The Breakfast Club Episode Summary

INTERVIEW: Jabari Young Talks Forbes, Authentic Journalism, Showcasing Black Wealth + More

Podcast: The Breakfast Club (The Black Effect Podcast Network x iHeartPodcasts)
Date: February 20, 2026
Guests: Jabari Young (Senior Writer & Editor, Forbes)
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God, Lauren Larose

Episode Overview

In this vibrant interview, The Breakfast Club hosts sit down with Jabari Young, Senior Writer and Editor at Forbes, to discuss his rise in journalism, the importance of authentic reporting, the power of mentorship, and the critical need to amplify stories of Black wealth and business leadership. Jabari shares behind-the-scenes insights into Forbes’ Black 50 list, addresses challenges in Black media representation, and underlines the responsibilities and challenges of credible business journalism in today’s environment.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Jabari Young’s Journey in Journalism

• Background & Early Influences (00:56–02:32)
  • Grew up in North Philly, dreamed of the NBA, but chose journalism after recognizing his talents.
  • Inspired by Stephen A. Smith: “I decided that journalism was it for me... I called up the number [in the byline] and bam, Stephen A. Picks up. And that changed the trajectory.” (01:26)
  • Mentored by Stephen A. while Stephen was covering the Sixers.
• Career Growth
  • Covered San Antonio Spurs, Portland Blazers → CNBC called to cover business in 2019, but hesitant at first until Stephen A. convinced him to see the bigger picture (02:02–03:00).
  • Joined Forbes in 2022 wanting to expand beyond sports business, especially to tell business stories through “the lens of your community” (02:32).
  • Clarence Avant (“Black Godfather”) inspired him to become a problem solver and take stories to the next level (03:00).

Mentorship and Relationships in Media

• Power of Persistence (03:17–06:47)
  • “Closed mouths don’t get fed”—persistence key to gaining mentorships (03:49).
  • Recalls cold calling and regularly reaching out to mentors, especially during holidays to build genuine relationships.
  • Some mentors said “no”; Jabari kept records and didn’t take it personally: “Now, being in the position I’m in, I realize that’s false. You don’t have the time. Like, I’m sure y’all get hit up all the time...” (05:49)
• On Being a Mentor Now
  • He looks for persistent mentees (“If you show persistence, then that’s when I take you seriously.” [06:33])
  • Emphasis on relationship building and consistency for young journalists and creators.

Authentic and Ethical Journalism

• Responsibility & Process (08:19–13:20)
  • True mentorship involves hard conversations: “You gotta hear those things that you don’t want to hear. That’s true mentorship.” (09:03)
  • The difference between real business builders and mere marketers is “time”—willingness to make time for deep, transparent interviews (09:41–11:15).
  • “If I’m making the time and I’m taking time away from my family, you gotta make the time, too...” (11:39)
  • Jabari describes the “pandemic of misinformation” and the need to “reset, go back to doing what we do best, which is being accurate, telling truth and reporting to the American public.” (14:14)

Reporting on Black Wealth and The Forbes Black 50

• Why These Stories Matter (13:53–15:32, 28:52–32:13)

  • Many Black business leaders initially refuse publicity out of privacy or scrutiny concerns (“We got two new billionaires that the public doesn’t know about” [12:52]).
  • Jabari stresses importance: “I need these stories to be told because I need the next generation to see what’s possible outside of entertainment and sports.” (13:03)
  • The Forbes Black 50 List spotlights Black alternative investment leaders in private equity, venture capital, private credit, etc.
  • “Hopefully, this list helps improve the ecosystem because a lot of times we don’t know each other either...” (29:36)

• Representation & Visibility

  • Black achievements in business are underreported: “I see us on [Bloomberg, CNBC] from time to time. We’re sprinkled in. But we not on here all the time.” (14:55)
  • Ownership and representation examples: Walgreens, Hot Topic, The Parking Spot, storage units, nursing homes, and restaurant franchises—all with Black owners or investors (30:43–32:13).

