Issa Rae’s Raedio Announces ‘The Scottie & Sylvia Show’ Podcast (EXCLUSIVE)
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Raedio, the “audio everywhere” company under Issa Rae’s Hoorae, is set to launch its first talk show, “The Scottie & Sylvia Show,” hosted by industry veterans Scottie Beam and Sylvia Obell.
The original podcast series joins Raedio’s award-winning shows “Fruit,” “Looking for Latoya” and “We Stay Looking,” and marks a return to the mic for Beam and Obell following their successful team-up on the popular “Okay, Now Listen” podcast. On the new show, which launches in July, the pair of hosts — and best friends — will discuss trending and cultural topics accompanied by celebrity interviews from their unique perspective as Black Millennial women.
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“Scottie and Sylvia are so raw and relatable and I’m such a fan of their effortless, hilarious chemistry,” Rae said when announcing the audio and video series. “I’m so grateful they chose Raedio as their podcast home.”
Headed by Raedio’s senior director Dzifa Yador and president Benoni Tagoe, “The Scottie & Sylvia Show” partnership furthers the “audio everywhere” company’s mission of evolving its growing owned-content and reach.
“We’ve been fans of Scottie and Sylvia since the early stages of their career,” Yador said. “There’s no other duo that understands Black women and creative professionals more than these two, because they are a part of it, and speak from their hearts — irrepressibly. Raedio is beyond thrilled and ready to support Scottie and Sylvia in their highly anticipated return to the mic.”
In addition to “Okay, Now Listen,” Beam has built her reputation as a media mogul with roles as producer on Hot 97 and co-host of Revolt’s “State of the Culture” talk show, while Obell is an on-air personality and journalist whose work has appeared in New York Magazine, Elle and Cosmopolitan. Obell also served as a staff reporter at BuzzFeed and Essence.
“The Scottie & Sylvia Show” will launch in July with a two-episode premiere on Raedio’s YouTube channel and will be available weekly. With a mix of interviews and culture commentary, the show will cover a range of important topics “from colorism to imposter syndrome and romance and vulnerability,” according to a press release. As the official description explains, “Scottie and Sylvia represent authentic, multi-faceted expressions of Black joy while re-defining what it truly means to be ‘a girl’s girl.’”
In an interview with Variety, Beam and Obell explain what makes “The Scottie & Sylvia Show” stand out from other podcast offerings and why working with Rae and Raedio makes the perfect fit.
How did this partnership with Raedio come together?
Obell: The way it came together feels really divine. The first ask I got after “Okay, Now Listen” ended was to profile Issa for “The Today Show’s” very first cover story. After the interview on set, Issa asked how things were going with the podcast. I mentioned that it was actually ending, but not to worry about us because we had meetings lined up and would be alright.
But then she shocked me by asking how she could get on that list of companies we were meeting with. She expressed wanting to further their stake in the podcast game. Once we realized she was serious, the first of many meetings was set and, ultimately, we decided Raedio felt like the best fit.
To be able to do this with a Black woman-owned company that values cultural impact, knew our worth from the jump and can give us the resources we need, feels amazing and exactly in line with what we value most and what our vision is for the show.
On a personal level, Issa, by way of “Insecure,” is the reason I got my shot as a host at BuzzFeed. She helped me announce my first show, “Hella Opinions,” and has been so supportive ever since. Feels very full circle to be doing this with her.
Fans of “Okay, Now Listen” will be so excited to hear y’all return to the mic – why was it important for you two to do another show together?
Obell: Our work and our mission wasn’t finished. We were just getting started as a duo in the podcasting space and still feel very passionate about creating a fun, joyful, safe, Black-ass space for our listeners to enjoy. Our fans were also very much not ready for us to be done. The outpour of love and support and friendly-ish threats we’ve gotten from them during this hiatus means so much. From the offset, they let us know we were still needed and that they would follow us wherever we go. That means the world to us.
