DJ Akademiks and Charlamagne Tha God have spent years orbiting each other as two of the most influential voices in hip-hop media. Now that relationship appears to be broken. After a private conversation between the two became public, Akademiks launched a sustained public campaign against Charlamagne across multiple streams, posts, and platforms.

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He spent two months telling everyone beef was killing the culture. Then he took four minutes to answer all of it.

Two months ago JAY-Z told GQ that rap beef was taking the culture backwards. On May 30 at Roots Picnic, he stood on stage and answered everybody in four minutes. Drake. Dame Dash. Jaguar Wright. Kanye. Nicki. He even pulled up the Un Rivera stabbing on himself. This one breaks down who got addressed, what he actually said, and why Hov decided this was the moment.

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Originally released: July 7, 2025

This is the closing chapter of The Need to Know Podcast.
Everything below this is the NTK archive — a curated back catalogue from that era.

SaVon and Alex sit down with Mero for a candid, wide-ranging conversation on media, ownership, and building in today's creator landscape. From BX stories to real industry insight, this one blends humor with perspective throughout.

Originally released: January 2025

This is the closing chapter of The Need to Know Podcast.
Everything below this is the NTK archive — a curated back catalogue from that era.

A candid conversation with Elliott Wilson on hip-hop media, independence, and navigating relationships in the industry. From critiques of new media to the evolving landscape of the culture, Elliott shares perspective on legacy, partnerships, and what the future holds for the next era of hip-hop.

Originally released: October 13, 2025

This is the closing chapter of The Need to Know Podcast.
Everything below this is the NTK archive — a curated back catalogue from that era.

A wide-ranging conversation with Ish and Yassy on relationships, media narratives, and the realities behind public perception. From transactional culture to industry power dynamics, the discussion also touches on business, recovery, and navigating life both on and off the mic.

Originally released: March 6, 2025

This is the closing chapter of The Need to Know Podcast.
Everything below this is the NTK archive — a curated back catalogue from that era.

A wide-ranging conversation with Ian Dunlap on wealth, investing, and navigating the realities of building and maintaining financial leverage. From market outlooks to public perception, the discussion also touches on legacy, risk, and what it takes to sustain success over time.

Originally released: May 16, 2024

This is the closing chapter of The Need to Know Podcast.
Everything below this is the NTK archive — a curated back catalogue from that era.

A candid conversation with Mandii B on podcasting, public perception, and navigating transitions in media. From creative pressure to industry relationships, Mandii shares insight on building across platforms, handling controversy, and evolving as both a creator and entrepreneur.

Originally released: October 6, 2025

This is the closing chapter of The Need to Know Podcast.
Everything below this is the NTK archive — a curated back catalogue from that era.

A deep conversation with Mecc Rashawn on artistry, legacy, and the role of mentorship in hip-hop. From his work behind the scenes to shaping influential platforms and moments in the culture, Mecc shares insight on integrity, media, and what it takes to sustain impact over time.

This is the closing chapter of The Need to Know Podcast.
Everything below this is the NTK archive — a curated back catalogue from that era.

A wide-ranging conversation with Rainey on creativity, identity, and building across multiple lanes in media. From music and sketch comedy to storytelling and collaboration, Rainey shares perspective on his process, influences, and navigating growth as a creator.

This is the closing chapter of The Need to Know Podcast.
Everything below this is the NTK archive — a curated back catalogue from that era.

DJ Hed is in the headlines after editing the West Coast disses out of Drake's "2 Hard 4 The Radio" — and aired the cleaned-up version on his own broadcast.

Jeremy Hecht is going at DJ Akademiks, claiming Ak takes money from Truth Social. The receipts pointed to Rumble instead.

Both former co-hosts of The Bigger Picture. Both made waves this week.

I break down what actually happened on both fronts, the song, the edit, the accusation, the receipts and the angle nobody else is running: the audience already had what these guys were trying to manage.

Become a member of blankSLATE on Patreon — ad-free listening, early access, and a direct hand in shaping the show. Join here: https://www.patreon.com/blankslatehq

Filmed: January 23, 2020

This is the closing chapter of The Need to Know Podcast.
Everything below this is the NTK archive — a curated back catalogue from that era.

Originally released: March 28, 2024

This is the closing chapter of The Need to Know Podcast.
Everything below this is the NTK archive — a curated back catalogue from that era.

A return appearance from Eddin for a wide-ranging conversation on music, culture, and the dynamics shaping hip-hop today. The discussion centers around WE DON'T TRUST YOU, unpacking the evolving relationships between Drake, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Future, while also touching on major cultural moments and the broader state of the industry.

