LOS ANGELES, May 12, 2026 — American Public Media’s Marketplace and the BBC World Service today announced the launch of Must Be the Money, a new podcast premiering Monday, May 18. Produced in partnership with For The Culture By The Culture Media and All The Smoke Productions, the series blends personal financial strategy with cultural storytelling to demystify wealth-building for audiences historically excluded from traditional financial media.
Episode Two, featuring NBA Champion Matt Barnes and his twin sons, who are high school athletes, will be screened at a private event on May 19 from 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. PT. at The Miracle Theater, 226 S. Market St., Inglewood, California. In the segment, the Barnes family discusses generational differences in approaches to finance, knowledge gaps in investing, and priorities for wealth building. Following the screening, a live Q&A with Lee Hawkins and the executive producers, including Barnes, who is a co-executive producer for the series, will address audience questions about the series and discuss topics covered, including building credit and investing early, funding big ideas, and understanding your value in business and in life.
New episodes will drop weekly on Mondays. Watch the series trailer. Hosted by Pulitzer Prize finalist and former Wall Street Journal editor and reporter Lee Hawkins, Must Be the Money is an on-camera podcast featuring candid conversations with tastemakers, athletes, and entrepreneurs who have built wealth, lost it, and rebuilt it. The series is designed for ambitious young adults starting careers, building businesses, or seeking to make smarter financial decisions.
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Among the season’s featured guests:
- Angelica Nwandu, founder of The Shade Room, discusses monetizing one of the most influential entertainment news platforms and the importance of philanthropy.
- Matt Barnes, NBA champion and co-founder of All The Smoke Productions, joins his 16-year-old twin sons to discuss name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals and the lessons he learned managing his NBA earnings.
- Jabari Magnus, managing director at BlackRock, reflects on how financial principles passed down from his grandfather shaped his approach to saving, investing, and building long-term wealth.
- Angela Yee, host of All The Way Up with Angela Yee, shares hard-won lessons on making tough decisions, building a personal brand within a collective, and protecting long-term success.
- Crystal McCrary, entertainment lawyer and sports agent, discusses her pivot from representing creators to helping families navigate the complex youth sports ecosystem.
- Austin Clements, co-founder and managing partner of Slauson & Co., breaks down how venture capital really works and offers a playbook for funding high-growth businesses through economic inclusion.
- Detavio Samuels, CEO of Revolt, explains how redefining the company beyond Sean Combs became a pivotal step in building a sustainable, independent media brand.
- Victor Lugo, founder of Gameplay Group International, pulls back the curtain on the gaming industry and explains how to seize opportunities in its explosive growth.
- Van Lathan, host and producer, reflects on rebuilding his career after being fired from a major entertainment network and shares a roadmap for turning setbacks into entrepreneurial success without losing your voice.
General Manager and Vice President of Marketplace Neal Scarbrough said the podcast reflects Marketplace’s commitment to financial literacy and inclusive storytelling. "Money management skills and diverse sources are core tentpoles of Marketplace’s mission to educate the nation about the economy," Scarbrough said. "We are always looking for meaningful ways to reach younger and underrepresented audiences. Must Be the Money demonstrates that building wealth or a business is not about luck — it’s about strategy, discipline, and learning from real-world journeys. In partnership with the BBC, For The Culture By The Culture and All The Smoke Productions, we’ve developed a voice that expands who financial media is for."
Emmy and NAACP Image Award-winning producer P. Frank Williams (Unsung, American Gangster, director of Hulu’s Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told) said the series was created to fill a critical gap in financial storytelling.
"Too often, our communities receive financial advice from voices that don’t reflect their lived experiences," said Williams, founder of For The Culture By The Culture Media and executive producer of the podcast. "Must Be the Money is about providing accessible, culturally relevant guidance for young people of color who are serious about building and growing wealth. We’re proud to bring what we believe will be a generation-defining series to audiences around the world."
Must Be the Money will be available in both video and audio formats on major podcast platforms and on the official Must Be the Money YouTube channel.
Executive producers are Williams, Barnes, and Marketplace News Director Kelly Silvera.
To join the conversation and stay updated on weekly guest announcements, follow @mbtmpod on YouTube and use the hashtag #MustBeTheMoneyMondays.
Episode Schedule
- May 18 – Angelica Nwandu, Founder, The Shade Room
- May 18 – Matt Barnes and Sons, NBA Champion; Co-Founder, All The Smoke Productions
- May 18 – Jabari Magnus, Managing Director, BlackRock
- May 25 – Crystal McCrary, Attorney, Filmmaker, Producer, Author
- June 1 – Detavio Samuels, CEO, Revolt
- June 8 – Angela Yee, Host, All The Way Up with Angela Yee (Part I)
- June 15 – Angela Yee (Part II)
- June 22 – Austin Clements, Venture Capitalist, Slauson & Co.
- June 29 – Victor Lugo, Founder, Gameplay Group International
- July 6 – Van Lathan, Host/Producer
