Charlamagne Tha God during a recent broadcast of The Breakfast Club
Charlamagne Tha God was acquitted of underage rape charges roughly 20 years ago, though he did plead guilty to a lesser charge. Now, the longtime co-host of The Breakfast Club is facing renewed allegations from a number of critics.
Update (July 7th, 2021): Charlamagne The God accuser Jessica Reid has now raised nearly $15,000 to reopen her rape case against both Charlamagne and additional unnamed accusers. We’ll have more updates on this later this week. Please also scroll down for more updates involving comments from Apple Music and Hot 97 DJ Ebro.
That includes ex-NBA player Kwame Brown, who flatly accused Charlamagne Tha God of committing rape against a 15-year old girl and getting away with it. Brown retaliated after Charlamagne (whose real name is Lenard McKelvey) revealed a number of personal details about the basketball player’s family, including allegations of murder and violent behavior by Brown’s father, Bill Brown.
Both McKelvey and Brown are from South Carolina, and Charlamagne — ostensibly to defend Brown himself — dredged up a number of violent incidents by Brown’s family members, including a murder charge against his father. Charlamagne Tha God eventually apologized for bringing up the painful incidents, though Brown himself quickly returned fire — and dredged up some ugly details of his own against Charlamagne.
“You want to talk as if you know me,” Kwame stated in an Instagram Live broadcast. “Rape case guy Charlamagne Tha God, that actually pled guilty and got away with that. You want to talk about a brother that I never met because my father had a son outside of his marriage just like [Breakfast Club cohort] DJ Envy’s cheating a—. So you’re going to put out to the world that I’m some killer?”
Others have also been piling on and accusing Charlamagne Tha God of committing rape.
That includes heavyweight Hot 97 DJ Funkmaster Flex, who recently played an audio clip from the victim’s mother, who claims Charlamagne Tha God knew the victim well, is guilty of raping her, and evaded penalty. “If he was going to be a friend to us, he came to us and said don’t worry, nothing is going to happen to her and I’ll make sure she’ll be safe,” the mother of victim Jessica Reid relayed in a 2018 interview, which was replayed by Flex.
“He alluded us to believe and trust in him, and then he turns around and violates my daughter by raping and drugging her, and then… he gets away with it.”
Reid’s mother feels that Charlamagne simply bought his innocence with “high class attorneys,” something Flex agreed with. After playing the recording, Funkmaster Flex flatly stated that he believes Charlamagne is guilty of the serious charges.
The case in question dates back to 2001, though none of Charlamagne Tha God’s DNA or semen was found on the victim’s body.
Charlamagne ultimately pled guilty to contributing to the delinquency of a minor by making alcohol available at a party where the incident allegedly occurred. That resulted in three years of probation, though the more serious sexual assault charge was dismissed.
So why all the renewed interest in the case? This might simply be simmering beef stirred by Kwame Brown. But perhaps there’s more to this story: just recently, Kevin Hunter resurfaced promising to expose some “real scary truths” about Charlamagne, specifically relating to the rape charge. But Hunter, who was previously married to Wendy Williams, didn’t expand upon what those “truths” were, exactly.
It’s also unclear if any of this will alter the outcome of the original decision. Back in 2018, activists petitioned iHeartMedia to remove Charlamagne Tha God from their payroll, citing the rape charges. But nothing in police or court documents point to the radio DJ’s guilt, and no action was taken by iHeart management.
Around the same time, Charlamagne’s attorney, Marty Singer, described the decisive factors favoring his client. “More than 17 years ago, Charlamagne was accused of a sexual assault,” Singer explained. “He never had sexual relations or any physical contact with the accuser and even provided DNA to prove it. At the time of these claims, Charlamagne cooperated fully with authorities, and after the investigation, this charge against him was dropped.”
Update (May 23rd, 2021): Apple Music and Hot 97 DJ Ebro has now weighed in on the matter, claiming that Charlamagne Tha God has hired attorneys following Funkmaster Flex’s accusations.
“So…. when you gossip for a living, people gone gossip about your allegations,” Ebro tweeted. “But you sending lawyers? Now when you were going at Flex did he send lawyers? When you went at Mister Cee did anyone send lawyers? When you edited Cipha’s audio and lied did anyone send lawyers?”
Ebro then strongly insinuated that Charlamagne was guilty of the rape charges. “Drugging and Rape of a minor should be examined for generations to make sure other young men do not think this behavior will be swept away just because they have power and influence,” Ebro continued.
At this point, Charlamagne has not confirmed (or denied) taking initial legal action against Funkmaster Flex.
Fire Charlemagne! Kwame Brown UR AMAZING!? Your pro Blk men /people! Use our $$ improve ourselves! Build community kids programs. Stop listening 2 media phony Blk on TV / radio that are paid by WS to mislead!
