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NAACP+ Inside The Industry

NAACP+ Inside The Industry

By: NAACP+
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Inside the Industry is a one-on-one interview podcast that pulls back the curtain on the entertainment business by spotlighting the people who shape it. Through candid, in-depth conversations, each episode explores individual career journeys, current projects, and the realities of working behind—and in front of—the spotlight. The podcast aims to demystify the industry while celebrating creativity, strategy, and the many paths to success.© 2026 Art Career Success Economics Education
Episodes
  • Algee Smith: From Broke in LA to Euphoria, Jamie Foxx & Owning His Music

    Algee Smith: From Broke in LA to Euphoria, Jamie Foxx & Owning His Music
    Jun 10 2026
    Algee Smith has never played it safe — and this conversation proves exactly why that's his superpower. From sleeping on a friend's couch in North Hollywood, surviving on El Pollo Loco and 7-Eleven Slurpees, to booking the New Edition Story AND Detroit in the same month — Algee's journey is one of radical faith, relentless study, and a refusal to shrink. In this episode of NAACP+ Inside the Industry, host Ariana Drummond sits down with the actor, recording artist, and NAACP Image Award nominee to talk craft, ownership, representation, and what it really takes to build a career across two industries. In this episode, we unpack: → How Algee chooses roles — and why the script always comes first → Working with Jamie Foxx on Netflix's Fight for 84 and what he learned watching Jamie set the tone on set with a boombox → The story behind his EP Love Lost — the breakup, the healing, and why men needed to hear it → Flying from Atlanta to Connecticut just to track down clearance for a sample on 'Spiraling.' → What it felt like to book New Edition and Detroit while broke and days away from flying home → How playing both a Black Panther and a cop forced him to wrestle with his own identity → His tribute to late co-star James Van Der Beek and the gems shared in an RV between scenes → The real difference between working on Black-led sets versus majority-white productions → Why ownership is legacy — and why he's never signing another deal without equity → Practical advice on contracts, AI, community building, and protecting your peace in Hollywood Subscribe to NAACP+ Inside the Industry: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaaTUaaxeh-IBd36D0P3FzFcu17Ij2S4T ️ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3iny4YTd9NfUBB51aWOpYr?si=8657ebed5b5049ed&nd=1&dlsi=316fca0df52b4a1e Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/naacp-inside-the-industry/id1894940807 Follow Algee Smith: https://www.instagram.com/itsalgee/ https://youtube.com/@itsalgee?si=se6LrU3mfdh-2oxu Follow Ariana Drummond: https://www.instagram.com/arianad_pr/ Learn more about NAACP+: https://linktr.ee/NAACPPlus Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/naacpplus/ Chapters (00:00:00) - Cold Open: Jamie Foxx Sets the Tone(00:00:37) - Introducing Algee Smith(00:01:24) - Choosing Roles That Speak to You(00:02:40) - Who Is Algee Off Camera?(00:03:34) - Tribute to James Van Der Beek & Filming The Gates(00:05:19) - What The Gates Says About the Black Experience(00:07:26) - Playing a Cop in American Blue After Playing a Black Panther(00:08:58) - NAACP Image Nomination & Balancing Music and Acting(00:10:28) - Fight for 84: The Netflix Boxing Film With Jamie Foxx(00:12:04) - The Responsibility of Playing Real People(00:14:28) - Growing Up in Michigan, Moving to Atlanta, and Early Influences(00:16:07) - What His Parents Taught Him About Business(00:17:21) - Making Love Lost as an Independent Artist(00:19:04) - The Wild Story Behind 'Spiraling' and the Sample Clearance Chase(00:21:17) - His Sound and Identity as an Artist(00:22:47) - What Music Gives Him That Acting Doesn't(00:24:32) - What Ownership Means to Him(00:25:34) - Building a Music Career in Today's Industry(00:27:02) - Advice for Breaking Into Entertainment(00:28:54) - The Actor-Musician Perception Problem(00:30:47) - Preparing for the New Edition Story in 30 Days(00:31:55) - The Couch-Surfing, Broke-in-LA Origin Story(00:34:59) - What the NAACP Image Nomination Meant to Him(00:35:34) - The Importance of Relationships in the Industry(00:37:17) - Representation On and Off Screen(00:39:12) - The Difference Between Black-Led and Other Sets(00:41:10) - Euphoria: What He Knew and What He Didn't(00:43:04) - How He Protects His Spirit on Heavy Roles(00:44:56) - What Hollywood Should Have Told Him Earlier(00:46:27) - Navigating AI and the Changing Landscape(00:47:41) - What Keeps Him Motivated in the Valleys(00:48:41) - Contract Advice for Artists Starting Out(00:50:40) - His Favorite Career Moment (It's Right Now)(00:51:47) - Legacy: What He Wants to Leave Behind(00:53:24) - Inside the Industry Bag Game(00:55:30) - Wrap-Up
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    56 mins
  • Hollywood's Top Publicist Reveals What It Really Takes to Make Stars | Shannon Barr

