Charlamagne Tha God: From Shock Jock to Political Commentator.

Charlamagne Tha God, co-host of the nationally syndicated show “The Breakfast Club,” is increasingly stepping into the political arena, using his platform of more than seven million monthly listeners to comment on national issues and challenge political figures across party lines.

The media personality, born Lenard Larry McKelvey, has shifted from his early reputation as a shock jock to a more introspective and politically engaged commentator. In recent years, he has openly criticized President Trump and voiced skepticism about President Joe Biden’s mental capacity — and his re-election chances — in 2024.

“I keep saying the generation now of Democrats and the generation in the future, they’re going to have to throw that old regime under the bus,” Charlamagne tells USA Today. “They’re going to have to admit that that old regime was not connecting with people the way that they want to.”

Charlamagne’s stage name reflects both spiritual and historical influences. “God” is derived from his connection to the Five-Percent Nation, which holds that Black men are gods, while “Charlamagne” refers to the 8th-century emperor of Western and Central Europe. He began using the alias during his teenage years in Moncks Corner, SC, where he sold drugs before starting his radio career.

After working at local stations, Charlamagne’s career took off in 2006 as a sidekick on “The Wendy WilliamsExperience” in New York. He joined “The Breakfast Club” in 2010 and has since become a major voice in urban media. Over time, he has distanced himself from his earlier brash persona.

“People have watched me grow from the age of 28 to now — from 28 when I was with Wendy, to now being 47. If I was the same person, something’s wrong,” Charlamagne says. “For me, it was just like when I started to do the work on myself to say, ‘Hey, I want to just be better as an individual.’”

Now a father of four daughters, Charlamagne lives in suburban New Jersey with his wife, Jessica Gadsden, and speaks openly about mental health, including his battles with anxiety and depression. His openness, experts say, is a key part of his growing influence.

“He’s willing to be transparent and take risks, be vulnerable about himself,” says content analyst Kelly Barner. “I think that leads other people to open up to him in a way that means his conversations reveal things about the people that he’s talking to.”

While some radio hosts have moved into television, Charlamagne has stayed rooted in audio. In 2020, he launched the Black Effect Podcast Network in partnership with iHeartMedia and producer Dollie Bishop. The network, which just marked its fifth anniversary, has surpassed a billion downloads.

Despite describing himself as socially awkward, Charlamagne has found strong working chemistry with Bishop. He credits his willingness to speak with diverse voices for his broader appeal.

“I like talking to the other — the so-called other — side, even though I don’t feel like I’m on a side,” he says. “I just like talking to people who have different viewpoints, different ideologies.”

This summer, he appeared on Fox News’ “The Right View,” hosted by Lara Trump, after she visited “The Breakfast Club” as a Trump 2024 surrogate. “That’s where God wanted me to be on the Thursday that we taped,” he said. “That’s the conversation that he wanted me to have.”

Charlamagne argues Democrats are losing ground with voters on core economic and cultural issues.

“If you’re sitting here in a country where you are like, ‘Damn, I’m sitting here poor and (expletive) up, but these people are coming over and I feel like they’re getting more than me,’” he said, voters will “feel resentful.”

He believes Democrats lack identity and urgency. “You’re talking about a party right now that has zero identity, don’t know whether they’re coming or going, still trying to play politics, still don’t have any real fight,” he said.

As his voice grows in influence, those close to him believe it’s his authenticity that draws people in. “They magnetize and gravitate toward him because he has it: the essence, the energy,” Bishop said.