Joe Budden launching truecrime podcast Crime in America
Joe Budden launching truecrime podcast Crime in America with Wolf Entertainment, Advance Local and Headline Studio. The weekly video series marks his first true-crime project and premieres Tuesday, Aug. 11 across major podcast platforms through Prime Crime Productions, which he formed with partner Ian Schwartzman.
According to Variety, the move is Budden's first dedicated true-crime series and pairs his independent podcast brand with a major crime-TV producer and a national news network. For more streaming and podcast launches, see our Streaming & TV Alerts hub.
Key Takeaways
- Joe Budden is launching truecrime series "Crime in America" with Wolf Entertainment, Advance Local and Headline Studio.
- The weekly true-crime video podcast premieres Tuesday, Aug. 11 on major podcast platforms.
- It is the first series from Prime Crime Productions, Budden's venture with Ian Schwartzman.
- Episodes will track developing or newly breaking cases with Advance Local journalists.
- Budden said he and Schwartzman self-financed the show instead of selling to a traditional buyer.
What is Joe Budden launching in truecrime?
Budden, the widely followed independent podcaster and cultural commentator behind "The Joe Budden Podcast," is gearing up for "Crime in America." Variety reports it is his first foray into true-crime storytelling.
The show is a Budden-hosted weekly true-crime video podcast. It arrives through Prime Crime Productions, a new crime and news venture set up by Budden and longtime business partner Ian Schwartzman.
Wolf Entertainment — known for producing TV franchises including "Law & Order" and the "One Chicago" series on NBC — is partnering with news publisher Advance Local and its Headline Studio on the project.
When does Crime in America premiere?
Variety says the series is slated to premiere Tuesday, Aug. 11 across all major podcast platforms. That gives listeners a clear date to watch for the first weekly drop.
Each episode will spotlight a case that is developing or beginning to break nationally. The format is designed to surface local cases early, follow developments week to week and revisit stories as they evolve.
Budden will be joined by Advance Local journalists to dig into what happened, why it matters and where a story may go next. The companies framed the show as pairing Budden's interest in true-crime with Wolf Entertainment's crime-storytelling track record and Advance Local/Headline Studio's national journalist network.
Why does the Wolf and Headline partnership matter?
Budden said that with "Crime in America," he and Schwartzman "made the deliberate decision to finance and build the series ourselves rather than take it to a traditional buyer or platform, and that is something we are incredibly proud of." He added that Wolf Entertainment and Headline Studio were "natural partners" for finding new ways to tell stories and reach audiences.
Elliot Wolf, EVP of digital for Wolf Entertainment, said local journalists have long been first to break the country's most moving true-crime stories, and the partnership aims to give them a national platform. He described the series as putting listeners "on the front line of stories as they break."
Headline Studio president Richard Diamond said the partnership combines national reach with local reporting through Advance Local's network of news organizations. He argued that original reporting, trusted sourcing and deep local knowledge can bring audiences closer to stories as they unfold.
Budden is a Grammy-nominated artist, entrepreneur and podcaster who built "The Joe Budden Podcast" into the flagship of the Joe Budden Network. Earlier this year, Patreon said some of its top podcasters, including Budden, earn as much as $1 million per month or more.