The Breakfast Club – February 16, 2026

Episode Summary: "Shyne, Raheem DeVaughn & CEO Dennis Pullin Interview + Can Your Significant Other Have a Work Spouse?"

Episode Overview

This episode of The Breakfast Club, hosted by DJ Envy, Angela Yee, and Charlamagne Tha God, features a lively mix of relationship talk, cultural critiques, and interviews with prominent guests. The major highlights include an extended group discussion on whether having a "work spouse" is appropriate, insightful interviews with Shyne about his journey from rapper to politician, Raheem DeVaughn reflecting on the state of R&B and independent music, and CEO Dennis Pullin discussing disparities and challenges within the healthcare system for Black communities.

Key Discussion Points & Segments

1. "Get It Off Your Chest" / Work Spouse Conversation ([03:37] - [24:02])

• Relationship Dynamics: Listeners call in to vent, leading to a conversation about boundaries between work and romantic relationships.
• Original Call: A listener shares a story about discovering her girlfriend (a nurse) had a “work wife” and possibly crossed boundaries, sparking heated debate.
  • “She turned her location off as she left the crib. I dropped her through her AirPods...She has at shorty’s house, yo.” (Caller, [11:46])
• Hosts' Take:
  • Charlamagne: “I don’t think the label is going too far. When you say wife and husband, why you just can’t have a work friend?” ([12:43])
  • Angela: “Those are, like, sacred titles…you can't just be calling nobody your work husband, work wife.” ([13:11])
• Audience Input: Various callers claim work spouses are dangerous territory, blurring lines between platonic and romantic—"A shoulder to cry on become a... meet the damn.” (Caller, [14:09])
• Hosts Joke About Their Own Labels:
  • Angela Yee: "You're my work bottom. That's the way I look at it." ([13:52])
• Takeaway: Most agree that the term “work spouse” is problematic and blurs necessary boundaries, though some say it comes down to trust and workplace realities.

2. Shyne Interview – Journey from Rapper to Political Leader ([27:08] - [55:25])

• 25th Anniversary of the Shine Album: Shyne announces a world tour and reflects on the album's impact.
  • “The Shine album came out September 26th, 2000…by March, I was in captivity, so, like, five months.” ([28:14])
• Addressing His Past Lyrics vs. Current Persona:
  • DJ Envy: "How do you perform those records?...As Shyne, the changed gentleman?" ([30:34])
  • Shyne: “That’s poetry. That’s me crying out for help. That applies today to NBA Youngboys, the same way it applied to Shyne back then.” ([31:24])
• Evolution and Growth: Shyne emphasizes the difference between his younger self’s reality and his evolved outlook as a public servant in Belize. He won’t be making the same kind of music moving forward, but values the history:
  • “That was a young Shyne. That’s how he felt. That’s what he was going through and he expressed himself.” ([35:01])
• Reflections on Incarceration & Diddy: Shyne discusses his incarceration, his lack of support from Diddy, and the impact of that period on his life and perception in hip-hop.
  • “Worst thing in the world to send somebody to prison. So I could imagine all these other things that people are saying, but his celebrity is so loud…it was the same thing that kind of happened to me.” ([51:24])
• The Album Performance Logistics: Balancing reverence for his classic work with maturity and crowd participation (“There’s a way for me to do it. Crowd participation. I don’t necessarily need to…” [36:29])
• Current Projects: Real estate development in Belize, memoir writing, film and TV series based on his life, and plans to run for Belizean Prime Minister.

3. Donkey of the Day ([56:52] - [63:04])

• Target: Stephanie Lovins, Former Century 21 Agent:
  • Fired for a racist comment (“I hope Trump deports you”) left on a restaurant receipt toward a Mexican-American waiter.
  • Angela Yee skewers the hypocrisy and ignorance behind the incident:
    • "You want a man deported because you clearly not selling any houses and wanted to use your coupon." ([62:28])
  • Charlamagne Tha God: “That's not who America is.” ([58:49])
• Moral Message: Stand on what you say, but better yet, don’t be racist or hateful—it cost her her job and reputation.

