The name Zuby might not be familiar. But his 447,200 Twitter followers and countless fans have made him the highest-funded U.K.-based rapper on Kickstarter, and his self-published health and fitness guide has sold thousands of copies. Born in England, raised in Saudi Arabia, and Oxford educated, the man his parents named Nzube Udezue is a world traveler with a unique perspective on culture, fitness, and life. Known in equal measure for his music, social commentary, and fitness expertise, Zuby is the kind of guy who can have a thoughtful conversation with just about anyone.
And he does.
Not content to simply be a guest on other people’s podcasts, and having been interviewed by some of the biggest names out there (Joe Rogan, Adam Carolla, and Ben Shapiro, to name a few), in early 2019 Zuby started his own. The overriding theme of each episode is searching out what is real. On a recent episode with rapper Hi-Rez, Zuby said, “My podcast is called ‘Real Talk with Zuby.’ I know that my authenticity is something that draws people to myself. People these days especially hunger for the truth and hunger for honesty.”
Listeners are warned not to expect political correctness.
Real Talk with Zuby covers a wide range of topics, and he’s willing to listen to anyone, whether they be liberal, conservative, or on the fence, Christian, atheist, or agnostic, gay or straight. Over the past couple years, Zuby has spoken with Scott Adams (cartoonist, author, social commentator), Ed Latmore (former heavyweight boxer), Arielle Scarcella (“Lesbian queen of controversial conversations”), Joy Villa (singer and actress), and many other names you might know.
Every guest is outspoken in his or her field, and Zuby doesn’t keep his opinions to himself either. One week he might be discussing the music industry, and then the next it could be Bitcoin, or fitness, current health issues, politics, and probably all of the above. We might not always agree with Zuby or his guests—they don’t always agree with each other—but respectful disagreement is a dying art. At the moment, Zuby is among its leading artists.
“I am not left-wing, I am not right-wing / I just know all these things I know,” Zuby raps in his song “Perseverance.”
When Jesus stood before Pilate, he said he came into the world to bear witness to the truth. The governor flippantly asked, “What is truth?” before declaring Jesus innocent and handing him over to be punished anyway. Even in the first century, before all the noise of Twitter, podcasts, and other social media, having an honest conversation about what is real wasn’t easy. Only Jesus is the Truth, and we won’t find a better truth in anyone else. (COM Entertainment)
About the Author
Trevor Denning is an alumni of Cornerstone University and lives, lifts weights, and spends too much time in his kitchen in Alma, Mich. His first short story collection is St. George Drive and Other Stories.