., Jeezy and Fabolous. DJ Drama’s Gangsta Grillz Podcast is part of Audible’s slate of original programming honoring Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary.

Audible · DJ Drama's Gangsta Grillz Podcast Audio Trailer

Before rap music made its way onto the radio, mixtapes reigned as the primary means of distributing the genre. It was in 1996 that a young and talented DJ Drama made his debut in the mixtape scene with "Iladelph," a remarkable release that showcased Black Thought of the legendary Roots. Fast forward 25 years, and DJ Drama has transformed into a Grammy-winning hip hop producer, record executive, and tastemaker, earning himself the well-deserved moniker of "King of the Mixtape." Throughout his illustrious career, he has released a series of groundbreaking mixtapes that have not only disrupted the music industry but have also featured some of the greatest hip hop artists of all time.

Enter the world of DJ Drama's Gangsta Grillz Podcast, a captivating Audible Original presented by Kenya Barris' Khalabo Ink Society. Each episode of this highly anticipated podcast features DJ Drama and a legendary guest artist, including luminaries such as Lil Wayne, Tyler, The Creator, Wiz Khalifa, 2 Chainz, Pharrell, T.I., Jeezy, and Fabolous. Together, they delve into the intricacies of Drama's revered mixtape series, exploring its inception, production process, and enduring impact on the music landscape. Whether you're an avid fan of hip hop or a lover of modern music, DJ Drama's Gangsta Grillz Podcastis an absolute must-listen, offering invaluable insights and enthralling conversations with the trailblazers of the genre.

Listeners can also visit https://www.audible.com/50AndForever for more information on Audible’s slate of programming celebrating Hip Hop’s 50th anniversary.

Audible's new original scripted 'Motivated!' podcast debuts today

In a world where our eyes are always glued to a screen, it’s nice to have alternatives. Just like there’s an alternate choice for all things dairy, getting the chance to take your eyes away from TikTok videos and next generation gaming goals is a sweet treat when it comes to Audible and its new original scripted ‘Motivated!’ podcast.

The new Audible ‘Motivated!’ podcast has arrived

An exclusive for Audible subscribers, the series features high-profile entertainers including Nia Vardalos, Rob Riggle, Janelle James and more.

Motivated!, a scripted comedy podcast featuring performances by an all-star cast including Nia Vardalos, Rob Riggle, Janelle James and more, debuts today, Thursday, September 22 exclusively on Audible.

Candace “The Warrior” Wonder (Nia Vardalos) is a talk radio veteran whose mutual loathing is shared by her archenemy, a newbie radio talk show host, Misty “The Hunter'’ Carlisle (Janelle James). The two coworkers couldn’t be more different, but their similar motivational talk shows have them both convinced they were the first to come up with the idea. When a big-time national radio station expresses interest in buying only one of their shows, they’ll do anything to best each other in the ratings, even if it means sabotaging their own lives.

Need a little more excitement? How about a little taste of what this is all about? We gotcha.

Kevin Hart and Charlamagne Tha God are powering up Audible with new projects

It’s hard to deal with the fact everything comes with a premium price these days. Whether you want to check out Netflix and Hulu or stream your favorite tunes on Apple Music and TIDAL, there’s typically a pretty penny — at least — involved. However, Audible keeps making the argument for its content being worth your hard-earned money especially when Hollywood heavyweights Kevin Hart and Charlamagne Tha God are involved.

Kevin Hart and Charlamagne Tha God’s powering up Audible

According to a new Audible report, the leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, today announced a slate of new Originals produced under the previously announced global multi-year, multi-project development, production, and audio licensing deal with Hart and best-selling author Lenard “CThaGod” Mckelvey.

 Under their newly created audio production banner SBH Productions, the two superstar talents will bring five new projects to Audible listeners in 2022, all of which supports the overall vision of the development deal to give rise to Black creatives and create content that speaks to the culture. Award winning audio producer Nicole Shelton has been named Head of Production for SBH. The inaugural project from the duo, Finding Tamika, is slated for release March 3, 2022. The Audible Original deconstructs the troubling phenomenon that is the media’s lack of significant coverage of cases of missing or murdered Black women. Finding Tamika tells Tamika’s story through the voices of her family, other principal figures, and even Tamika beyond the grave in this true crime, neo-noir production hosted, produced and co-written by activist and actor Erika Alexander.

Summer of ‘85 is coming

One of the biggest projects coming from Audible includes ‘Summer of ‘85’ - which is more than just the arrival of myself into the world - June ‘85 - but a true story-inspired program. There’s also the pair starring in ‘Short, Black and Handsome’ together.

