DJ Akademiks claims Jim Jones, Maino, Fabolous and Dave East launched a podcast on money struggles in music

DJ Akademiks is raising concerns about the financial state of hip-hop. On a September 24 livestream, the media figure pointed to the creation of Let’s Rap About It—an upcoming podcast from Jim Jones, Fabolous, Maino, and Dave East—as an example of artists seeking income outside of music in order to keep going.

“Rap game is completely cooked,” Akademiks told his audience. “Ain’t no money in music.”

The outspoken host stressed that he was not criticizing the four New York legends, but he viewed their shift toward podcasting as a clear sign of how the industry now operates. “If you told me they were together, I’d be like, oh my God, they’re making some four-way greatest New York rapper thing,” he said. “But bruh, there’s no more money in music. Unless you’re like YB, unless you’re like the Drakes, there’s no money for the middle-order guys. It’s complete famine.”

Akademiks referenced past comments from Jay-Z and Drake that claimed only “1%” of rappers earn real money from their careers, and then took it further. “It’s not 1% anymore—it’s 0.1%,” he argued, describing music today as more of a “cool factor” than a source of income for most artists. In his view, rappers are now making money through podcasts, public appearances, and various side businesses.

DJ Akademiks On Jim Jones, Fabolous, Maino, & Dave East Becoming Podcasters

Record labels, according to Akademiks, are making the situation worse. He pointed to the rise of TikTok as evidence that companies no longer need to pour millions into developing talent in order to create hits.

“They’re looking at artists like, so you ain’t poppin’? Why invest?” he explained.

He noted that only stars on the scale of Cardi B still receive major label support even when they go years without releasing music. For everyone else, the reality is far more severe.

Artists are spending months creating and promoting records, only to end up with disappointing sales and minimal streaming payouts. “Rap is done,” Akademiks declared. “Most y’all make y’all money on tour… these days rappers are in a weird place.” He even suggested that some performers have returned to hustling in the streets just to maintain their way of life.

For Akademiks, the turn toward podcasting is less about artistic exploration and more about survival. In his eyes, projects like Let’s Rap About It are not side experiments but essential lifelines in a music world where only a tiny group of stars still see real profit.