*Joe Budden is taking his independent media operation into true crime with a series that aims to reach major stories before they become national fixtures.
“Crime in America” will debut Tuesday, Aug. 11, across major podcast platforms. Budden will host the weekly video program, which centers on criminal cases that remain active, newly reported or largely confined to local coverage, according to Variety.
The project launches through Prime Crime Productions, a crime and news company Budden formed with longtime business partner Ian Schwartzman. Reporters from Advance Local will join Budden to provide context from the communities where each case originates. Episodes will examine the available facts, the broader significance of the story and possible developments ahead.
The format also gives producers room to return to earlier cases when arrests, court decisions or other major updates occur.
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Wolf Entertainment, known for “Law & Order” and NBC’s “One Chicago” franchise, is partnering on the series with Advance Local and its Headline Studio division.
Budden said he and Schwartzman chose to retain control of the project instead of first seeking a deal with a network or streaming service.
“With ‘Crime in America,’ we 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 said.
Elliot Wolf, executive vice president of digital at Wolf Entertainment, said the program will elevate reporters who often uncover important cases before national media arrives.
“With ‘Crime in America,’ we are creating a new approach to a weekly series that puts listeners on the front line of stories as they break,” Wolf said.
The series expands Budden’s career beyond music and commentary. He built “The Joe Budden Podcast” into the central program of the Joe Budden Network after transitioning from recording artist to independent media entrepreneur.
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