The Joe Budden Network is losing another set of podcast hosts as See, The Thing Is hosts Bridget Kelly and Mandii B wrapped up their first season with the announcement they were splitting with the network. “We are taking the show over to being independent,” said Mandii B. “We are going to be leaving the network to see where our talents take us.”
The split is apparently not acrimonious (a rare in the urban/hip hop space). “We decided that it was time to graduate and grow and transcend above and beyond everyone’s expectations,” said Kelly. “This platform is an opportunity to transcend and grow, and fly out on our own.” See The Thing Is offers the two women’s take on pop culture, music, and media through the minds of women.
Earlier this month Stitcher announced it had acquired the rights to the independent podcast New Rory & MAL. Hosted by Rory Farrell and Jamil ‘MAL’ Clay beginning November 2. Farrell and Clay were fired by Budden in the middle of a May episode during an on-mic dispute over equity in the show.
The Joe Budden Podcast debuted in 2015 with Budden and co-hosts Clay and Farrell. Then in 2018, Budden signed a two-year deal giving Spotify exclusive distribution rights. Budden ended his exclusive deal with Spotify in August 2020 after he said the streamer put a lowball offer on the table. He then launched his own podcast network.
