Jemele Hill hits back at claims she wanted Spotify to pay her $100M 'Joe Rogan' money, and quit when they didn't
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Renowned sports journalist and media personality Jemele Hill is setting the record straight amidst claims that she demanded Spotify to pay her a staggering $100 million, comparable to Joe Rogan's exclusive deal, and subsequently quit when her request was denied.
For the past four years, Hill has been a prominent figure in the world of sports reporting. Since 2019, she has exclusively hosted her podcast, 'Jemele Hill is Unbothered', on the Spotify platform. Recent reports have emerged suggesting that negotiations are underway for Hill to find a new home for her show, as she prepares to part ways with Spotify. Additionally, her podcast network, 'Unbothered', which features other Black podcasters, will also be closing its doors. It remains uncertain whether Hill will be released from her deal early or if it will simply expire.
The controversy surrounding Hill's departure stems from an article published by the conservative outlet Outkick, which reported her exit as a result of her audaciously challenging Spotify to pay her or another Black host $100 million, similar to the deal offered to Joe Rogan, worth a reported $200 million. However, Hill claims this narrative is based on a misinterpretation of an old quote provided she gave to The New York Times in 2022. “What I would like to see,” she said at the time, “is for them to hand $100 million to somebody who is Black.”
In response to the claims made by Outkick, Jemele Hill took to Twitter to dismiss the allegations. She stated, "My podcast hasn't been canceled. I never asked Spotify for $100M. This s*** is truly comical." Hill reassured her listeners that her podcast will continue in the foreseeable future, with upcoming guests including Sabrina Elba, Blair Underwood, Kasi Lemmons, JR Smith, Kenny Latimore, and more. She emphasized her commitment to speaking her mind when she deems it necessary.
People: A lot of what’s been reported just isn’t true. My podcast hasn’t been cancelled. I never asked Spotify for $100M. This shit is truly comical.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) June 3, 2023
Next week’s guest is: Sabrina Elba.
In the coming weeks: Blair Underwood, Kasi Lemmons, JR Smith, Kenny Latimore and more.… https://t.co/L9v4Ce61xS
Further addressing the situation on Twitter, Hill clarified her original quote, expressing her disappointment at how it was taken out of context. She stressed that her intention was not to demand a specific sum of money but to advocate for Spotify to invest in prominent Black podcasters and provide them with growth opportunities. "You should probably comprehend better, or maybe read the original piece -- which was about me wanting to see Spotify make that investment in prominent Black podcasters," Hill responded to one critic on Twitter. "I never told Spotify or the NYT, that I deserved $100M. My deal at Spotify is pretty fair. This was about investment and growth."
You should probably comprehend better, or maybe read the original piece — which was about me wanting to see Spotify make that investment in prominent Black podcasters. I never told Spotify or the NYT, that I deserved $100M. My deal at Spotify is pretty fair. This was about…
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) June 2, 2023
It has been reported that Spotify is shifting its focus towards content that generates significant revenue, potentially contributing to Hill's departure. "Jemele's podcast isn't one of the better-performing pods on the platform," per TMZ.
The former ESPN personality made headlines in 2017 when she called former President Donald Trump a white supremacist and advocated for a boycott of Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys. These controversial remarks led to her suspension from ESPN. Hill subsequently joined The Atlantic in 2018 and launched her podcast on Spotify in 2019.