About the Hosts – Kahlil Wonda & Agard
Kahlil and Agard, are the Guyanese-American co-hosts of the Reggae Lover Podcast. Kahlil is living down south in Georgia, while Agard is based in New York.
When Kahlil is not recording or editing, he works for a global electronics manufacturer as a Project Manager, while Agard is a manager at an audio/video rental production company.
Why did you decide to get started in podcasting?
Kahlil: I saw it as a way to communicate directly with my supporters and nurture a global audience. Also, after doing radio, I saw the value of owning my content, having complete creative control plus visibility into my show’s analytics.
Agard: I thought that I could share some insight about Reggae culture. I also felt the need for more platforms that document the culture, more than just the music.
How does the team juggle their individual activities outside of the podcast?
As independents, it certainly is a juggling act to say the least. We schedule podcast activities around family and work obligations.
How does the team manage the partnership of being co-hosts? What systems do you have in place?
We brainstorm ideas for the topics and segments. The content creation side is a great deal of collaboration. Kahlil handles much of the administration and promotion.
About the Show
Reggae Lover is about the stories of people that work or worked in various parts of the reggae ecosystem. The show also has discussions about current events, culture, and history of reggae. It’s available every Monday and it can be found on these major listening platforms: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher
Why did you choose this name & format?
As reggae selectors and promoters, this is our lane of deep passion, knowledge and expertise.
Explain why you switched from being a mixcast podcast to the current format?
There are limitations to mixes. It is also very difficult to monetize copyrighted music that we did not produce. We wanted to show people the diversity of the culture through in-depth conversation.
How did you decide to become co-hosts?
We regularly discuss these topics amongst ourselves and figured that since we were already having these conversations, why not record and share them?
Now that you’ve launched your show, what are you hoping to accomplish?
We hope to make inroads into areas where Reggae is not usually celebrated by continuing to promote this culture and document all aspects of it. We look forward to implementing other platforms such as writing and film/TV in the future.
Podcast Experience
What’s one tip you learned before you started podcasting that was really helpful?
Kahlil: Record everything and listen back to everything.
Agard: Always try to have high quality audio.
What’s one resource you wish you knew/had before starting your podcast?
Kahlil: I wish I had the resource of money for a widespread promotional campaign across all media at launch.
Agard: I wish I knew the level of commitment it would take to record consistently.
What’s one thing you’ve learned about yourself since you started?
Kahlil: I have discovered my voice – my true, authentic self.
Agard: I’ve learned how not to take things too seriously.
Who inspired you the most to start a podcast?
Kahlil: John Lee Dumas, author of “Podcast Launch” and creator of “Entrepreneur on Fire.”
Agard: The prospect of learning more and sharing parts of this culture inspires me.
What’s the first podcast you ever listened to?
Kahlil: It’s been so long… I’d say Dave Ramsey. That could be true.
Agard: The first podcast I listened to was probably the Combat Jack Show, RIP Combat Jack.
Other than your show, what are some of your favorite podcasts?
Kahlil: The Fix Podcast, Locked on Knicks, Style and Vibes, The Heal and Grow Journey.
Agard: The Joe Budden Podcast, On the Media, Pod Save America, How Did This Get Made.
What do you enjoy most about podcasting?
Kahlil: It’s a great outlet for creative expression about a topic I’m passionate about and it facilitates community building. It’s a beautiful thing!
Agard: Learning new things and conversing about topics that I’m passionate about.
What do you enjoy least about podcasting?
Kahlil: Having to edit when I’m tired and up against a deadline.
Agard: Having to be on when you’re super exhausted.
What advice would you give to other aspiring podcasters in the region or generally?
Be consistent, be honest with your audience, and do research into how to get high quality audio.
What are looking forward to seeing in the podcasting space?
Kahlil: Advertisers investing because they recognize the value in supporting Caribbean creators and their audiences.
Agard: I want to see more Caribbean people in the podcast space in general. Representation is important, especially when it comes to documenting the culture.
Fun Questions
What is the 1 thing from your Caribbean culture that you cannot do without?
Kahlil: That’s easy. The music.
Agard: Reggae and Roti!
Share a fun fact about the team.
We are cousins and we are one week apart in age.
Conclusion
Where do you see yourself in the next 6 months to a year?
Kahlil: Reaching more and more people with our messages. Reggae is for the children. Reggae is loved by people of every race, nationality, religion, age group, and social class.
Agard: Still recording the show every week.
Where can the listeners find you?
Search “Reggae Lover” online and any podcast platform.
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
