Kevin Hart & Charlamagne tha God Announce Audible Partnership To Amplify Black Voices

L-R: Kevin Hart & Charlamagne tha God
Courtesy of Kevin Kwan & Keith Major
Media titans Kevin Hart and Charlamagne tha God are partnering up with Audible for the purpose of bringing Black voices to the forefront of the cultural conversation, Forbes can exclusively reveal. Under the terms of the sprawling, multi-year deal, the creative duo will tap Black actors, actresses, writers, singers, and more storytellers to create audio projects across a number of different genres. Hart and Charlamagne will produce all of the content under the banners of their respective entertainment companies: Hartbeat Productions and CTHAGOD World Productions.
Recently speaking with Forbes Entertainment over the phone, Hart said that the overall goal is to give people of color a better start. Weve been starting at the bottom for quite some time and were just saying, Lets try to even out the playing field with a fair start out the gate.
Kevin and I are two Black men from two different spaces. Same culture, but two different spaces, Charlamagne said during a separate phone call. Hes comedy and Im in the audio business and just the fact that both of us are coming together and forming this company, this vertical, this platform together, I think that says a lot. One thing that we have to continue to do as Black people is to move with unity and group operation.
Audiences everywhere are eager to hear more from them to laugh with them, to learn from them, Rachel Ghiazza, Audibles EVP, Head of U.S. Content, said in a statement. Charlamagnes direct, no-nonsense perspective and Kevins hustle, humor, and authenticity are a winning combination; Audible is incredibly excited to join forces with these masterminds to create groundbreaking new originals.
Both Hart and Charlamagne have established ties with the company after publishing several audiobooks and/or Audible Originals like I Cant Make This Up, The Decision, Black Privilege, and Shook One. According to Charlamagne, the idea to team up for this sonic endeavor began to take shape more than a year ago during a brainstorming session in a New York hotel room.
We were chopping up ideas, especially on how to get new scripted content out there and get new voices heard from creatives, who may not have necessarily gotten a look into the television or film industry, he recalled. It was just like, Why not the audio play? Getting back to when people used to gather around a radio and listen to Orson Welles War of the Worlds or, in more recent times, the [Serial podcast] and things like that. It was literally just that organic.
The link-up with Audible marks Charlamagnes second historic venture of 2020. In early September, he launched the The Black Effect Podcast Network with iHeart Media
IHRT
, the worlds top publisher of podcasting content. For me, this is just another level of what I already do on a daily basis, he said.
His fresh business initiative with Hart (an comedian/actor/producer) is an ideal match made in pop culture heaven. Hart has both feet in the onscreen worlds of film and TV, while Charlamagne brings the vocal punch of radio and podcasting.
Both of us are very strategic, Charlamagne continued. Im a lot more direct, but only because thats just my personality. Even though were both Cancers, its kind of like the best of both Cancers. Were both very emotional and very passionate about what we do. Im more direct and lets get to the point. Kev is gonna get to the point eventually, hes just got a different way of getting there. But the relationship is great because how can you not trust Kevin Hart when it comes to anything creative?
I love that he touches so many different spectrums [like] politics, Hart said of his collaborator, bringing up the vast professional networks at their disposal. On my side [I have relationships] because of the work that Ive done and that I do. There are several seats that I now sit in and Im able to bring a lot of my relationships to the table as well. I felt that combined with our ability to voice and back this platform, we can also get the people under it and create IPs that can be memorable and have an impact on our culture from this day moving forward.
The audio business is booming. The main thing that Ive learned how to do is create compelling content that people can sit down and listen to for 30 minutes or an hour at a time, Charlamagne added. Thats what radio is, right? Podcasts [want to get you] for 45 minutes to an hour at a time. I think [when it comes to] creating that kind of content Ive got a good ear for what people will sit down and listen to in an long-form setting.
While Hart couldnt yet reveal what talent theyve already attracted to Audile, he promised that he and Charlamagne are choosing individuals with a far-reaching appeal. We know who you listen to, and we know why you listen to them, he teased. And we know that if we attach those people to some of the material thats out here to date or we give those people a chance to do their biographies and be the narrator behind it theres an opportunity to create and produce an audio space like never before. We feel that we can be the first to the table to do it.
