The 85 South Show is more than a weekly series. Consisting of renowned comedians DC Young Fly, Karlous Miller and Chico Bean, plus entrepreneurs Chad Oubre, Joseph Newman and Lance “Catdogg” Crayton, this collective has transcended both the audio and visual landscapes, amassing more than 2.5 million YouTube subscribers and captivating viewers with sidesplittingly humorous content. For many, the group’s media takeover may seem unexpected—but the company’s founders planned its growth from the start. What began as a podcast in 2015 went on to become an empire. The initial idea originated on one of MTV’s longest-running programs, Wild ‘N Out, with the three comedians developing a unique and exciting chemistry that Karlous believed could be turned into a history-making union.
“Karlous, I would say, is an elder statesman in the comedy game,” Chico says. “He had already kind of gone through the trenches. He had the foresight and the vision to know that as great an opportunity as Wild ‘N Out was, and is, for all of us, it still was a springboard, not a landing spot. It’s a springboard for you to be able to use that major platform to make something of your own.”
Building on the show’s critical and commercial accomplishments, the group’s members embarked on an epic tour. And they established 85 South Media, a dynamic hub that not only hosts their flagship podcast, with frequent collaborator Clayton English, but also fosters emerging artists through shows like Pour Minds, comedian Navv Greene’s Broken Play, the Perspective Podcast and New Jack Thriller City. “We try to accentuate these talents and then build professionalism in the presentation around them,” Oubre explains. By allowing participants to create freely, the group makes room for construction of the best possible product. “When you have certain talents that are great at the things they do, you don’t want to compromise their integrity, nor their comedic genius,” says Crayton.
The architects of this enterprise also had the foresight to start an independent streaming and distribution network, called Channel Eighty Five. They constructed the digital service to build financial stability for the company and for the people helping to advance its mission. Bringing their brand to an even higher level, the team scored a stand-up special, 85 South: Ghetto Legends, which debuted as a Netflix number-one hit. While the podcast was what gave 85 South national visibility, it was their electrifying live performances that took them to the stratosphere. Independently, DC, Karlous and Chico have all excelled as entertainers—but when they come together, audiences experience a truly extraordinary partnership.
“We all know who we are,” Karlous says. “We know that DC got a crowd, Chico got a crowd and I got a crowd. But if we put all this together, it’s like forming Voltron. We all recognize each other’s strengths. We all cater to each other’s weaknesses. And we don’t ever collide, because we’re three different individuals who understand that anybody can walk away at any moment.”
During their live shows, the trio delivers a master class on improvisational comedy through crowd work and conversation. Their productions appear seamless to onlookers, yet none of it is rehearsed. “That’s the beauty of what we do,” Chico explains. “Sometimes when we would do shows, we wouldn’t see each other until right before we walked on stage. But we’ve built a natural, organic energy that people know is genuine.”
As much as the group has dismantled stages across the country, there’s nothing like catching their set in Atlanta—the nucleus of the entire 85 South operation and a city that is a catalyst in Black culture. “I’m a believer that Atlanta is the leader of the South, and I believe that the South is really the leader of everything else,” says Oubre. “We collectively built this here in Atlanta, where it wasn’t hard for us to be supported.”
Outside of the city’s influence, the primary reason for 85 South’s meteoric rise is the group’s willingness to collaborate. “It takes all of us, individually, to come together to get the most bang for our buck, in any type of business,” Newman reflects.
Although the journey for this media group had already been exceptional, there’s still plenty of ground to cover. The 85 South brand’s studio space, merchandise and streaming service show its expansion plans and testify to the group’s ambition. Its members also revealed that they’ll be launching a management company in the near future. Their goal is to develop a business that hires creatives and opens avenues for the BIPOC community to succeed.
The 85 South group has inspired its visionaries to reach for new heights—and to treat the word “no” as a stepping stone rather than a roadblock. It’s why their presence continues to motivate millions, even if indirectly. “It’s good to be able to represent and show people of our skin color, or who look the way we look, that we can make it,” DC says. “There’s no certain ‘look’ required to succeed. It’s all about your mentality and how far you want to go with it.”
Production Credits—Talent: Chad Oubre, Chico Bean, DC Young Fly, Joseph Newman, Karlous Miller, Lance Crayton.