Additional projects include Summer of ’85, an incredible true story of the juxtaposition of two actual events – the Live Aid benefit for Africa which received global attention and the MOVE bombing of a controversial group of African-American citizens attempting to create African-style communal living in the middle of an urban landscape – both taking place in Philadelphia in the summer of 1985 but each event viewed differently by the city and around the world; Short, Black, and Handsome, a scripted Odd Couple style comedy written by Abdul Williams (The Bobby Brown Story, The New Edition Story) and starring Kevin Hart and Charlamagne Tha God about two fathers/husbands who become business partners and find out they have more in common than the title suggests;Un-lesh for Love, a scripted comedy series starring Alesha Renee about an actress looking for love in her 30’s; and Brokedown Prophets, a scripted thriller created and written by acclaimed New York Times Bestselling author,SA Cosby (Blacktop Wasteland, Razorblade Tears). Additional information on these projects to follow.

A lot more to come

It’s way deeper than new projects. A selection of ongoing audio recommendations personally curated by Hart and God are set to launch with this massive rollout. The head of Audible Studios, Hart and Charlamagne have dished on this massive power move.

“We are excited to introduce our listeners to the dynamic inaugural slate of content from our collaboration with Kevin Hart and Charlamagne Tha God’s SBH Productions,” said Zola Mashariki, Head of Audible Studios. “Audible is dedicated to telling powerful stories and showcasing established and underrepresented voices in audio, and SBH’s first collection of projects will offer Audible listeners rich, multifaceted narratives.”

“SBH has the opportunity to be a driving force and new creative outlet for our culture,” said Kevin Hart. “This vertical allows us to bring the voices of our community mases and to share our rich stories that run deep in our souls. I am excited to partner with Charlamagne, Nicole and the whole SBH team to bring these rich stories to the Audible original space.”

 “SBH and Audible are at the forefront of the audio renaissance, often times TV and film companies don’t SEE the vision for these great stories by black creatives so they are hard to get made, said Charlamagne Tha God. “What Nicole, Kevin and myself along with the rest of team SBH have built is a space for these companies and the whole world to HEAR our vision. We thank GOD for it all!”

In case you need to scoop up more info on God, Hart and their upcoming productions, keep scrolling.

ABOUT CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD

Multimedia mogul, Radio Hall of Fame inductee, bestselling author, and cultural architect Charlamagne Tha God, born Lenard McKelvey, is one of the most influential thought leaders in modern culture. He is the outspoken, well-informed, opinionated, and charismatic co-host and driving force of the hottest radio show in the U.S., The Breakfast Club, heard by over 4.5 million listeners weekly. The show boasts ten years on air as the most successful hip hop show in radio history. Charlamagne’s poignant and uninhibited interviews drive the show’s popular daily conversation on topics spanning from hip-hop and race to social, political, and economic issues. He also co-hosts the popular podcast Brilliant Idiots. The unparalleled magnitude of his extensive media empire continues to expand with several landmark partnerships, including a Black Privilege Publishing, a partnership that aligns with his mission to bring potent, culturally-relevant content to the publishing industry from emerging and renowned Black voices around the world. Charlamagne also holds a global multi-year, multi-project development, production, and audio licensing deal with renowned comedian, actor, and writer Kevin Hart and Audible Inc., the leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling. Charlamagne is also the author of The New York Times bestseller Black Privilege: Opportunity Comes to Those Who Create It and the globally embraced Shook One: Anxiety Playing Tricks on Me, which launched him to become one of the world’s leading voices in the mental health discussion. With a deeply personal vision to help address the unmet and underserved emotional needs of Black people worldwide, Charlamagne founded the Mental Wealth Alliance (MWA), his forward-thinking foundation created to destigmatize, accelerate, and center state-of-the-art mental health outreach and care across the U.S. while building an unprecedented long-term system of generational support for Black communities.

ABOUT KEVIN HART

Emmy & Grammy nominated Kevin Hart has become Hollywood’s box office powerhouse, opening ten films at number one at the box office with $4.23 billion revenue at the global box office.  Hart is the Founder of HartBeat Productions, the Laugh Out Loud Network and HartBeat Ventures.  Each of these companies plays an integral part in his eco-system that serves as an incubator for extraordinary growth and creativity.  Hart continues to develop, star, and produce feature films and television via HartBeat and Laugh Out Loud.  Hart can currently be seen starring in the HartBeat produced dramatic limited series True Story for Netflix which has been watched by over 60 million users worldwide.  In 2021 Hart starred and produced via HartBeat the feature film Fatherhood.   The movie has been watched by more than 91 million accounts globally making it one of the most successful original dramatic movies on Netflix.  On the small screen, Hart starred in and produced Motor Trend’s “Kevin Hart’s Muscle Car Crew”, and “Celebrity Game Face” for E!  Additionally, Hart can be seen on two original programs on Peacock: his first ever talk show “Hart to Heart” and the ‘Olympic Highlight” show which he stars opposite Snoop Dog.  Both shows have received critical acclaim and praise for both Hart and LOL.  

