Joe Budden expands his media empire with a new true crime podcast
“Crime in America” will pair Budden’s commentary with reporting from local journalists covering criminal cases and developing stories across the country.
Joe Budden is expanding his podcast network into true crime with “Crime in America,” a weekly video and audio series produced with Wolf Entertainment and Advance Local’s Headline Studio.
Variety reported that Joe Budden’s true crime podcast will premiere Tuesday, Aug. 11, across major podcast platforms. New episodes will arrive every Tuesday and examine criminal cases and developing stories with help from local reporters closest to the events.
The official podcast description says Budden will go beyond national headlines and viral clips to explore what happened, what remains unknown, who has been affected and where each story could go next. The weekly crime series will cover cases already drawing national attention as well as stories still emerging in individual communities.
Budden first disclosed the project during a Forbes interview, describing himself as a longtime true-crime viewer. He said he wanted to examine and retell cases while bringing a modern perspective to a genre he has followed for years.
Ian Schwartzman, CEO of the Joe Budden Network, said the partnership gives the show access to Advance Local journalists and stories as they develop. Wolf Entertainment brings decades of experience producing crime-focused television, including the “Law & Order” franchise.
The collaboration also gives Budden and his network an ownership position in the project. Schwartzman said the partners structured the deal as a shared franchise rather than an arrangement in which Budden simply licensed his name or transferred the rights.
Budden built his post-rap media career around “The Joe Budden Podcast,” which blends music criticism, celebrity news, politics and debates among its cast. “Crime in America” moves him into a different format, pairing his conversational approach with reporting from journalists working inside the communities being covered.
“Crime in America” will be available in video and audio formats. Its trailer says each episode will take audiences beyond the headlines through conversations with local reporters.
The weekly crime series premieres Aug. 11, marking the latest expansion of Budden’s independently built media business.