N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN have inked a new distribution deal with Warner Music Group, bringing the audio version of their Drink Champs series to the label’s in-house podcast network.
The show — which is entering its eighth year — will now be distributed via Interval Presents, joining a growing number of culture driven podcasts. The newly formed network is also home to the Rap Radar Podcast and upcoming projects by Lupita Nyong’o and Jason Derulo.
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“I’m feeling good about partnering with Interval Presents and joining the all-star team they’ve got,” N.O.R.E. said in a statement obtained by HipHopDX. “We’re ready to take things to the next level for us and the culture at large! Let’s go!!”
Drink Champs‘ premiere episode on the Interval Presents network will be available on all streaming platforms on January 27. The popular interview series was previously distributed via The Black Effect Podcast Network, Charlamagne Tha God‘s joint venture with iHeartMedia.
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The visual edition of the show will continue to be distributed through REVOLT.
Since launching in 2015, N.O.R.E. and EFN, a pioneer of Miami’s Hip Hop scene, have emerged as leaders in the urban conversational storytelling space. Between their personal relationships with Drink Champs guests and the liquor-enhanced atmosphere, the duo have been able to draw out some never-bef0re-heard revelations by some of the biggest names in the game.
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The podcast’s irreverent, unconventional format is exactly what attracted the team at Interval Presents.
“‘Drink Champs’ has been at the forefront of cultural conversations for nearly a decade and has created some of the most iconic moments at the intersection of culture and music,” said Allan Coye, the network’s General Manager and WMG’s Senior Vice President of Digital Strategy & Business Development.
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“They’ve built an incredible platform that we’ve admired from afar, and now we’re incredibly excited to welcome them to Interval Presents,” he added. “Our collaboration will focus on further amplifying N.O.R.E. and EFN’s unique and unfiltered approach to storytelling and bringing the show to new podcast listeners.”
For DJ EFN, the partnership makes sense because of the particular space Interval Presents hopes to hold in the podcasting world.
“We were impressed with the network’s dedication to the culture and the support we’ve received to expand our show to reach new heights allowing us to further pioneer and break barriers in the space,” he explained.
While the announcement of Drink Champs‘ new partnership did not include details about upcoming guests, N.OR.E. has already hinted at two high-profile interviews coming in the new year.
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On December 30, the C-N-N rapper turned media personality invited Cardi B to stop by for a chat, even hinting at some of the topics they might discuss. The invitation came after N.O.R.E. inadvertently sparked a debate within the Hip Hop community when he questioned why rappers do interviews with David Letterman, Oprah, Zane Lowe and Ellen DeGeneres, people he considers outside of the culture.
Many quickly assumed the Drink Champs co-host was referring to Cardi who had appeared on Letterman’s Netflix series My Next Guest Needs No Introduction in the days prior.
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N.O.R.E. also confirmed that Keith Murray is set to make an appearance on Drink Champs after re-entering the online conversation last month thanks to revelations about alleged past intimate relationships with Foxy Brown and Shawnna.