Originally released: November 16, 2023

This is the closing chapter of The Need to Know Podcast.
Everything below this is the NTK archive — a curated back catalogue from that era.

A conversation with Eddin on his journey through media, from DJing to working across some of the biggest podcasts in the space. The discussion also touches on the aftermath of the Rory & Mal split, navigating public narratives, and the realities of building a career behind the scenes while maintaining perspective and balance.

Originally released: August 24, 2023

This is the closing chapter of The Need to Know Podcast.
Everything below this is the NTK archive — a curated back catalogue from that era.

A wide-ranging conversation with Elliott Wilson on hip-hop, media, and legacy. From his perspective on today's rap landscape to building Rap Radar, Elliott shares insight on industry relationships, cultural moments, and the stories behind some of the biggest names in music.

Originally released: August 10, 2023

This is the closing chapter of The Need to Know Podcast.
Everything below this is the NTK archive — a curated back catalogue from that era.

A candid conversation with Ish on life before podcasting, navigating success alongside one of the biggest shows in the space, and balancing business, fatherhood, and public perception. The discussion also touches on real estate, media controversies, and his perspective on the evolving hip-hop landscape.

There's a Cold War brewing in hip hop media, and nobody's calling it what it is.

DJ Akademiks says nobody's off limits. But watch how he moves — the gloves are only really off for two people.

Joe Budden, DJ Akademiks and Charlamagne Tha God are on a crash course, and they're not even fighting the same way. Joe Budden fights with his independence and fame. Charlamagne Tha God fights with the media, the network, the press. DJ Akademiks fights with Henny and violence.

Here's what nobody's saying: when these guys talk, they're not talking to us. They're talking to each other. Joe Budden and Charlamagne have even been flirting in public — that's not friendship, that's positioning.

Nobody's swung clean yet. Everybody's loaded.

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SaVon returns with another installment of blankSLATE Radio — breaking down Drake's codependent relationship with hip hop media, the ecosystem connecting Joe Budden, Akademiks, Mal, and why everybody involved benefits from the cycle.

He also dives into the growing war between YouTube and Netflix, paywalls changing podcast visibility, and what independent creator-led media looks like moving forward.

Become a member of blankSLATE on Patreon — ad-free listening, early access, and a direct hand in shaping the show. Join here: https://www.patreon.com/blankslatehq

SaVon opens blankSLATE Radio — the reactive lane of blankSLATE, built for the conversation between the deep dives.

In this episode: why Radio exists, how the two-lane system works, the three E's the whole thing runs on — entertain, educate, edify (and the fourth nobody says out loud: evergreen) and the proper close on the Need To Know chapter.

Multiple drops a week! You're not the audience, you're the co-host. Any

Need to Know Podcast questions will be answered on he first two drops only so head over to Patreon and submit any questions you may have.

Become a member of blankSLATE on Patreon — ad-free listening, early access, and a direct hand in shaping the show. Join here: https://www.patreon.com/blankslatehq

A reintroduction. Past the Headline. Past the Algorithm. Past the Noise.

blankSLATE is what comes next for SaVon, a culture and music commentary podcast going past the headline, past the algorithm, past the noise. A different lens on media, music, and everything happening within the culture. Made to outlast whatever's trending this week.

Two shows. One name. The main pod drops weekly, long conversations, one topic at a time, broken down with the context everyone else leaves out.

blankSLATE Radio is the real-time companion — solo, audio-only, responding to the moment, with the conversation driven by you through mailbag submissions.

Launch date coming soon. Turn on notifications and catch blankSLATE wherever you get your podcasts.

Join the Patreon community for ad-free episodes, early access, and the conversation I been wanting to have all along. Everything blankSLATE lives here: linktr.ee/blankSLATE.HQ

For people who want more than a hot take.

From the Need to Know Podcast era — the show has officially come to an end.
This is part of the archive. Enjoy the guest conversations.

A deep conversation with Joe Budden on media, relationships, and the realities behind running one of the most influential podcasts in culture.

Joe reflects on the evolution of his platform, navigating public fallout, and the balance between business, friendship, and integrity. The discussion also touches on industry rankings, creator economics, and the shifting landscape of modern media.

Topics include:

• The evolution of The Joe Budden Podcast
• Business vs. friendship in media
• Creator leverage and monetization
• Industry relationships and public narratives

From the Need to Know Podcast era — the show has officially come to an end.
This is part of the archive. Enjoy the guest conversations.

A wide-ranging conversation with Joe Budden on music, media, and the evolving creator landscape. The group reflects on industry narratives, platform dynamics, and what it takes to sustain relevance over time.