4. Raheem DeVaughn Interview – State of R&B and Independent Music ([63:11] - [85:10])

• New Album & Modern Distribution:
  • Raheem’s new project: Quiet Storm Lover Tome Un (Volume One), with creative distribution through cutting-edge platforms and a focus on direct relationships with fans.
  • “As somebody who came out in 2002...CDs are back, right? Physical merch is back.” ([66:02])
• Streaming and Artist Compensation:
  • “Streaming is like...a waste of time for artists…they’ve been robbing us blind. It’s a billion dollar company and we get a fraction of a penny.” ([67:25])
• R&B’s Evolution, Healthy Love vs. Toxicity:
  • DeVaughn embraces slow jams over “toxic” new school vibes:
    • “This is the slow jam album of the year. Real R&B.” ([71:50])
  • On love and growth:
    • “Toxicity is part of growth, I guess…but if we want more of that love vibration, we gotta breathe life into it.” ([75:33])
• Self-Love & Relationships:
  • “Happiness requires selfishness…how can you love somebody if you don’t love and adorn yourself?” ([80:28])
  • “Your first, last, and best love is self-love.” (Angela Yee, [82:00])
• Giving Back and Mentorship:
  • Investing in new talent and supporting his region (DMV area).
• Zodiac & Relationships: Touches on astrology and relationship compatibility, but cautions against stereotypes.

5. Dennis Pullin Interview – Health Equity & Systemic Barriers ([85:48] - [95:06])

• CEO of Virtua Health System in South Jersey:
  • “Of the top five largest health systems in the country, three of them are run by black men.” ([87:02])
  • Focuses on making healthcare accessible from birth through hospice, especially for Black communities.
• Navigating the Healthcare System:
  • “Number one problem in healthcare today is health literacy…People spend more time focusing on the maintenance of their vehicles than they do their own bodies.” ([87:58])
  • Importance of early detection, trusted healthcare relationships, and not relying on social media “doctors.”
• Systemic Biases & Inequities:
  • Acknowledges disparities in care for patients from marginalized communities and the need for cultural competency and bias training for staff.
  • On economics of healthcare:
    • “Medicare pays us 85 cents on the dollar, Medicaid pays us roughly 55 cents...so that’s at a loss.” ([91:09])
• Humanity in Healthcare:
  • “Should you experience that when you walk in—made to feel like a number or if you don’t have insurance…we have to take responsibility for that.” ([93:13])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Angela Yee, on “work spouses”:

  • “You can’t tell your wife about it, you know you ain’t got no business doing it.” ([17:14])

• Shyne, on redemption and perspective:

  • “My creative expressions should be studied in Harvard, should be in the museum. They’re enshrined in history, so it’s not something I’m ashamed of. That was a young Shyne. That’s how he felt.” ([35:01])

• Raheem DeVaughn, on self-love & boundaries:

  • “Happiness requires selfishness. It’s okay to want to be alone sometimes…How can you love somebody if you don’t love and adorn yourself?” ([80:28])

• Dennis Pullin, on health literacy:

  • “Most people spend more time focusing on the maintenance of their vehicles than they do their own bodies.” ([87:58])

• Angela Yee, sign-off message:

  • “Be humble and never think that you are better than anybody else because dust, you are, and to dust you will return.” ([95:08])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Get It Off Your Chest / Work Spouse Debate: [03:37] – [24:02]
• Shyne Interview: [27:08] – [55:25]
• Donkey of the Day: [56:52] – [63:04]
• Raheem DeVaughn Interview: [63:11] – [85:10]
• Dennis Pullin Interview: [85:48] – [95:06]

Tone and Style

• The episode moves from playful banter to heartfelt reflection, mixing irreverent humor (e.g., teasing "work spouse" dynamics and inside jokes about DJ Envy’s colonoscopy trips) with serious, nuanced conversations about personal growth, trauma, systemic injustice, and community health.
• The hosts balance tough topics with wit (“The streets know you my work bottom!” [13:52]) and a genuine commitment to giving back and platforming important voices in the Black community.

This recap captures the spirit, honesty, and pacing of The Breakfast Club. Whether you’re here for the laughs, the real-life advice, or the stories of Black excellence and resilience, this episode delivers.