The Breakfast Club: Donnie Simpson on Radio's Evolution, Owning Your Voice, and Legendary Moments

Air Date: November 25, 2025 | Host: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God | Guest: Donnie Simpson

Episode Overview

This episode features legendary radio and TV host Donnie Simpson, reflecting on his five-decade career in broadcasting. In a lively, story-filled conversation, Donnie shares insights on radio’s evolution, the power of authenticity, pivotal industry moments, encounters with music legends (like Marvin Gaye, Frankie Beverly, Prince, and Michael Jackson), and the transition to podcasting as a means of true creative ownership. His candid, inspiring anecdotes encourage the next generation to "dream big" and "do you."

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Owning Your Platform: From “Hired Smile” to Podcast King

• Donnie’s Motivation for Podcasting
  • Donnie relishes the autonomy of podcasting:

    “I've always felt that I was a hired smile... but nothing like owning you, you know, I want to own me at this point and that's what this allows me.” — Donnie Simpson (04:39)

  • The transition comes with struggles:

    “It's hard... But, you know, I've been blessed. I have, as a mentor, Bob Johnson, the world's first black billionaire.” (05:08)

• Mentorship from Bob Johnson (BET founder):
  • Donnie credits Johnson’s savvy for guiding him through business hurdles:

    “He's so brilliant, man...I don't care what you ask Bob about, he's already thought about it.” (05:08)

2. Radio Beginnings: Motown Detroit & the Young DJ

• Entry into Radio:

  • Donnie’s mother owned a record shop; famed local DJs and Motown acts visited regularly.
  • First radio job at 15:

    “Within three months, I was on the air...I was 15 years old, you know, in Detroit.” (07:15)

• Being in the Heart of Motown:

  “I was in the heart of it, man.” (09:06)

  • Regularly interacted with Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder via call-ins.

3. Rise to Program Director & Changing the Game

• D.C. Move and Building Popularity

  • He moved to DC after being scouted by NBC, despite doubts over format and cost of living (09:53–12:44).
  • After resisting conservative programming, Donnie was appointed as program director:

    “He says, I want to make you program director...In nine months, man, we went from 16th to number one.” (16:14–17:09)

• Cultural Ear vs. Data

  • Programmed with instinct, not just data:

    “They spent $65,000...Guess what showed up as the number one song? Marvin Gaye, Let's Get It On. ...Cause you outside, we all know that.” (17:27)

  • On inheriting radio leadership:

    “You knew culture...You knew people.” — Charlamagne Tha God (17:28)

4. Mentorship, Family, and Timeless Advice

• Mom’s Wisdom:

  “When the time is right, the Lord will let you know, because there will be no question.” (18:29)

• Frankie Beverly’s Life Lesson:

  “Life always works itself out. It has no choice.” (19:11)

5. Frankie Beverly's Impact & Cultural Divide

• Lack of Mainstream Recognition:

  “White America just kind of never really...gravitated towards him, right?” (19:45–19:59)

  • Contrasts the adoration Frankie Beverly found in London to his stateside reception (20:00–21:16).

6. TV Breakthrough: BET’s Video Soul and Beyond

• Uncertainty and Ownership:

  “I was always careful about what I got involved in because I only have one thing to sell: this image. ...BET in its infancy wasn’t a very pretty baby.” (22:14–23:29)

• Lasting Cultural Document:

  “No, not when I was doing it, man. ...Now all these years later, ...people make you look back and see the importance of it. And it’s... mind-blowing.” (27:40)

7. On Haters, Image, & Brand Longevity

• Early Marriage & Stability:

  “Me and my wife, man, we were high school sweethearts...That's why I said I was old early, man.” (25:43)

• Love & Support:

  “What my fan base gives me is just amazing, man.” (26:56)

• Brand, Health, and Longevity:
  • On staying healthy and sharp:

    “It's important for me to live, you know, that I want to be healthy.” (31:52)

8. Studio Legends: Memories with Marvin, Stevie, Sly, and Prince

• On Marvin Gaye:

  “First time I met Marvin...He said, yeah, man, I know, I listen to him every night, man. I said, wow. ...He was—some people try to say stuff like they're trying to come off eccentric. He's just telling you, dude, this is who I am.” (34:09–34:27)

• Studio Vibes:

  “For me, to four people, it just blew me away that I got a chance to spend time in the studio with Marvin, Prince, Sly and Stevie. Just what an experience, man.” (34:27) “Stevie was doing 'Good Morning, Evening, Friends'... Marvin was actually working on The Originals... Sly was the weirdest thing. Sly was working on three different songs at once...and Prince was in D.C., performed that night...went in studio after the show, played the Black Album at Paisley Park...” (35:37–39:21)

9. Authenticity vs. Imitation: Finding Your Voice

• Advice for New Talent:

  “Using someone else's voice and not theirs...You have to find your voice...The only thing I can beat them all at is being me.” (43:40–44:56)

• On Letting Others Shine:

  “You got to let other people shine...It's enough light for everybody.” (46:02)

10. Radio’s Evolution: Personality vs. Algorithms

• Radio Lost Its Balls:

  “Donnie Simpson says radio has lost its balls...radio was always progressive...all of a sudden it got very conservative...People got scared of losing their jobs...it just like that.” (46:34–48:07)

• Program Directors vs. Talent:

  “Programmers have taken control from talent...young people out there now with great ears...can’t create a moment like that...Everything’s programmed...it's not radio, man.” (49:34–51:46)

  • Cited breaking Elton John's “Benny and the Jets” to a black audience in Detroit as a legendary “free DJ” moment (49:36–51:46).

