Meeting Charlamagne Tha God

On October 18, 2019, Charlamagne Tha God: radio presenter, tv personality and author; visited South Carolina State University.   

It was reported that he was invited by the SC State National Alumni Association after speaking with the association’s president, John J. Funny.

He is one of the co-hosts, with DJ Envy and Angela Yee of “The Breakfast Club,” a nationally syndicated radio show 9 years running. Charlamagne attended the college’s homecoming to speak about his experiences. 

He conversed with students in the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center; his past with drug- dealing, and even the origin of his name: “I read a history book and discovered the name Charlamagne which is French for “Charles the Great.”I started studying the bible school teachings, the black man is god and Genesis 1:26 says God created man in his image according to his likeness. Charlamagne was also a Haitian general.  That’s what happens when you pick nicknames at 17 years old when you’re smoking a lot of weed.” 

When asked what a typical day like for him, he focused on his duties as a husband and father of three girls. 

”My family is the most important thing to me.  I don’t do much outside of work. I watch Netflix Hulu and HBO. I really like being with my family more than anything in this world.” he said. 

Charlamagne stated that his hometown, Moncks Corner, seemed large to him as a kid. 

“I didn’t know anything else. It was the life I knew like playing in the dirt roads running through cornfields going to my grandmother’s house walking around Walmart at midnight because there was nothing else to do. Going to a football game on a Friday night that was life.

My mother encouraged me to read more books and then I started listening to hip hop music it made me want to transcend my circumstances. It made me see that there was a world outside of Moncks Corner which made me dream for things that came into fruition for me later,” he said.

I was intrigued to learn in-depth about his upbringing. 

Charlamagne has been in the radio industry since the 1990s. In the beginning, he worked on the radio with Wendy Williams.  He felt his upbringing played a big part in his success. Charlamagne said he never cared if the radio industry took him seriously or not. 

“I was just happy to be doing something positive on the radio. I didn’t know anything about the industry, and that gave me an advantage. I feel like I’m in my purpose and what God has ordained for me is for me. I don’t wait for people to take me seriously, I take myself serious.

On Saturday, October 19, Charlamagne presented a  $250,000 scholarship award to the SCSU Alumni Association for student scholarships. This took place during the half-time show of the Homecoming game.
This was a symbolic act because the award was given on behalf of his mother, Julie Ford McKelvey, who is a 1975 graduate of SC State University.

Charlamagne’s real name is Lenard Larry McKelvey.
Although he did not attend college, Charlamagne is quite accomplished.
In 2017, his book Black Privilege: Opportunity Comes to Those Who Create It was published by the Simon & Schuster imprint Touchstone.  His second book, Shook One: Anxiety Playing Tricks on Me was released on October 23, 2018.

Charlamagne suggested creating a podcast and youtube channel to anyone interested in a career in media.