Topics include:

• Media perception vs. reality
• Streaming, AI, and creator leverage
• The state of R&B and rap
• Building longevity in entertainment

This marks the end of The Need to Know Podcast.
The show is complete, and everything below this episode is part of the NTK archive — a curated back catalogue from that era.

SaVon and Alex reflect on the journey, 2025, and what comes next.

The other half of the story, and the part that lingers. SaVon traces what happened after the work was done and the money never came — the silence, an offer that wasn't really an offer, and the question of who answers when the people at the top go quiet. Less about the $20,000 than what the whole thing revealed about Elliott Wilson, Roc Nation, and the business behind them.

Become a member of blankSLATE on Patreon — ad-free listening, early access, and a direct hand in shaping the show. Join here: https://www.patreon.com/blankslatehq

Full Story available early on Patreon. Join here: https://www.patreon.com/blankslatehq

SaVon breaks down the $20,000 he lost on a high-profile podcast season tied to Elliott Wilson and backed by Roc Nation. He left a stable job to bet on himself and carried the risk alone. He was warned before he ever signed — and went anyway. Part 1 is how it started, what made him say yes, and what it ended up costing him.

Become a member of blankSLATE on Patreon — ad-free listening, early access, and a direct hand in shaping the show.

The internet found a way to make humiliation pay rent.

Deen the Great and Adrien Broner. Adam22 and Lena the Plug. Two arrangements, one machine — and a clipping economy that pays the most for your lowest moment. We pull it apart: where the money actually goes, why you can't escape these people, and what the algorithm is quietly training all of us to become.

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Become a member of blankSLATE on Patreon — ad-free listening, early access, and a direct hand in shaping the show: https://www.patreon.com/blankslatehq

Like, comment, subscribe — and support a Black-owned business.

For the first official episode of blankSLATE, SaVon and Yassy use Jay-Z's Roots Picnic freestyle, Dame Dash's ongoing criticism of his former business partner, Akademiks' interview with Daphne Joy, and the rapid rise of AI as entry points into a larger conversation about celebrity culture, internet narratives, parasocial relationships, and the growing gap between perception and reality.

The episode also includes firsthand insight from inside Roots Picnic and a discussion about why some stories refuse to die, why we speak about public figures as if we know them personally, and what happens when technology becomes good enough to make reality negotiable.

Become a member of blankSLATE on Patreon — ad-free listening, early access, and a direct hand in shaping the show. Join here: https://www.patreon.com/blankslatehq

Two men built an empire together and haven't spoken business since 2004. Only one of them can't stop bringing it up.

Dame Dash and Jay-Z built Roc-A-Fella together. They haven't done business since 2004. Now one of them won't stop talking about the other. After Jay-Z's Roots Picnic freestyle, Dame responded the way he always does — a camera, a meme, a round of jokes. Everybody ran the same clip. But the response said more about Dame than it did about Jay.

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Become a member of blankSLATE on Patreon — ad-free listening, early access, and a direct hand in shaping the show: https://www.patreon.com/blankslatehq

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SaVon breaks down exactly when the contract was signed, when payment was due, and why the "life happened" excuse doesn't hold up. This is the full story, for the last time.

There used to be such a thing as monoculture — one moment everyone was tapped into at the same time. Michael Jackson was the last person to truly have it, and this episode makes the case for why the world will never make another. Everybody throws his name around — Kanye, Beyoncé, Chris Brown, Usher, even Taylor Swift — but SaVon and Yassy, joined by Karl aka FilmGawd, break down the seven buckets that made Michael Jackson untouchable, why the biopic worked for casuals but lost the real fans, and a Mount Rushmore of the artists who get closest — knowing none of them actually reach him. The thesis: universal fame is structurally over, and he was the last of it.

Become a member of blankSLATE on Patreon — ad-free listening, early access, and a direct hand in shaping the show. Join here: https://www.patreon.com/blankslatehq

There used to be a line between watching entertainment and being used by it. This episode makes the case that the line is gone and that the audience became the experiment without ever agreeing to it.

SaVon and Yassy use Love Island, the Verzuz stage, and the long-running Tyler Perry and 50 Cent debate as entry points into a larger conversation about engineered attention, reaction turned into profit, and a culture that quietly turned its audience into the product. Three pillars that look unrelated on the surface, running the same play underneath.

The experiment isn't whether the entertainment works. It's whether anyone watching will ever do something it didn't already predict.

Become a member of blankSLATE on Patreon — ad-free listening, early access, and a direct hand in shaping the show. Join here: https://www.patreon.com/blankslatehq