Black Creativity Takes Center Stage At 3rd Annual Black Effect Podcast Festival – Essence

For the third year in a row, Pullman Yards in Atlanta was once again buzzing with energy as iHeartMedia and Charlamagne Tha God brought back their annual Black Effect Podcast Festival. Created to amplify Black voices in podcasting, the day-long event celebrated creativity, connection, and community, while highlighting some of the biggest shows and rising talents from the Black Effect Podcast Network.

“Atlanta is very much for the culture,” Dollie S. Bishop, President of Production & Creative Development at The Black Effect Podcast Network said when asked why the festival continues to be held in the city. “The Black Effect is for the culture—it only makes sense to be here.”

Hosted by fan favorites WeezyWTF and Mandii B of Decisions, Decisions, the festival kicked off with a live recording of the Trap Nerds Podcast, featuring a lively superhero bracket challenge alongside comedian Clayton English. The laughter set the tone for a day that merged entertainment, education, and inspiration.

“This is the elevation of things that I enjoy,” said Mandii B. “I’m really excited we’ve got to grace the stage the last two years—and even more excited to see all of the other Black Effect podcasts this year.” The hosting duo not only kept the crowd engaged between sessions but reflected on how far podcasting—and their own careers—have come since they first started.

One of the festival’s standout moments was the “Prioritizing Mental Wellness and Physical Health” panel, where Charlamagne, Dr. Jay Barnett, Devi Brown, and Dr. Shawn Bethea joined moderator Amber Grimes of LVRN Records. The discussion offered a deep dive into self-care, preventative health, and the power of community wellness.

The day continued with electrifying content. R&B Money hosts Tank and J. Valentine turned the festival into a mini concert, welcoming Atlanta’s own Jacquees and his new artist Tyler Watts to the stage. Meanwhile, Good Moms, Bad Choices sparked a vibrant discussion on motherhood with Dreka Gates—and even had the crowd dancing along to their infectious energy. Former NFL star Cam Newton’s Funky Friday added star power, with Porsha Williams joining him for a conversation about resilience. Later, an impromptu backstage episode with rapper Trinidad James kept the momentum going.

For sports fans, Cari Champion hosted an in-person taping of Naked Sports with Iman Shumpert, where the two debated everything from LeBron vs. Jordan to championship predictions. Pastor Sarah Jakes Roberts closed out the day with a heartfelt Woman Evolve live episode featuring Toya Johnson, offering insights on growth, healing, and faith.

This year’s panels, particularly “Adapting to Trends: The Future of Podcasting” moderated by Bishop, underscored how the medium continues to evolve. “The bubble has not popped,” Bishop emphasized. “There’s a lot of room for a lot more voices to join where we are. We’re still growing—and there’s more opportunity than ever.” Weezy, reflecting on how far the industry has come, also acknowledged the shifting dynamics. “Three years later, it’s just beautiful coming on stage and seeing that Black Effect is up there, and knowing we were one of the first shows on air feels really amazing.”

While much of the day was dedicated to entertainment, the underlying mission of the Black Effect remained clear: creating sustainable, equitable opportunities for Black creatives. As Charlamagne noted, events like this are about “building a culture around podcasting” and growing with authenticity—not chasing viral moments or unrealistic expectations.

Throughout the festival, sponsor activations from AT&T, Nissan, and Coca-Cola added extra excitement, including a “Pitch Your Podcast” booth giving aspiring creators a shot at joining the Black Effect family.

As the festival closed, there was a sense of pride and momentum in the air—an affirmation that Black podcasting is not just surviving; it’s thriving. And with each year, this event proves that the future is bright, bold, and unapologetically Black.