The Brilliant Idiots podcast, which is hosted by Charlamagne Tha God and New York comedian Andrew Schulz, tends to be a space where Charlamagne can express his thoughts and views without The Breakfast Club attachment or affiliation, directly. Thus, the podcast often dissects any recent occurrences on The Breakfast Club (as well as pop culture topics in general), especially ones like the viral Joe Biden moment.

If you’re not up to speed, Biden was a guest on the the Power 105 morning show last week, and as the interview closed out, he said: “If you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump then you ain’t black.” The sound bite quickly blew up, drawing backlash and eliciting a retraction from Biden, as well as mockery from Trump.

Now, discussing the topic with his co-host Andrew Schulz, Charlamagne gives his two cents on the line.

“I knew what the reaction to the line was gunna be,” he starts. “You know when you got something. You just don’t know how big it’s gunna be,” before adding: “You know when you sitting on that gold.”

Charlamagne continued, “I respect honesty, he said what was honestly on his mind. I don’t know what to tell y’all. I saw his team was spinning at as a joke […] If you think an old, powerful, white politician is ever gunna take full responsibility for his fuck ups then you don’t understand how privilege or politics work.”

The two dive deeper into politics in the episode below.

The Brilliant Idiots have remained one of the most consistent podcasts, since their debut in 2014. They were just enough ahead of the podcast boom, and equally Charlamagne’s own success as a radio host with The Breakfast Club– with these two factors coming together and helping the podcast grow to the place it is right now. 

For the unfamiliar, the podcast is hosted by Charlamagne Tha God and New York-based comedian Andrew Schulz. It’s become a place where Charlamane can often vent and express views he may not have shared with Breakfast Club listeners, much like he did recently with his (reluctant) take on 6ix9ine. The two tend to discuss whatever is buzzing in pop culture at large week-to-week, so of course, one of the biggest topics of their latest episode centered around Joe Rogan’s exclusive distribution deal with Spotify. 

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In fact, they kick off the episode discussing the deal. “I just think that it’s brilliant that Spotify recognized top-tier talent and they invested in top-tier talent, and it’s brilliant on Joe Rogan because he didn’t have to do this,” Charlamagne said, before they dive into numbers speculation. “They said his lives shows, ad revenue, and what he makes off YouTube, his podcast, made $30 million […] so thats not something he had to do unless Spotify came with a life-changing number, which clearly they did. But that’s what you do when you’re investing in that kind of talent.”

As far as what they think Rogan is raking in with his Spotify deal, Charlamagne says, “I think that Joe Rogan upfront got $125-150 million, and i think on the backend, he probably stands to make another $150. I can’t see him getting any less than $125 [million] up front though.”

Schulz counters, “If he was getting $30 million a year, and it’s a 3-year deal it doesn’t make sense for him to do it for only $120 [million], because he was gunna make $90 [million] in that time, or the podcast could grow in that amount of time and he’s gunna make $120 [million]. I feel like it’s gotta be double what he would have made in those three years at that current rate, bare minimum. I feel like it’s gotta be at least $180 [million] and maybe over $200 mill with those incentives and stuff. I feel like it’s gotta be guaranteed $180 [million].” 

Whatever the case, we can all agree that Rogan is a very wealthy man. Check out the new episode of the Brilliant Idiots below.

Charlamagne Tha God isn’t about to bust out the “Toosie Slide” on TikTok anytime soon.

During a recent episode of his Brilliant Idiots podcast with Andrew Schulz, the radio host and hip-hop commentator went off about Drake‘s new single, stating that he does not respect the intent behind the release.

“I think it’s wack, and I think it’s beneath Drake,” said Charla about the song. “I think that when you’re the biggest artist in the world, when you’re the biggest rapper in the world, I don’t like to see you chasing trends. Why be a surfer when you’re a fucking wave? I just didn’t respect it.”

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“Toosie Slide” debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 thanks to a viral dance craze but Charlamagne Tha God thinks that Drake didn’t need to stoop to such a level to get himself another hit.

“The shit might still work but it just don’t seem organic,” added the host. “A lot of times with those TikTok dances, it’s just organic. It’s a song people like and somebody does something to it and it goes. It felt too forced. Too corporate. Too industry. I just feel like Drake has built himself up in such a way that he don’t have to do that shit.”

Do you agree with Charla’s critique of the new Drake single? Check out his comments below at the 1:43:30 mark.

We’ve had a few days to cool down from the initial high of finally seeing what Drake‘s son looks like but now, we’re worked up for a whole other reason. 

As you surely know by now, Drake shared a whole bunch of family pictures on Instagram this week, allowing his son Adonis to make his grand social media debut in style. The rapper’s baby mama Sophie Brussaux, a painter in France, joked about her son’s bright blonde hair by editing both her and Drake’s hair to match Adonis’. That Photoshop job was clear. However, according to the hosts of the Flagrant 2 Podcast, Drake may have done a few extra touch-ups himself.