• Inspiration & Real Impact

  • Visibility inspires: “I remember when Diddy, Will Smith, and I think Master P were all on the Forbes list at one time. That was like...I didn’t think, you know, being in hip hop could even get you to that level.” – Charlamagne (36:32)

Challenges in Journalism and Media Now

• Credibility vs. Viral Chasing (16:48–22:01)

  • On the rise of “paid” Forbes articles: distinguishes genuine staff reporting from handles/content paid for as ads.
  • On fact-checking and research: “When you find a great interview, I sit on my couch, I play Madden...and I listen to the interview over and over again.” (17:52)
  • Critiques how many journalists now “run for the viral social media moment” instead of verifying: “Nobody’s asking for comment. They just run into it because they want the viral clip...it’s wrong.” (19:14)
  • Importance of not rushing: “They want to be first. And I’d rather be last...informative, insightful.” (21:42)

• Media Ecosystem and Black Voices

  • Disappearance of dedicated Black news teams; new journalists must search for real stories and authentic platforms, from local papers to non-legacy online journalists (33:39–35:49).
  • “It’s important to keep those stories alive...to write it is permanent almost. It feels realer…Nobody could take that from you. It’s in ink.” (32:48)

Happiness, Wealth, and Relationships

• Are Millionaires and Billionaires Happy? (22:22–23:37)
  • Jabari: “They seem happy, man, but...they could be putting up a front because it’s Forbes so they want to always, you know, make it seem happy.” (22:59)
  • He often reaches out to check on business leaders just to maintain authentic human connections (“You gotta treat them like human beings and check on them from time to time.” [23:33])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Authentic Mentorship:
  • “You gotta hear those things that you don’t want to hear. That’s true mentorship. Those people, that’s really in your corner.” – Jabari Young (09:03)
• On Journalism Ethics:
  • “We’re in this misinformation pandemic. And so the biggest thing we can do as journalists right now is to reset, go back to doing what we do best, which is being accurate, telling truth and reporting to the American public.” – Jabari (14:14)
• On Persistence:
  • “Closed mouths don’t get fed.” – DJ Envy (02:43)
• On Black Wealth:
  • “I need these stories to be told because I need the next generation to see what’s possible outside of entertainment and sports.” – Jabari (13:03)
  • “According to Nielsen, Black America spending power this year. $2.1 trillion...You have a whole class of black people who can manage it.” – Jabari (32:13)
• On Vetting Credibility:
  • “I had to leave my life alone, and I got to go and dive into someone else...” – Jabari (17:00)

Segment Timestamps

• [00:56] Jabari’s Philly roots, Stephen A. Smith mentorship story
• [03:31] On being told “no” seeking mentorship; how to respond
• [05:13] How Jabari mentors others; importance of persistence
• [08:19] Stephen A. Smith’s hard advice on leaving sports journalism for business
• [09:41] Real vs. fake business success: who’s worthy of Forbes recognition?
• [13:20] Fear and privacy among Black business leaders; Black 50 list details
• [14:14] Journalist responsibility: honesty and accuracy in disadvantaged communities
• [16:48] Forbes “paid” vs. staff articles; verifying credibility in media
• [17:52] Jabari on deep interview research, referencing Young Guru and The Notorious B.I.G.
• [22:22] Are the super-wealthy happy? Wealth vs. life happiness
• [28:52] Why the Forbes Black 50 is crucial for Black inspiration and network-building
• [31:01] Case studies: Black owners/investors in Walgreens, Hot Topic, The Parking Spot
• [36:32] Visibility/influence of Black leaders for the next generation
• [39:34] Where the next Black billionaires are coming from (private equity, alt investments)
• [40:28] Where to find Jabari’s work: Forbes.com, IG, LinkedIn

Additional Highlights

• Newsbreak (27:47): Jabari confirms Usher has sold his stake in the Cleveland Cavaliers, which will be detailed in an upcoming Forbes story.
• Behind the Scenes: Charlamagne and Jabari bond over Philly radio days, with some playful exchanges and throwbacks.
• On Social Media: Discussion on how platforms like LinkedIn facilitate deeper, more professional conversations compared to noisier, less substantive platforms.

Takeaway

Jabari Young’s interview is a resounding call for authentic, ethical journalism and deeper, more visible storytelling around Black wealth and business achievement. His journey exemplifies the value of persistence and mentorship, while his work at Forbes represents a vital effort to spotlight Black business leaders, broaden representation, and plant seeds of inspiration for future generations well beyond the sports and entertainment mainstream.