    Hollywood's Top Publicist Reveals What It Really Takes to Make Stars | Shannon Barr
    Jun 3 2026

    What does it actually take to shape the careers of Hollywood's biggest stars — and survive the chaos behind the scenes? Veteran publicist Shannon Barr pulls back the curtain on 20+ years in entertainment PR, from her early days at ICM to managing crises at 3 am, losing client John Singleton, and what it really costs to get the press you deserve.

    In this episode, Shannon covers:

    → How she got her start — and the friend named Caprice who changed everything

    → The toxic ICM boss she finally quit on (out loud, by accident)

    → Why braids cost her job opportunities and the racism she faced climbing Hollywood's ladder

    → What publicists actually do during a celebrity crisis (yes, the Will Smith slap comes up)

    → Why PR is a marathon, not a sprint — and what that means for your career

    → The real cost of hiring a publicist and why boutique pricing matters

    → Her 20-year relationship with Kenya Moore and why she fell in love with her instantly

    → The deeply emotional story of losing John Singleton and writing his final statement

    → How she represented Damson Idris, Isaiah John, and Malcolm Mays as emerging talent

    → What she wants her legacy to be as a star maker

    ️ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3iny4YTd9NfUBB51aWOpYr?si=8657ebed5b5049ed&nd=1&dlsi=316fca0df52b4a1e

    Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/naacp-inside-the-industry/id1894940807

    Watch the full playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaaTUaaxeh-IBd36D0P3FzFcu17Ij2S4T

    Learn more about NAACP+: https://linktr.ee/NAACPPlus

    Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/naacpplus/

    Follow Shannon Barr: https://www.instagram.com/sbarr06/?hl=en

    Follow Ariana Drummond: https://www.instagram.com/arianad_pr/

    Chapters
    • (00:00:00) - PR Is a Marathon: Opening Quote
    • (00:00:23) - Introducing Shannon Barr
    • (00:01:11) - Shannon's Origin Story: Wanting to Make Stars at Age 8
    • (00:02:56) - Shout Out to Caprice: The Internship That Started It All
    • (00:04:00) - Landing at ICM and the Worst Boss in Hollywood
    • (00:07:10) - The Moment She Quit Out Loud
    • (00:08:45) - Staying On to Find a Replacement — and Getting Paid
    • (00:10:25) - Finding a Mentor She Still Loves
    • (00:11:40) - How Braids Cost Her a Job
    • (00:13:00) - Starting a Talent Department From Scratch
    • (00:14:03) - Barriers Black Professionals Still Face in PR
    • (00:16:00) - Building Lasting Success: Only Taking Clients She Believes In
    • (00:17:10) - The Poet, the Publishing House, and Letting Someone Out of a Contract
    • (00:19:20) - Why Having a Publicist Only Matters When You Have the Right Project
    • (00:21:00) - What Publicists Actually Cost and Why It Matters
    • (00:22:09) - ow Low-Balling Destroys the Industry
    • (00:24:10) - What Happens Behind the Scenes During a Celebrity Crisis
    • (00:25:12) - The Will Smith Slap and the Group Chat
    • (00:27:10) - Why Some Celebrities Survive Scandal and Others Don't
    • (00:29:30) - The Me Too Attempt on Her Client — and How She Killed the Story
    • (00:30:41) - Why She Doesn't Represent Influencers
    • (00:33:15) - Influencers at Premieres and Why Publicists Stopped Pitching Them
    • (00:34:44) - Remembering John Singleton
    • (00:39:58) - The Emotional Side of Being a Publicist
    • (00:40:20) - Balancing Professionalism and Humanity
    • (00:42:24) - The Legacy Shannon Wants to Leave
    • (00:43:13) - Inside Your Industry Bag Game
    • (00:43:55) - Closing Thoughts from Ariana
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    45 mins
  • From Interning at Hot 97 to the Met Gala with Rihanna — Entertainment Journalist Gia Peppers

