Leading music podcast company, Double Elvis Productions; iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac; and Def Jam Recordings today announced the premiere of Here Comes the Break, a serialized hip-hop music breaking podcast, launching on May 13. Here Comes the Break fuses a fictional scripted narrative with real artist interviews and exclusive music releases, introducing listeners to some of hip-hop's most talented emerging artists from Def Jam Recordings' stellar roster within the fictional story. Listeners can hear the official audio trailer now on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard.

Here Comes the Break stars Emmy-nominated actor Asante Blackk, best known for his roles in When They See Us (Netflix), This is Us (NBC), and Social Distance (Netflix), who is also an executive producer on the show, and rising star Daniella Perkins. Perkins is also a producer on the show and Nickelodeon's first multi-racial princess starring as Ciara in Knight Squad with past credits including co-hosting Drop That Seat with Kida The Great from executive producer Nick Cannon and the animated miniseries Middle School Moguls.

The podcast series explores life and music through the mind of Ruben (voiced by Blackk), a young creator hustling to find an audience, and to find himself. Ruben is an avid hip-hop fan growing up in the suburbs of NYC, struggling with family pressure and anxiety issues. With the help of his friends, he anonymously launches a podcast that goes viral and quickly finds his voice as an interviewer and host. Ruben's podcast also becomes a must stop for emerging hip hop artists to be interviewed and within the fictional story, will feature and promote Def Jam artists. A groundbreaking podcast about self-identity, creator culture, family, and friendships, the show aims to entertain, while raising awareness about mental health to its listeners.

"My whole life I've had a passion for acting, music, and helping people be their best selves," said Asante Blackk. "My new podcast, Here Comes The Break, was the perfect opportunity to blend all three, and I can't wait to share it with everybody. The show brings together music and media in a way that's new and exciting, while also sparking positive conversations around mental health and self-expression through art. Here Comes The Break tackles those crazy, sad, stagnant, and beautiful moments we all have growing up as teens and young adults. I hope you'll tune in and hop on for a wild ride."

The series represents a new wave of artist promotion for record labels and a pioneering approach to artist discovery for fans rooted in unique musician interaction. Social media has fostered a closer connection between artist and listener, with fans craving deeper interaction and relation with artists. The convergence between podcasting and artist promotion in Here Comes the Break allows fans to get to know artists on a deeper level, providing a format for the artists to communicate who they are, what they stand for, and to be vulnerable, all within the same vehicle that introduces listeners to their new music. The intimacy of podcasting combined with the power of music and storytelling provides a unique platform for Here Comes the Break to foster the connection fans crave along with new music discovery.

With new episodes dropping every Thursday beginning May 13th, each of the ten Here Comes the Break episodes will feature an interview with one emerging Def Jam artist and exclusively premiere one of their songs, with a full soundtrack on Def Jam to follow featuring music from all artists in the series. Artists featured in the first season include: Nevaeh Jolie, Masio Gunz, Ohno, Stephen Moses, LA the GOAT, Saint Bodhi, Bino Rideaux, Nasty C, Bobby Sessions, and Oompa.

"The convergence of podcasting and the music business is opening up new avenues of exposure for artists, and innovations for creators," said Brady Sadler, co-founder of Double Elvis. "Music is at the core of all our content and partnering with iHeartRadio and Def Jam on this series allows us to introduce our audience of music fans to an emerging generation of new talent and explore opportunities for music discovery and promotion, all while chronicling important topics like mental health and self-expression through storytelling."

"We are always seeking to find innovative ways to connect our artists with fans. This groundbreaking partnership offers a unique approach to music discovery, through not only scripted narratives but exclusive music premieres and artist interviews in an emerging and exciting new medium," said Rich Isaacson, GM/EVP of Def Jam Recordings.

"iHeartRadio is built on the foundation of music discovery and connecting fans to new artists they will love. It's energizing to be able to fuse this core into a podcast by teaming up with Def Jam and Double Elvis Productions to launch Here Comes The Break. I've loved watching our teams develop a concept that bridges podcasting and music for a unique storytelling experience," said Will Pearson, Chief Operating Officer for the iHeartPodcast Network. "This podcast is a relatable coming-of-age tale that brilliantly combines real artists, their personal stories, new and emerging music, and a sense of vulnerability in each episode. I think our audiences will embrace it."

Here Comes The Break is the latest podcast combining music and storytelling from Double Elvis, the music-focused, audio-first media company led by Brady Sadler and Jake Brennan, creator of Disgraceland, the #1 most downloaded music podcast according to Podtrac, 27 Club, and Blood On The Tracks. Here Comes the Break will be distributed through the iHeartPodcast Network, leveraging their industry-leading podcast network, proven podcast-to-broadcast promotional strategy, digital platforms, and radio personalities.