11. Embracing Change & New Music

• Pivoting with the Times:

  “I never wanted to be that guy that said, 'They don’t make music like they used to.' ...They never have and they never will. It’s always changing.” (55:38)

• Curious Ear:

  “I want to hear everything. What are you doing? ... Always asking my kids, my grandkids, what do you listen to?” (56:49)

• Discover TV & New Features:
  • Launched “Play Something for Me” on Discover TV; guests and Donnie trade surprise songs.

  “That feature, man, it’s really cool. I love that.” (59:43)

12. Challenging Interviews, Staying in Your Lane, & Crossing Genres

• Most Challenging Interviews:

  “Maya Angelou and Dr. Cornel West...I just felt intimidated...but they were so cool. You had nothing to be afraid of.” (62:27)

• On "Narrowcasting" & Genre Boundaries:

  “I'm old school, man. I was taught that this was broadcasting, not narrow casting.” (64:09)

  • Played Garth Brooks on a black station, stood by the decision, which generated press (64:45).

13. Legacy, Joy, and Lasting Resilience

• On Consistent Joy

  “It's the joy of the Lord that I feel...But even when I'm in (down times), I still know...life always works itself out.” (67:53–68:21) “There’s no such thing as a bad experience. If the word experience is attached to it, then it’s good. You learn something from it.” (71:09)

• Message for the Next Generation:

  “He did him, you know, he did his thing. You should do yours...Never tried to be anyone else. Never met the man I wanted to be.” (71:18) “Dream big, man. Don't be afraid of big...” (74:17)

  • Advice to upcoming broadcasters:

    “If this is what you want to do, first of all, just to know that it’s possible... Why not dream big?” (73:15–74:17)

14. Celebrity Stories: Comedy, Hollywood, and Michael Jackson

• Comedy TV Cameos (Martin, Jamie Foxx, Love Jones Connection):

  “It was awesome. Especially with Chris Rock...He would do something different...for me, it was unbelievable that they asked me to do that.” (75:13–75:56)

• On Michael Jackson’s Genius:

  “Michael...just brilliant, man. And to me, I look at people like him and Eddie (Murphy)...You don’t get to that level...without being smart...Michael was just—the dude was brilliant.” (77:54–81:01)

  • Told stories of visits to Neverland, Michael’s shyness in crowds, and his technical awareness in performance and production.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Authenticity & Voice

  "The only thing I can beat them all at is being me. You can't beat me doing that, man." — Donnie Simpson (44:56)

• On Radio's Shift

  "Donnie Simpson says radio has lost its balls...You can't do this afraid." — Donnie Simpson (46:34, 48:08)

• On Cultural Authority

  “You knew culture. You knew people.” — Charlamagne Tha God (17:28)

• Frankie Beverly Wisdom

  "Life always works itself out. It has no choice. And it doesn't. It has no choice. It always works itself out." — Frankie Beverly via Donnie Simpson (19:11)

• On Owning It All

  "I've always felt that I was a hired smile...I want to own me at this point and that's what this allows me.” — Donnie Simpson (04:39)

• On Support & Happiness

  “Just the most consistent thing that I’ve ever experienced in life, man, just what my fan base gives me is just amazing.” — Donnie Simpson (26:56)

• On Mentors

  “Baby, when the time is right, the Lord will let you know, because there will be no question.” — Donnie’s mom (18:29)

• On Black Culture’s Recognition

  "I would love to have everybody else, but man, I can die totally happy that I just had this. That that's what's important to me, that my people feel this way about me." — Donnie Simpson, on being loved within Black America (21:16)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Owning Your Platform: 04:39–05:51
• First Radio Experiences: 06:24–09:49
• Program Director/Programmatic Change: 13:08–17:09
• Frankie Beverly & Celebrating Black Legends: 19:37–22:04
• Getting Video Soul & TV Break: 22:14–24:35
• Brand/Image and Family: 25:43–26:56, 31:52
• Studio Stories (Marvin, Stevie, Sly, Prince): 34:09–39:31
• Advice for New Broadcasters (finding your voice): 43:40–44:56
• Radio Evolution/Algorithms: 46:34–51:46
• Pivoting With the Times (on new music): 55:20–59:43
• Crossing Genres (Garth Brooks, “broadcasting, not narrowcasting”): 64:09–67:10
• Maintaining Joy: 67:53–71:09
• Dream Big/Passion for Broadcasting: 73:15–74:17
• Comedy/TV Appearances: 75:12–76:19
• Michael Jackson Stories: 77:54–81:01

Final Thoughts

Donnie Simpson’s conversation is more than a walk through music and media history—it’s a masterclass in persistence, authenticity, and cultural pride. His stories remind listeners that staying true to yourself, daring to break convention, and connecting with people—not algorithms—are the keys to both longevity and creative fulfillment in broadcasting.

Check out Season 2 of The Donnie Simpson Show podcast for more legendary stories and wisdom.