Breakbeat Media

Breakbeat Media operates as a podcast network and media entity focused on hip-hop culture and its global influence. The company was co-founded by Dave Mays, renowned for creating The Source magazine, and Kendrick Ashton, a figure with a substantial background in business and finance. Mays, serving as CEO, brings his extensive experience in hip-hop media, viewing Breakbeat as a continuation of the work he started with The Source, aiming to provide an authentic and comprehensive platform for the hip-hop community. Ashton's journey into media follows a successful career in finance at firms like Goldman Sachs and Perella Weinberg Partners, as well as co-founding The St. James Group, a developer of sports and wellness destinations. His expertise in finance and brand development complements Mays' media vision.

The company's primary business is creating and distributing a diverse slate of audio and video content that spans music, social commentary, comedy, sports, and more, all through the lens of hip-hop culture. Breakbeat targets the global, multicultural hip-hop community, with a significant portion of its audience (75%) aged between 18 and 44. Its revenue model is diversified, incorporating advertising, subscriptions, and touring. In April 2025, the company secured a strategic investment from Applied Real Intelligence (“A.R.I.”) to fuel its expansion across various platforms and revenue streams.

Breakbeat's service is a network of podcasts and video content distributed across platforms like YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and various social media channels, averaging over 4 million views and downloads monthly. The podcast roster includes shows like "Don't Call Me White Girl," noted as the #1 Black female podcaster's show; "Trappin' Anonymous," the #1 Black true crime podcast; and "Collect Call With Suge Knight". The network also produces documentary series, such as “It Was All A Dream: The Untold Story of Unsigned Hype,” which explores the history of The Source magazine's influential column. A key aspect of Breakbeat's strategy involves developing its own technology platform to reduce reliance on traditional podcasting distributors and better serve its community.

Keywords: Hip-Hop podcast network, Dave Mays, Kendrick Ashton, The Source magazine, multicultural media, podcasting, digital media, hip-hop culture, social commentary, urban entertainment, audio content, video content, Don't Call Me White Girl, Trappin' Anonymous, Collect Call With Suge Knight, media investment, authentic storytelling, Black-owned media, music podcasts, comedy podcasts