    From Interning at Hot 97 to the Met Gala with Rihanna — Entertainment Journalist Gia Peppers
    May 27 2026
    What does it actually take to build a two-decade career in entertainment journalism — across NBC's Today Show, Hot 97, Essence, Access Hollywood, BET, and the Met Gala red carpet with Rihanna? In this episode of NAACP+'s Inside the Industry, host ArianaDrummond sits down with her close friend and NAACP Image Awards-nominated journalist, podcaster, and host Gia Peppers for one of the most candid, funny, and genuinely inspiring conversations in the series so far. Gia breaks down: → How she went from overnight shifts at CBS Radio News to the Met Gala carpet — and what happened in between → What her dad's 23 years at NPR taught her about storytelling before she ever stepped into a newsroom → How she co-created Black Girl Podcast before Black women podcasting was even a thing — and what it feels like to have built a blueprint you don't always get credit for → What it was really like interviewing Rihanna, Kobe Bryant, and Vice President Kamala Harris → How to navigate microaggressions as a Black woman in media without losing your voice or your career → Why she did the New York to D.C. commute for four years straight while working at Hot 97, Essence, and hosting for the Washington Wizards simultaneously → The pay equity conversation that changed how she thinks about negotiating forever → Why she's launching Creatives of Faith — and what it means to keep creatives on assignment from God → The state of Black media right now and what we all need to do about it → Why dragging the rooms you want to be in is her most unpopular industry opinion Plus — her most honest reflection on legacy, what she still wants to build, and the moment at her friend's funeral that made her decide to go all the way in on her dreams. This is the episode for every aspiring journalist, content creator, and Black woman trying to take up space in an industry that wasn't built for her. Host: Ariana Drummond, NAACP Director of Talent & Media Relations Guest: Gia Peppers — Today Show, Hot 97, Essence, More Than That with Gia Peppers, Healed Girl Era, Black Girl Podcast New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe so you never miss one. Watch more Inside the Industry: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaaTUaaxeh-IBd36D0P3FzFcu17Ij2S4T Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3iny4YTd9NfUBB51aWOpYr?si=8657ebed5b5049ed&nd=1&dlsi=316fca0df52b4a1e Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/naacp-inside-the-industry/id1894940807 Follow NAACP+: https://linktr.ee/NAACPPlus Chapters (00:00:00) - You create the environment — Gia's philosophy on hosting(00:00:28) - Welcome to Inside the Industry(00:01:22) - Who is Gia Peppers — in her own words(00:02:35) - Creatives of Faith — what it is and why she finally did it(00:05:12) - The resume — Today Show, BET, Essence, Hot 97 and more(00:05:44) - Where it all started — her dad, NPR, and Coming to America(00:08:09) - The process of getting booked and staying booked(00:08:33) - Overnight shifts at CBS Radio News and the Sandy Hook moment(00:13:31) - How she hustled her way from CBS to every major platform(00:14:15) - How she got the Washington Wizards gig — and what it taught her(00:16:10) - What kept her motivated through the grind(00:17:00) - The funeral that changed everything — faith and going all in(00:19:32) - Navigating microaggressions as a Black woman in media(00:22:12) - How to protect your voice without burning bridges(00:23:24) - Pay equity, negotiating, and why she's still learning(00:24:28) - What Rodney Rakai taught her about taking up space(00:27:32) - Interviewing Rihanna, Kamala Harris, and Kobe Bryant(00:29:52) - The first time ESSENCE was ever on the Met Gala carpet(00:33:08) - Kobe Bryant — her favorite interview of her career(00:35:43) - The Golden Globes — her hardest room and what she learned(00:37:10) - The state of Black media and what we have to do right now(00:39:42) - Misinformation, voter rights, and why the tea can wait(00:41:30) - Black Girl Podcast — building the blueprint before it existed(00:43:33) - What it means to hear that the blueprint is still being used(00:45:18) - Was there ever pressure to make it more palatable?(00:45:56) - Legacy — what Gia Peppers wants to leave behind(00:48:23) - Inside Your Industry Bag (game)
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    51 mins
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