Having a Conversation with Joe Rogan and Charlamagne tha God

“I talk to people and I record it. That’s it.” - Joe Rogan

This week’s episode of Art of Supply is all about listening. For guidance and inspiration, I went to two people that I consider masters: Joe Rogan and Charlamagne tha God.

If you’re not familiar with them, both are radio/podcast hosts and interviewers. Joe Rogan is the host of the aptly named Joe Rogan Experience. He is the most popular podcaster in the world, with millions of subscribers and billions of downloads. Charlamagne tha God, whose real name is Lenard Larry McKelvey, is one of the hosts of The Breakfast Club radio show on Power 105 in NY also has millions of listeners and viewers.

They don’t just have impressive audience numbers; they have both become ‘must visit’ stops for politicians, celebrities, and trendsetters. Why? Because of their conversation skills and the trust they have built with their audiences.

To learn more about what they have in common as listeners and interviewers, read Lessons in Listening from Joe Rogan and Charlamagne tha God on Art of Procurement.

Questions > Interviews > Conversations

One of the most impactful books I’ve ever read is Stop Asking Questions… How to Lead High-impact Interviews and Learn Anything From Anyone by Andrew Warner. I have read it so many times trying to get better at interviewing that my copy is a mess. It is dog-eared and full of notes.?

The premise of the book is that if you are prepared as an interviewer you can take your guests on a unique journey, not just getting them to share more, but ensuring that the flow of the discussion is impactful for listeners as well.

The key point: conducting a good interview is not the same thing as asking a string of questions. It requires process, discipline, thoughtfulness, and preparation.

What I have learned from studying Joe Rogan and Charlamagne tha God is that even interviewing isn’t the highest form of the art. Having a conversation is. In order to have a conversation, you have to put yourself into the exchange without going so far that you make it about yourself.?

I started to notice how little Joe and Charlamagne talk in their most newsworthy interviews. And yet when they do speak, it is evident that they are prepared and actively listening. Joe Rogan and Charlamagne tha God leave interviewing in the dust. They are having authentic conversations.

Turning the Tables with Authenticity

I found a video that makes the difference between asking questions, interviewing, and having a conversation crystal clear. I’ll put the link to the video below - it is well worth 7 minutes of your time.

Charlamagne tha God was being interviewed on CBS Mornings to promote his new book, Get Honest or Die Lying: Why Small Talk Sucks. There were three interviewers, Nate Burleson, Gayle King, and Tony Dokoupil, with Charlamagne as the only guest. It quickly became clear that while they were interviewing him (or maybe even just asking questions), he was there for a conversation.

Nate Burleson and Gayle King opened with relatively soft questions and then Tony Dokoupil took the conversation in a different direction. He changed the tone, pressing Charlamagne about his decision not to endorse a presidential candidate in the 2024 election.

In his initial response, we learn that Charlamagne has a very defined idea about what his role is in his relationship with his audience and that he will not lie to them. He insists upon maintaining authenticity, even if it results in criticism. This is the key to his success.

But then we really get to see his true expertise in action; Charlamagne turns the tables on his hosts.

When he asks a question of Tony Dokoupil in return, the host tries to get the interview back on track, returning to the book and wrapping for time. Charlamagne does not let go.

When Charlamagne tha God asks someone a question, he sticks with it until he gets an answer, even when he is the guest, not the interviewer, and when the segment is up against time. In fact, I believe that tactic signaled to him that he had asked the right question. Charlamagne owned that conversation, a 3 on 1 where he was there as the guest. It was masterful.

That is what has earned him, and Joe Rogan as well, the dedication and trust of millions of listeners, and that is why we owe it to ourselves to listen to how they listen, and apply those lessons at work and in life.

Explore other episodes of Art of Supply here.