“Prices in America are surging more than they have in 30 years. Gas prices are so high, filling a tank feels like you’re making a down payment on a new car,” says Charlamagne Tha God, in a brand new episode of his late-night TV Show on Comedy Central, “Tha God’s Honest Truth.”
Lenard “Charlamagne Tha God” McKelvey is the host and executive producer of late-night television’s boldest attempt at presenting hard political truths with an entertaining spin. Hailing from Monck’s Corner, South Carolina, the outspoken, unapologetic, and polarizing Charlamagne has come a long way from interning at radio station Z93 Jamz in Charleston, and creating hip hop’s most iconic radio show, “The Breakfast Club.” Although television is not entirely new to Charlamagne, he’s stepping up in a new way with his Comedy Central show, “Tha God’s Honest Truth.”
The show is an unapologetic display of Charlamagne’s perspective on topics like the FBI’s treatment of Black people, critical race theory, and the discourse surrounding mental health. He is relentless in his pursuit to dissect social issues using deep dives, sketches, and social experiments.
In episode 9 of the show, which premiered on November 19th, Charlamagne unwraps the state of American Capitalism. Is it sustainable for anyone outside the 1% club? Tha God’s Honest tribe member, Chico Bean, talks with Dr. Claud Anderson about Black Capitalism and generational wealth, while special guest Kevin Hart stops by to discuss his new show and talk financial literacy with Ian Dunlap.
The episode, which is segmented into three parts, I Call Bullsh*t, Let’s Unpack This, and Tha God’s Final Word, flows effortlessly. The first segment looks beneath the surface of popular news headlines and calls out the underlying hypocrisy. A brothel in Vienna allows free entry to those willing to get a vaccination shot on-site. Charlamagne expresses his disillusionment at how millions of people have lost their lives to a pandemic and the only thing persuading people to get vaccinated is free sex.
He also highlights the rise of sexual repression in Eastern Europe and Asia, which is leading to an increase in emergency room cases, requiring the extraction of objects from bodily orifices.
Once the initial shock subsides, “Let’s Unpack This”, brings us straight to America’s most pressing issue – rising prices and a dollar that is losing value. New research suggests that the Biden Administrations’ latest stimulus package is fuelling short-term inflation. Charlamagne is quick to call out the adverse effects of capitalism and how Black people are disproportionately affected during periods of economic crises, while not being equally compensated during times of prosperity.
Chico Bean, our favorite regular appearance, also comes on to discuss Black Capitalism with Dr. Claud Anderson. Dr. Claud Anderson, the author of “PowerNomics: The National Plan to Empower Black America”, is president of PowerNomics Corporation of America, a company that publishes his books and produces multimedia presentations. He confesses that the Black Community can benefit from capitalism because it was created on the backbone of Black people. Before the 15th Century, there was no such thing as capitalism. Only mercantilism existed, where people made a product and sold it, without an entire system devoted to a profit-rearing mechanism. However, slavery enabled the maldistribution of resources into the hands of one group. Two Billion acres of land was distributed to this group free of cost, whereas the Black community was left without resources, tools, or land – in other words, the wealth of the nation.
When questioned whether Black celebrities or billionaires should give back to their community, Dr. Anderson passionately cried, “YES!” Black billionaires need to ensure that they help other Black folk rebuild communities. They also need to help Black people get access to financial help to sustain those communities and businesses.
The episode also introduces special guest, Kevin Hart, and his new Netflix thriller, True Story. Kevin talks about his shift from playing Mr. Funny Nice Guy to a darker, more intense role. His own production company and his creative arms allowed him the freedom to seek out the writer behind Narco’s, Eric Newmann, to reinvent his on-camera personality.
It would not be a show with Charlamagne Tha God if he wasn’t placing celebrities on the spot with cut-throat questions, and it’s no different with Kevin Hart. “I’ve heard you wanna be a billionaire. In a country that despises billionaires, why do you want to be one?”, asks Charlamagne. With a hint of a smile on his face, Kevin Hart tells us why. For Kevin, being a billionaire is less about the money and more about the title and the achievement. For a Black guy from North Philadelphia, he wants to be more than just a statistic. He is convinced that real change requires real money and more money allows your impact on change to be greater.
“What made you want to start helping people with their finances?” Charlamagne goes on to ask. Kevin professes his belief on how information should be free-flowing. His gratitude for where he is in life is clear when he talks about how he is regularly part of elite circles that Black people are rarely admitted to. The lack of Black people in those rooms is what he wants to change and for him, it all starts with financial education and wealth.
The episode ends on a light note when Charlamagne brings together Kevin and investor Ian Dunlup to provide their financial wisdom on the viability of some investments. Kevin and Ian test each other over projects such as a “Fried Fish Fantasy Land” and a mobile app, called “Rent a Jawn”, through which the singer John Legend gets delivered to someone’s house to sing songs for special occasions. I don’t know about Kevin Hart, but a “Rent a Jawn” app is something we could all find a use for.
To watch this episode and more, you can visit the website here. Episodes premiere weekly, exclusively on Comedy Central.