You sound stupid.
I’m looking this stuff up. This is fact she was only 15.. what you doing hanging with a 15-year-old. And you are 22 years old.. that don’t sound right.
I am going to step into this as one that is a generation beyond most who are speaking on this controversy. I will state up front that I am not a fan of the show “The Breakfast Club” as I do not see it as a platform that contributes to our community in a way that advances the uplifting of our community as a whole. The objectifying of women and young girls from men of color, and especially a Black man speaks to a place that indicates how I and my Black sisters and granddaughters ate seen by these folks.
So I have questions for the Black folks who are fans of this show.
1. In the current climate how is it possible that this individual continues to have this platform? When such an accusation is made by a white woman, action is taken almost immediately based upon perception and the adverse attention it brings to the organization. So iHeart, a 15 year old Black girl merits less regard?
2.After listening to this individual speak to this, I listened to the young woman share the experience of being given alcohol which was laced with some drug and then raped by several individuals who were friends of the accused Breakfast Club host. Though I could not watch the entire video of the young woman telling this story. It was interesting what the BC host admitted from his story that was revealed later, like his age at the time of this sexual assault and the amount of probation he said he received, which differed from court documents. based on the two accounts, I find the young woman’s account far more credible.
3. Where is the support for this young sister from the Black folks of our community especially from Black women. Why do Black women remain complicit in allowing predators such as this continue to prey on our young girls and women? Where is our outrage over this horrific thing that happened to this young woman at the age of 15? She is and was someone’s daughter and granddaughter and niece or sister as well.
4. This crime should not go unpunished. If the criminal justice system is not willing to address it because the victim was a young Black girl, then the court of public opinion needs to speak LOUDLY to i Heart radio and let it know that their silence in this matter is unacceptable to our community. Though I am almost 70 years old, I plan to make some noise about this mess because it is not right that this young woman has had no justice and no closure on this traumatic and horrific crime committed against her. We need to step up Black folks and stop hanging out in a state of denial about the truth when we hear and see it.This is a call to action.
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Only difference between him and R Kelly is one is in jail and the other is not
You took the words right out of my mouth
YEP!
Such an injustice to this young woman, who did not in any way deserve what happened to her. Oh but there is a God.. and he is not on the Breakfast club peddling bafoonery, but he sees and knows all! What goes around, eventually comes back around..and it comes when you have long forgotten the dirt you have done..and it won’t be pretty. I am praying for justice for this young woman so that she can have the closure she deserves.
And lastly, Shame on all of those in the Black community who continue to remain complicit in these predatory acts of abuse and sexual assault of our Black girls and women.. You are no better than the perpetrators of these crimes.
For YEARS, iHeartMedia supported R.Kelly despite ALL of the information in regards to him and underage girls being out for them to see and investigate for themselves.
Now, the information is out for them to see and investigate for themselves in regards to CTG! And once again, they have chosen to ignore that information.
Is it a coincidence that ALL of the victims in regards to these cases are Black teenagers? I think not!
It is up to the people to expose companies like this and demand that this…at the very least…Statutory Rapist…be taken off the air.
And it is also up to the people to demand that Black leaders, who were noticeably silent during the WHOLE R. Kelly situation, and are once again in regard to this situation….STAND UP for young Black Women!
I agree totally. This is a call to action. Boycott i Heart radio until they review their content and get Ct ass off the radio. I am not happy with his co workers either. When you refuse to stand for justice and speak with those for whom harm has been done, you are complicit in the injustice that has occurred.
The hypocrisy of many in our community is deepy discouraging.
I watched the young lady interview and if this is true he should not be on any radio or tv. I can’t stand to look at him anymore. He gives off weirdo vibes anyway.
Indeed! I now really get what my granddaughters mean when they say a guy is creepy. This idiot fits the description to a tee. Black women and men need to rise up and call this out for what it is. This is on us to address and bring some change.
Just a question since some people feel like blaming the person who had the party and didn’t card all the guests but if we are looking for a people to blame then the mother who allowed her teenage daughter to go with a 22 or 23 year old is also at fault. Why did she allow her daughter to go to an adult party? How did she get home? Who picked her up from the party? Most women and girls who are rapped are not rapped by strangers so why let your 15 year old go with this man to a party by herself? He wasn’t famous so I’m sure no one was star struck..
I hear and agree with all you are saying about why she was allowed at 15 to be hanging out with a grown man, much less attending a party he was hosting. But given all that..and I do believe that is a conversation to be had for sure.. why is that the conversation vs. the crime of rape that was perpetrated on this young girl?
Your statement never puts any blame on the perpetrators and I have a serious issue with that.
No disrespect intended.