This is an opportunity to bring other people who may not know that they can to the table and do what were doing, he continued, adding that its a chance to attach beloved singers, actors, and actresses to literary content and beyond. Charlamagne and myself are gonna be active in bringing these personalities that people know to this space and creating IPs around them (and for them) that the world will grow to love.
In terms of the specific content, Charlamagne promised that its going to be very Black and voiced his excitement over the opportunity to explore topical issues through the realms of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. He cited Jordan Peeles Get Out andLovecraftCountry as prime examples of socially conscious pieces of media refracted through the lens of genre. Moreover, hes looking to dismantle the monolithic myth surrounding Black culture.
Anything could be a Black story; people act like Black people only have one or two interests, he said. When you see us on the screens, a lot of times, its in certain roles; we get type-casted a lot. I think were gonna break a lot of that, were gonna shatter a lot of those stereotypes that people have about what Blackness looks like.
We came up with an entity thats going to make it a priority, thats going to drive an engine toward the Black community, so that the Black community can be made aware of the amazing space of the world of audio and why its good and why its been successful for so long, Hart added. In creating these new IPs, were hopefully creating new opportunities for the young generation of color to do bigger and better things as well. Its something thats gonna go full circle.
Charlamagne is also looking forward to exploring some of the unsung heroes of the civil rights movement that havent necessarily gotten their historical due. You always see the documentaries about the Malcolm Xs and the Martin Luther King Jr.s, but there are a lot of other people who played a huge role in the civil rights movement [that deserve to have their stories told as well]. So well be doing that, he said.
Their slate of upcoming Audible projects obviously hasnt been announced yet, but Hart and Charlamagne are already thinking several moves ahead when it comes to the prospect of multimedia expansion. Both are confident that Hollywood will scoop up the original releases for film and television adaptations.
I love the idea of creating IP through this audio space that can go on and become a TV or movie after, Hart admitted. I like the idea of finding the new creative, the new stories, the new ideas, and putting voices to them that can take those ideas and [turn] them into something that people didnt expect or see. That, for me, is the fun space of where we are and what were doing.
Everything that were bringing to the audio space is absolutely something that you could visualize, continued Charlamagne. Literally every project were bringing to this space is something that could absolutely be a TV show or a film or a documentary. And with our resources … Im sure a lot of them will be.
Moreover, he sees a chance to reintroduce literary classics to the countrys youthful demographic and encourage more reading among them. There is a serious literacy crisis in America and although people may not pick up a book to read if we get the right celebrity, influencer, or athlete to read certain titles, Im sure they will listen and be educated, inspired and empowered, he explained. For Kevin and I, serving the needs of our communities through content to support advanced learning is an important aspect of this partnership.
Despite the fact that this deal has been in the works for the last year-and-a-half, the significance of its launch in 2020 is not lost on either party. This year has not only been defined by a pandemic, but also by the Black Lives Matter movement and anti-racism protests that have taken place all over the globe.
What we realized this year, is that the conversation were having isnt a new one. Its one that weve been talking about for a long time. But right now, we have everyones attention and now that we have your attention, its time to do what we can to make the changes necessary, Hart said.
It just so happened that the Black Lives Matter movement took center stage again this year and sadly, a lot of the same things that have been happening to us since Ive been alive finally came to forefront, Charlamagne added. America was finally able to see what was going on in the Black community and now you do have a lot of these corporations doing the right thing and getting into business with the right people. But for me and Kev, this has been going on for a year-and-a-half. I guess this is when God wants us to finally step out with it; I truly believe in Gods divine timing and man, theres no better time than now.
As for any potential shockwaves caused by the COVID-19 health crisis, Hart revealed: I think everyone took a little hit. Everybody slowed down, naturally, when we first got hit with it and then there were adjustments made. So, we have to figure out the world of virtual and to [have] the conversations to push and move forward. I think that now weve done that, its pretty strong.
I really cant wait to announce some of our first projects. I wish we could do that now, but you know, all the ts arent crossed and is arent dotted yet, Charlamagne concluded. I really cant wait for people to see what Kev and I present to the world and Im just excited, honestly, that two Black men are coming together to create this great company to empower more Black voices. At this point in my life, thats all its about for me.read more