Charlamagne tha God

Lenard Larry McKelvey (; born June 29, 1978), known professionally as Charlamagne tha God or simply Charlamagne, is an American radio host and television presenter. He is a co-host of the nationally syndicated radio show The Breakfast Club along with DJ Envy, with whom he was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2020 for their work on the show. He also hosted the late-night talk show Hell of a Week with Charlamagne tha God on Comedy Central.

Prior to his work on The Breakfast Club, he worked as a radio personality for several radio stations and also spent time as second mic on The Wendy Williams Experience with Wendy Williams on VH1. He is the founder of the Black Effect Podcast Network, and was featured on Guy Code, Guy Court and Girl Code. He was also a VJ for The Week in Jams with DJ Envy and Sofi Green. In 2015, McKelvey began hosting the MTV2 show Uncommon Sense.

In the shock jock tradition, one of McKelvey's personal mantras is "bite my tongue for no one"; he was called "hip-hop's Howard Stern" by Rolling Stone magazine.

Early life McKelvey was born to Larry Thomas McKelvey, a Jehovah's Witness-turned-Muslim, and his wife, an English teacher and Jehovah's Witness, on June 29, 1978. He grew up in Moncks Corner, South Carolina, where as a teenager he was arrested twice for "possession with intent to distribute" marijuana and cocaine.

When McKelvey was arrested a third time, after being near a (non-fatal) shooting, his father refused to pay his bail money. After 41 days in jail, he asked his mother to pay for bail, at which point his father decided to "give him another chance".

In 2001, McKelvey was accused of sexual assault after a party. He denied having sexual relations with the accuser and cooperated with the authorities, providing DNA evidence which failed to support the claim that he had had sex with the victim. The sexual assault charges were dropped, and he later pled guilty to a misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, for which he received three years probation.

Career

Early career in radio McKelvey started his career in radio as an intern for Z93 Jamz in Charleston. He also spent time in Columbia with WHXT. He returned to Moncks Corner to live with his mother for about a year prior to being offered a position with WWPR-FM to co-host The Breakfast Club.

2010–2016: The Breakfast Club and television In 2010, McKelvey became a co-host on The Breakfast Club, alongside DJ Envy and Angela Yee on WWPR-FM in New York City, along with its national television simulcast on Revolt.

In 2011, McKelvey began serving as a cast member of Guy Code, a comedy television show on MTV2 that talks about a special code of conduct just for men. The show ended in March 2015. He also starred on the MTV2 show Charlamagne & Friends.

In 2014, he was dubbed "hip-hop's Howard Stern" by Rolling Stone magazine.

2017–present: book writing, podcast, and Radio Hall of Fame In 2017, his book Black Privilege: Opportunity Comes to Those Who Create It, which he called "a self-help guide for the hood," The book was ranked sixth in the May 7, 2017, New York Times list of best-selling hardback non-fiction. McKelvey's second book, Shook One: Anxiety Playing Tricks on Me was released on October 23, 2018.

In 2019, he became the host of Emerging Hollywood, a YouTube series from The Hollywood Reporter. On this show, he speaks with Hollywood professionals to discuss various political topics. His past guests on the show include Trevor Noah and Jameela Jamil.

In 2020, McKelvey founded the Black Effect Podcast Network in partnership with iHeartMedia. With fellow MTV2 personality Andrew Schulz, he hosts The Brilliant Idiots podcast on Combat Jack's Loud Speakers Network.

McKelvey became the host of the late-night talk show Tha God's Honest Truth in 2021.

In 2024, he released the book Get Honest or Die Lying: Why Small Talk Sucks.

Personal life He is married to his high school sweetheart, Jessica Gadsden, a fitness coach and personal trainer who supported him financially when he struggled to maintain a job in radio. In 2021, he explained: "Literally, the first time I ever went to a radio station to fill out an application for an internship, my wife drove me because my license was suspended."

Discography South Crack: The Album (2008)

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 2011 This Thing of Ours Shottah Short 2017 Grow House Black Jesus Bodied Hunnid Gramz 2018 Canal Street Himself The After Party Himself 2021 Boogie Patrick TBA Marvin Miller

Television Year Title Role Notes 2006 The Wendy Williams Experience Himself/Co-Host Main Co-Host 2011–15 Guy Code Himself/Co-Host Main Co-Host 2012 MTV's Hip Hop POV Himself/Co-Host Main Co-Host 2012–13 The Week in Jams Himself/Co-Host Main Co-Host 2014 Charlamagne & Friends Himself/Host Main Host Bethenny Himself/Panelist Episode: "Episode #2.125" The Challenge: After Show Himself Episode: "ChallengeMania: Superfan Edition" Landing in Mumbai Spirit Guide Recurring Cast: Season 3 2015 Catfish: The TV Show Himself Episode: "Miracle & Javonni" 2015-16 The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore Himself/Panelist Episode: "Episode #1.150" & "#2.79" Uncommon Sense with Charlamagne Himself/Host Main Host 2015–19 Empire Himself Guest Cast: Season 2-3 & 6 2017 The Breaks Himself Episode: "Blind Alley" Ridiculousness Himself Episode: "Charlamagne tha God" SafeWord Himself Episode: "Charlamagne tha God vs. Amber Rose" 2018 Uncensored Himself Episode: "Charlamagne tha God" Hip Hop Squares Himself/Panelist Recurring Panelist: Season 5 Catfish: Trolls Himself/Host Main Host The Talk Himself/Guest Co-Host Episode: "Episode #8.182" Queen Sugar Himself Episode: "Delicate and Strangely Made" 2019 Surviving R. Kelly Himself Episode: "Black Girls Matter" Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men Himself Episode: "101" The Next Big Thing Himself/Judge Episode: "Episode #1.1" Growing Up Hip Hop: New York Himself Episode: "Face the Fyre" Untold Stories of Hip Hop Himself Recurring Guest First Wives Club Himself Episode: "One Night Only" 2020 Tooning Out the News Himself Episode: "Episode #1.32" Dave Himself Recurring Cast: Season 1 2021 Obama: In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union Himself Episode: "Episode #1.2" Queens Himself (voice) Episode: "Behind the Throne" 2021–22 Hell of a Week with Charlamagne tha God Himself/Host Main Host 2022 That Damn Michael Che Himself Episode: "Black Mediocrity" Murder Inc Records Docu-series Himself Main Guest Celebrity Game Face Himself/Contestant Episode: "Saweetie Gets Spicy" 2023 Soul of a Nation Himself Episode: "Hip Hop @ 50: Rhythms, Rhymes & Reflections" Black Pop: Celebrating the Power of Black Culture Himself Welcome to Rap City Himself Recurring Guest The Daily Show Himself/Host Recurring Host: Season 28 Bupkis Priest Episode: "Show Me the Way" The Muppets Mayhem Himself Episode: "Track 9: Drift Away"

Documentary Year TitleRole 2009 Kiss & Tail: The Hollywood Jumpoff 2014 Knifed Up 2018 Black, White & Blue 2024 In the Bubble with Jaime Producer

Music videos Year Song Artist 2014 "Choices (Yup)" E-40