Underscore Talent And Shorthand Studios Partner With Dave Mays’s Breabeat Media For New Podcast Hosted By Hip-Hop Legends Mannie Fresh And Juvenile

LOS ANGELES (January 30, 2026) — Underscore Talent, the next-generation management company representing digital-first creators and entertainers, and Shorthand Studios, a leading creator services company, have announced a new partnership with Breakbeat Media, the hip-hop culture–focused podcast network founded by The Source creator Dave Mays. The collaboration spans Breakbeat’s full slate of shows and launches with a new flagship podcast, Still 400: The Mannie & Juvie Show.

Hosted by New Orleans icons Mannie Fresh and Juvenile, Still 400 delivers raw storytelling, humor, and unfiltered conversation rooted in the unmistakable spirit of the South. Each episode blends music and cultural commentary as the two legends reflect on their careers, trade tour-life stories, share hot takes, and welcome surprise guests, all infused with custom beats and authentic NOLA energy.

“We bringing everybody through… music legends, comedians, whoever got good vibes,” said Mannie Fresh. “But this ain’t no stiff interview show. Still 400 gon’ feel like a kickback with your people—real talk, jokes, stories, and good energy all the way through.”

What sets Still 400 apart is its immersive live-music format. Select episodes are recorded inside Trombone Shorty’s New Orleans studio, backed by a Grammy-winning live band that opens the show, returns mid-episode, and closes with a full musical performance. Guests don’t just talk, they perform, and create in real time, turning each episode into both a conversation and a concert and positioning Still 400 as a first-of-its-kind music podcast experience.

“Everybody got a podcast now, but not everybody got our story,” said Juvenile. “The South been setting trends for years, but we don’t always get to tell it our way. Still 400 is about giving the South its flowers.”

Still 400 is part of a broader partnership in which Underscore Talent oversees Breakbeat Media’s end-to-end podcast business, including distribution, marketing, audience growth, and monetization, while Shorthand Studios leads YouTube strategy, post-production, and optimization to drive platform-native growth and engagement. The partnership also includes the upcoming launch of Hit & Hers, a relationship-driven podcast hosted by Wild ’N Out star Hitman Holla and his fiancée Cinnamon, expanding Breakbeat’s talent-led slate.

“Partnering with Breakbeat felt like a natural next step,” said Moorea Mongelli, Head of Podcasting at Underscore Talent. “With Mannie and Juvenile, we’re giving audiences access to stories they’ve never heard before, while building a podcast ecosystem designed for long-term cultural and commercial growth.”

Mongelli brings more than a decade of experience in podcast strategy and talent development, having launched and scaled over 100 creator-owned shows, including helping build Alex Cooper’s Unwell Audio Network and driving breakout results for talent like Bailey Sarian and Something Scary.

“We launched Breakbeat to put hip-hop culture at the center of podcasting,” said Dave Mays, Founder and CEO of Breakbeat Media. “With Still 400, we’re amplifying two of the South’s true architects and giving listeners a front-row seat to their world.”

“Breakbeat’s podcasts already have what audiences are looking for: authentic voices, cultural authority, and formats that resonate,” said Jared Naylor, SVP, Audience Development & Publishing at Shorthand Studios. “Our focus is on scaling that foundation so these shows reach new audiences, perform natively across platforms, and grow into durable, discoverable media brands.”

The partnership reflects a larger shift in podcasting toward talent-led, culture-first programming built for modern distribution. Together, Underscore Talent, Shorthand Studios, and Breakbeat Media are combining creative strategy, monetization, distribution, and platform expertise to ensure Breakbeat’s shows not only reach audiences, but perform at scale across audio and video platforms.

Still 400: The Mannie & Juvie Show is now available on all major podcast platforms. 

About Underscore Talent

Underscore Talent, a division of TheSoul Group, is the leading next-generation talent management firm known for its successful and diverse creative clients. Launched in 2021, the company represents an extensive list of the top global YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Twitch, Snapchat, gaming, and podcast content creators. Led by entertainment industry veterans Reza Izad and Dan Weinstein, Underscore’s team assists their roster of creators in leveraging cultural relevance and audience connection to build long-lasting and lucrative careers. 

Recently, Underscore Talent launched Shorthand Studios, a cutting-edge digital production and distribution company. 

For more information, visit underscoretalent.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.

About Breakbeat Media

Breakbeat is the leading hip-hop podcast network, showcasing the culture’s most authentic creators and compelling stories. The Breakbeat YouTube channel has over 800,000 subscribers and over 110 million views. Founded by Dave Mays, the creator of The Source magazine, Breakbeat provides a platform for a wide range of content, from music and entertainment to social commentary, comedy, and sports.