Andrew Schulz and Akaash Singh were decked out in their COVID-19 protective gear for a new podcast episode this week and one of the main topics they discussed was the baby photos of Adonis that Drake finally felt compelled to share. While Sophie Brussaux’s edits were obvious, Drake allegedly made his arms and Sophie’s breasts larger in the original photo, which Schulz and Singh point out.

Although it has not been confirmed that Drake tried to make himself seem buffer than he actually is, and his girl bustier than she actually is, the side-by-side comparison may speak for itself.

Do you agree with Schulz and Singh or are they imagining the differences? Compare the blonde and brown hair photos in the galleries above and listen to the episode below, where their discussion begins at the 1:35:00 mark.

Russ has had one of the most extraordinary and lucrative rises to prominence over the past decade of anybody in entertainment. Now, coming off of the release of his 14th studio album, Shake the Snow Globe (2020), the 27-year-old rapper/producer is making his rounds to various platforms to discuss his latest musical offering. This past week, the “Guess What” performer took his talents to the Brilliant Idiots podcast to address his mentality approaching music, his various disputes, what he hopes to accomplish as a musician, and more.  

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However, the conversation took an interesting turn when Russ, Andrew, and Charlamagne were discussing white people’s presence in the realm of hip-hop. The topic arose when the Breakfast Club host brought up an Instagram post of Russ’ detailing how white label executives would sign black artists that they wouldn’t want around their own children. 

As the discussion moved forward, the topic of white artists and culture arose and Russ detailed how historically white society tends to steal cultural relevance and rhetoric from the black community. Eventually, the “BEST ON EARTH” rapper described how some artists enter the hip-hop space to gain notoriety than abandon the culture, transform their aesthetic, and act as if hip-hop was merely an artistic phase for them. Russ went on to state:

“You can’t come into this from the vessel of hip-hop and use the clothes and the language and the music and then go on and start doing something white.”

Charlamagne interrupted the Atlanta-bred emcee saying, “Are you talking about Post Malone?”

Russ almost backpedaled as he retorted:

“Nah, I mean.. That’s a fair example because I do think that it’s an interesting thing to look at from that lens of where you come in with braids and golds to the point people are thinking you’re mixed and now, you know, you drink Bud Light and wear cowboy boots and stuff.”

The self-producing musician continued, giving Post Malone his props:

“Your music’s phenomenal, Post Malone’s music is phenomenal. But I think the caricature of how (he) came in compared to where (he) is now… seems a little, it’s a little interesting.”

With Post Malone hoping to drop another full-length project this year and Russ celebrating the release of yet another critically-acclaimed LP, both artists have established themselves as pillars in this current generation of hip-hop artists. Check out the full discussion between Russ and the Brilliant Idiots hosts on cultural appropriation and Post Malone starting at the 1:26:30 mark in the video provided below. 

Much of the appeal behind the latest episode of The Brilliant Idiots podcast with Charlamagne Tha God and Andrew Schulz was for Russ, who just released his brand new studio album Shake The Snow Globe. The self-produced rapper joined the conversation later in the show to speak about his new project but, before he arrived, the two hosts debated some hot topics in pop culture, including the jokes being made about the death of Kobe Bryant. Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant tragically passed away this weekend in a helicopter crash and fans have been remembering his legacy ever since. His loss has been hard to stomach, and the fact that his 13-year-old daughter and seven others lost their lives as well is just disheartening. Comedians Tony Hinchcliffe and Ari Shaffir have both tried to make light of the situation and, in the general public’s eyes, only one of them actually succeeded. Charlamagne and Andrew Schulz debated on why that is on the new episode of the podcast.

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“Kobe passing? Never…” was the joke that Tony Hinchcliffe told about the late sports hero who was notorious for hogging the basketball. While some would consider it “too soon” to be laughing about this situation, Schulz and Charlamagne argue that, because the laughs are embedded in Kobe’s legacy, this one is alright. “The joke is about legacy,” explains Schulz. “If the joke is about what we remember about Kobe, it’s not making light of his death.”

As for Ari Shaffir, Charla went on to pick him apart. “Your man is lame though,” he started, speaking to his co-host. “It wasn’t a fucking joke! You can’t hide behind the guise of a comedian when it wasn’t a joke. There was no joke. There was no set-up, there was no punchline. You got on motherfucking Instagram and you were like, ‘A fucking rapist died today,’ or some shit like that. There was no joke. You made a statement.”

Charlamagne suggested that Shaffir be “banished” from the comedy community for making such a statement, which Schulz initially disagreed with. However, he noted that there was literally no attempt at a joke in Shaffir’s video. 

Do you think it’s alright to try and laugh about tragedies like this one? Watch below at the 32:50 mark.