The week before Detavio Samuels became COO of Revolt TV, the subscription-based cable network founded by Sean “Diddy” Combs in 2013, the video of George Floyd being killed by white police officer Derek Chauvin went viral and sparked protests around the globe. The social unrest and sheltering-in-place because of the coronavirus pandemic inspired Samuels to expand Revolt’s reach and programming.
Promoted to Revolt’s CEO in March, Samuels has taken the linear channel from simply being a Black-owned cable channel that centers hip-hop into a cross-platform brand that prioritizes edutaining and empowering Black and brown audiences. “When George Floyd died, it immediately sent us into action,” Samuels, the former president of iOne Digital, said. “It was go time. We had to figure out what revolution we wanted to lead. Our people needed us, and we had to shine a light on this now.”
Revolt is reviving its in-person signature event, Revolt Summit x AT&T, featuring industry executives, recording artists, influencers, activists and public figures from Nov. 11-13 at 787 Windsor in Atlanta. Revolt Summit x AT&T originally came to Atlanta for the first time in 2019 but was forced to go virtual in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Credit: Daniel Bleckley danielbleckley.com
Credit: Daniel Bleckley danielbleckley.com
The three day-experience includes panels, keynote addresses and workshops themed around music, tech, fashion, innovation, mental health, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and social justice. Grammy-winning rapper and activist Killer Mike and Migos member Offset are this year’s Revolt Summit x AT&T culture curators. Sessions feature appearances from Chance the Rapper, Lil Yachty, Jeezy, Rick Ross, City Girls, Royce da 5′9, 85 South Show, NLE Choppa and Joey Bada$$.
One of the Revolt Summit x AT&T’s main areas, AT&T Office Hours, offers 10-minute, one-on-one mentorship discussions between power players and aspiring talent. Black Safety First, one of this year’s Saturday afternoon discussions, is a conversation on the main stage around policing and Black people that includes activist Tamika Mallory, attorney Benjamin Crump, and family members who’ve lost loved ones to police violence.
All of the seminars collectively exist as what Samuels calls a vehicle “to inspire the next generation of future leaders and those people who believe they have the potential to impact, change and move the world.”
“What we want to do is give the people real access and the opportunity to learn from some of the best in the world,” Samuels, 40, says. “It’s about our culture and our community. When you combine that with this moment, it’s about bold thinking.”
Social justice has become one of Revolt’s focal points. Over the last 18 months, the platform synonymous with shows like “Off Top” and “State of the Culture” went from airing no socially conscious content to dedicating 50% of its slate to social justice-themed subject matter. In 2020, Revolt, which also airs popular podcasts “The Breakfast Club,” “Big Facts,” and “Drink Champs,” premiered its newsmagazine show, “Revolt Black News.”
This month, Revolt piloted an eight-episode talk show taped in Atlanta, “Love and Respect with Killer Mike,” and “Assets Over Liabilities,” a five-episode series on socioeconomics and generational wealth hosted by “Earn Your Leisure” podcasters Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings.
It was important to Samuels, the son of University of Utah’s late African American Studies professor Wilfred “Pepe” Samuels, to ensure Revolt’s company culture takes pride in its name with its content. An award-winning marketing executive and serial entrepreneur, Samuels was even willing to sacrifice major advertising revenue for Revolt from brands who couldn’t empathize with the plight of Revolt’s majority Black staff and the race-related experiences they regularly encounter as professionals and civilians.
“It’s not just talk; it funnels through everything that we do,” Samuels, a Duke and Stanford alumnus, says. “We are going to be the people who center Black folk.”
“The last year allowed us to create this ridiculous pivot where social justice is now ingrained in our DNA,” Samuels adds. “It’s part of our heart and soul, and we’re never looking backwards. It is hard doing this work, but it’s a very purpose-driven company. We push through the fatigue because we realize it’s about the people and the culture.”
Samuels is also growing Revolt’s digital footprint. The company is relaunching its website this month so that it’s built for mobile and video streaming. Expanding into mobile for Android and iOS, Revolt’s first connected TV apps will be on Roku, AppleTV and Amazon Fire.
“I always wanted to lead a company that can be impactful,” the Denver native said. “What I inherited was a cable company that needed to build an agency and push into digital. We’re performing at an incredible level. It’s only gonna get bigger.”
Going forward, Revolt is planting its feet deeper in Atlanta. Along with a satellite office, the network is producing and developing more documentaries, investigative journalism specials and original programming with origins in Atlanta across Revolt’s verticals.
Samuels says expanding into Atlanta is Revolt’s effort to further position itself as a premier cable brand for African American viewers. The goal is to encourage Black and brown communities to control and own their narratives.
“You have to be able to reach the people wherever they live and breathe,” Samuels said. “We’re super excited about the city of Atlanta, and Revolt has been building there more and more. If Revolt is the platform for the culture, then it should be in Atlanta, the mecca for the culture.”
EVENT PREVIEW
Revolt Summit X AT&T
Nov. 11-13. $129. 787 Windsor, 787 Windsor St. SW, Atlanta. revoltsummit.com.
About the Author