In 2020 Hart released his seventh hour long stand-up special, “Zero Fu**ks Given,” which quickly became Netflix's biggest stand-up special of 2020 and earned him a Grammy nomination for “Best Comedy Album”.  Hart also starred in and produced “Die Hart,” which he was nominated for an Emmy award for “Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series.” Hart also earned an Emmy nomination for his Docu-series, “Don’t F**k This Up,” 

Kevin is a New York Times Best Selling author twice over.  His new book, Markus Makes a Movie debuted at number six on the coveted list and remained on the list for three weeks.  Hart’s memoir, I Can’t Make This Up, debuted at number one on The New York Times Best Sellers List and remained on the Top 10 Nonfiction Hardcover Bestsellers List for ten weeks straight. Hart’s first Audible original, “The Decision,” was nominated for an Audie award for “Best Original Audiobook in 2021.”   

Kevin’s brand partnerships include Fabletics Men, Chase J.P Morgan, Hydrow, NutraBolt, Brüush, Tommy John and Therabody. 

About Short Black and Handsome Productions

Short Black Handsome Productions (SBH Productions) is the audio production company created by multimedia mogul and bestselling author, Charlamagne tha God and with renowned comedian, actor, and writer, Kevin Hart, for a global multi-year, multi-project development, production, and audio licensing deal. The joint venture will see both Hart and Charlamagne producing all of the content under the banners of their respective entertainment companies: Hartbeat Productions and CTHAGOD World Productions, as well as sourcing, cultivating, and developing talent. Featuring original episodic long-form audio series, the content from both emerging and established talent, will span across all aspects of culture, from self-help and comedy to politics, fiction, sports, religion, and more. SBH Productions was created with the sole purpose of discovering, amplifying and supporting Black creatives, Black voices and the powerful narratives born from their unique perspectives that will entertain, inform, empower and inspire.

ABOUT AUDIBLE, INC.

Audible, Inc., an Amazon.com, Inc. subsidiary (NASDAQ:AMZN), is the leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, offering customers a new way to enhance and enrich their lives every day. Audible content includes more than 700,000 audio programs from leading audiobook publishers, broadcasters, entertainers, magazine and newspaper publishers, and business information providers.

The rap game legend Chuck D's 3 planet-shaking songs

If there’s anyone who always needs respect placed on his name it’s of course the legendary Chuck D. Everyone’s favorite Public Enemy leader has come through with streaming giant Audible for its Words + Music franchise. Chuck’s Songs That Shook the Planet is a groundbreaking new addition to the platform written, produced and even performed by D.

Chuck D’s Top 3 game-changing tunes launch

The Audible Original was co-created, produced and written with industry grinder Lorrie Boula, with additional writing from Arthur Turnbull and Gia'na M. Garel. Songs That Shook the Planet is executive produced in association with Grammy Award-winning producer T Bone Burnett.

“Songs That Shook The Planet” reintroduces listeners to indelible songs from artists who literally put their lives on the line to speak truth to power and provides a soundtrack of civil uprising that is perhaps even more powerful and relevant today.

The Audible Original  takes listeners on an extraordinary journey through politically and socially conscious music. Part history lesson and part memoir, Songs That Shook the Planet spans genres and decades to call out the brave artists who continue to inspire necessary change in the world.

You’ll hear the stories behind legendary tracks as well as the songs themselves, performed by Billie Holiday, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Too Short, and more. Listening is both empowering and haunting; too often the artists paid a shocking price for their ability to articulate injustice so forcefully. Chuck D makes the experience even more revelatory by adding his own reminiscences about how the songs—many heard on the record player at home that his mother kept spinning with a stunning range of music—influenced his early life and his own career as an agent of change. 

And the Top 3 are….

Chuck’s top three are some certified classics. From Curtis Mayfield and Billie Holiday’s unforgettable tunes to the life-changing Marvin Gaye, D has some indisputable selected tunes.

Audible · Songs That Shook The Planet - Chuck D on Curtis Mayfield's 'People Get Ready'

Audible · Songs that Shook the Planet - Chuck D on Billie Holiday's 'Strange Fruit'

Audible · Songs That Shook The Planet - Chuck D on Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On?'

Words + Music is a pretty big deal

While it’s all about Chuck D, Audible’s Words + Music is a pretty serious feature. The section puts a major focus on some of the most iconic entertainers of the past century.

Audible’s Words + Music series provides a unique outlet for musical icons to defy traditional formats and go beyond simple artist biography, resulting in a profoundly intimate performance through-line that is truly unique to the Audible experience. Songs That Shook the Planet is in good company with Audible’s expansive Words + Music catalogue, including previously released originals from Tom Morello, Smokey Robinson, Tariq Trotter, Rhiannon Giddens, Elvis Costello, Gary Clark Jr., James Taylor, Common, T Bone Burnett,  Laura Jane Grace, Yo-Yo Ma, Eddie Vedder, and more (full catalogue can be found HERE).