Beam: It’s important to showcase Black joy through the lens of Black women – especially Black women who are best friends. As much as it is a joy for listeners, it also is for us. Hearing our listeners share how cathartic our previous show was for them proves that when shows are done right they continue to be a gift that keeps on giving, and we want to keep giving.
Landing on the right title is so important — how did you settle on “The Scottie & Sylvia Show?” Were there any other ideas that got close?
Obell: Nothing else really felt right. We’ve already done a show title that was a phrase, and most others along those lines are already taken. We felt like we are what makes the show unique. We’ve been in the industry long enough where our names hold weight, so why not just make the title the most special thing about this particular podcast – us!
What does it feel like to have your names on the project this time? There’s a real ownership there, like “The Oprah Winfrey Show” is different from “AM Chicago.”
Obell: Wow, I didn’t even think about the Oprah component, but you’re so right. One of the reasons we wanted to go with Issa and Raedio is because, as a Black creative herself, she gets how important ownership is, and it’s not just about business with her. We have more ownership this time around, so we felt safe using our own names. It’s definitely both a testament to the trust that’s involved in this deal on both sides and the freedom we feel to make this show our own.
Beam: Sylvia and I were pretty adamant on starting our next show with our names. We want to take ownership of our labor of love. We love what we create so, of course, we put our names on it, so we know it’s real.
After working together for years, what is the key to your chemistry?
Beam: It really helps being actual friends. Sylvia and I are best friends who would have these conversations whether a mic was in front of us or not. We don’t shy away with communicating misunderstandings. When things are done with love, you tend to handle it with care.
Obell: Exactly what Scottie said. Being genuine best friends also gives us the advantage of knowing each other really well. She knows how to bring out the best in me when we record and vice versa. We push each other in a really great way and our strengths complement each other’s weaknesses. I may not have found my romantic soulmate, but Scottie is definitely that for me in friendship and partnership.
What was a lesson you learned while working on “Okay, Now Listen,” that’s going to allow you to level up with this new show?
Beam: I learned that we are exactly who we think we are — “that girl.” I’ve learned to lean more into embracing what’s undoubtedly clear, our impact and our purpose.
Obell: “Okay, Now Listen” helped us get a sense of what kind of content our joint audience desires from us. We’re not necessarily one of those shows that is all about hot topics; we dive into evergreen topics in fresh ways that prioritize our demo and help them on a deeply personal level. I didn’t realize how powerful my story, lessons, life experiences could be for others until I was given the opportunity to have a platform to be vulnerable in that way. It’s something I’ve definitely found the courage to do through my friendship with Scottie, who has connected with so many people through her raw honesty and willingness to speak up for the communities that matter to her most.
Tell me a little bit about the format.
Obell: Dropping episodes weekly [instead of bi-weekly with “Okay, Now Listen”] is something our listeners had been asking for — so to them I quote Offset and say, “Y’all won.” There will be signature segments, including fun games because we’re big-ass kids. Most segments will rotate, but a staple that will continue is our check-ins, because the friendship theme is always first and foremost for us. The interview roster will continue to be very Black, and our talks will always feel more like you’re sitting down at brunch with us and your fave celeb than a traditional format.
What does teaming with Raedio do that y’all haven’t been able to in the past?
Beam: Learning and creating from a Black woman-led media company is a first for me. I can’t wait to learn as much as I can from this platform.
Obell: Yes, this is the first time I’ve ever produced/hosted a Black show within a Black production house. So much time is wasted trying to make companies understand the why behind Black content. We don’t have to explain or prove that here. It was a known fact before we ever got here.
How does having the perspective of two Black Millennial women offer something that you can’t get anywhere else?
Beam: Because Black women are not a monolith — our experiences may be similar, but our perspectives are different. That’s the beauty in language. Letting things enrich your spirit and place understanding in places you may have overlooked or overthought.
Obell: All the things that our followers think sets our work and content apart in general will hold true for this show as well. It’s where the best of what we have to offer comes to life each week, and the fact that we have the freedom, empowerment from above, and resources to represent at this level — with no worry about the white gaze — with what we hope continues to come across as a polished, well put-together production.
This interview was edited and condensed.
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