Charlamagne tha God facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Charlamagne tha God
McKelvey at the 2019 Montclair Film Festival
Born	Lenard Larry McKelvey (1978-06-29) June 29, 1978 (age 47) Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.
Occupation	Radio host television presenter
Career
Show	Hell of a Week with Charlamagne tha God The Breakfast Club (co-host)
Station(s)	Power 105.1
Time slot	6–10 a.m.
Country	United States

Lenard Larry McKelvey (born June 29, 1978), who is known by his professional name Charlamagne tha God, is an American radio host and television star. He is a co-host of the popular radio show The Breakfast Club with DJ Envy. For their work on the show, they were added to the Radio Hall of Fame in 2020. He also hosted the late-night talk show Hell of a Week with Charlamagne tha God on Comedy Central.

Before The Breakfast Club, Charlamagne worked at several radio stations. He was also the second host on The Wendy Williams Experience with Wendy Williams. He started the Black Effect Podcast Network and appeared on TV shows like Guy Code and Girl Code. In 2015, he began hosting the MTV2 show Uncommon Sense.

Charlamagne is known for being a "shock jock," which means he is known for his bold and direct style. He often says he will "bite my tongue for no one." Rolling Stone magazine once called him "hip-hop's Howard Stern."

Early Life and Education

Charlamagne was born Lenard Larry McKelvey on June 29, 1978. He grew up in Moncks Corner, South Carolina. His mother was an English teacher. As a teenager, he got into trouble with the law a few times.

After one arrest, his father wanted him to learn a lesson and did not pay for his release from jail. After 41 days, his father decided to give him another chance. After this experience, Charlamagne started going to night school. He graduated from Berkeley High School.

Career Journey

Starting in Radio

Charlamagne began his radio career as an intern at a station in Charleston. He later moved to Columbia, South Carolina, for another radio job. In 2006, he got a big break as a co-host for radio personality Wendy Williams.

He came up with his stage name, "Charlamagne," based on the great European king Charlemagne. He thought adding "Tha God" sounded cool. His direct and sometimes tough questions during interviews with hip-hop and R&B artists made him famous. However, this style also caused problems, and he lost his job in 2008.

Later that year, he started hosting a morning show in Philadelphia. He was let go in 2009 after an interview that caused some controversy. After this, he moved back home with his mother for about a year. Then, he was offered a job to co-host The Breakfast Club in New York City.

The Breakfast Club and TV Fame

In 2010, Charlamagne became a co-host of The Breakfast Club with DJ Envy and Angela Yee. The show became very popular and was broadcast on WWPR-FM in New York and on the Revolt TV network. He became known for his bold personality on the show.

From 2011, he was a regular on the MTV2 comedy show Guy Code. He also starred in other MTV shows like Charlamagne & Friends and co-hosted MTV's New Year's Eve special. In 2015, he started hosting his own show, Uncommon Sense with Charlamagne tha God.

Becoming an Author and Podcaster

In 2017, Charlamagne published his first book, Black Privilege: Opportunity Comes to Those Who Create It. He called it a "self-help guide for the hood." The book became a New York Times best-seller. His second book, Shook One: Anxiety Playing Tricks on Me, came out in 2018. In 2024, he released his third book, Get Honest or Die Lying: Why Small Talk Sucks.

In 2020, Charlamagne started the Black Effect Podcast Network with iHeartMedia. He also co-hosts The Brilliant Idiots podcast with fellow personality Andrew Schulz. In 2021, he began hosting a late-night talk show called Tha God's Honest Truth.

Personal Life

Charlamagne is married to his high school sweetheart, Jessica Gadsden. She is a fitness coach and personal trainer. He has said that she supported him with her own money when he was struggling to find work in radio early in his career. He once shared, "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."

Selected Work

Movies

Television