Commemorating the 50th anniversary, this original podcast will go behind the scenes of the historic ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman and the Zaire ’74 music festival.
NEW YORK – October 2, 2024 – iHeartPodcasts, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, and School of Humans announced today “Rumble: Ali/Foreman and The Soul of ‘74.” The original narrative non-fiction podcast, hosted by investigative journalist Zaron Burnett, will commemorate the 50th anniversary of two historic events: the legendary heavyweight championship fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Zaire, Africa and the historic Zaire ’74 music festival that featured performances by the likes of James Brown, B.B King, the Spinners, Bill Withers, and Miriam Makeba.
Premiering on October 9, the compelling new podcast will be set against the backdrop of a tumultuous political and social landscape across the globe marked by a season of assassinations in the US, Mobutu Sese Seko's authoritarian rule in Zaire, the fallout from the Watergate scandal, and the Vietnam War coming to an end, The 13-episode series invites listeners behind the scenes with stories of the staggeringly powerful ensemble of fighters, performers, producers and activists, who uplifted the enduring legacy of Black Excellence. Fans can listen to the official trailer now, HERE.
Host Burnett will guide listeners through the monumental effort behind and lead up to the highly politicized super fight and festival, which were scheduled to take place on the same weekend as part of Mobutu's strategy to forge ties between Zaire and the United States. An unexpected injury forced Foreman to postpone the fight by six weeks, however, leaving the festival to proceed as planned with Ali ultimately attending, viewing it as a celebration of Black empowerment in the newly liberated Zaire.
“I’m excited to be working again with iHeartPodcasts and School of Humans on this project, specifically because they’re both dedicated to telling stories that connect people, explore emotional landscapes, enlarge and inform our worldviews – stories that take hold of our hearts and ask us to consider, in this case, the best of humanity,” said host Zaron Burnett. “It’s a rare privilege to work with these storytellers because they grant the freedom to find new and interesting ways to convey the significance of this monumental and historic event to listeners.”
Throughout the series, listeners will hear various personal accounts around the two events including stories about the song-filled flight carrying all the artists to Zaire; James Brown's insistence on bringing all his gear on board despite safety risks; Ali’s inspiring discussions on freedom in the greenroom; and more. Featured interviews will include Nico Ali-Walsh (Ali's grandson), Shirley King (B.B. King's daughter), Selema Masekela (son of Hugh Masekela and X Games host), Lola! Love (James Brown's dancer), Fred Wesley (James Brown's band leader), photographer Lynn Goldsmith, author of Rumble in the Jungle Lewis Erenberg, author of Ali: A Life Jonathan Eig, Elijah Muhammad III, and ESPN's Mark Kriegel.
“Partnering with visionary storytellers like Zaron Burnett and School of Humans embodies our commitment to sharing powerful narratives such as this one, at the intersection of sports, politics, and music,” said Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts. “We’re honored to help bring this pivotal moment in history to life, reminding us of the stories and figures of resilience and influence who have helped shape our world.”
“This project is sprawling in the best way. These two events mark the ascendance of Black Excellence on the world stage - and the journey there is packed with nuance and catharsis,” said Julia Christgau, Director and Producer, School of Humans. “We are thrilled to have partnered with iHeartPodcasts and Zaron Burnett to shine a spotlight on these impactful moments 50 years later and offer a holistic telling of these significant histories.”
“Rumble” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and will be available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard. Executive Producers include Virginia Prescott, LC Crowley and Brandon Barr for School of Humans; Jason English and Sean Titone for iHeartPodcasts; and series creator Gary Stromberg.
ABOUT ZARON BURNETT
Zaron Burnett is an investigative journalist and longform features writer who covers crime, exposes scams, and interviews more than his fair share of criminals. He's the creator of the hit podcasts Black Cowboys and Ridiculous Crime.
SCHOOL OF HUMANS
School of Humans is a multi-platform production company producing series for television (Dirty Jobs, Stuff You Should Know). The company launched its audio division with the hit true crime podcast HELL AND GONE. The perennial top ten podcast is now in its fourth season, with over 16 million downloads to date. School of Humans Audio now boasts a slate of successful non-fiction titles distributed under a multi-year deal with iHeartMedia. Among them, Unreformed: The Story of the Alabama Industrial School for Negro Children (#1 Apple and Spotify History Podcast charts); Sanctum Unmasked (with VOGUE Sex Columnist Karley Scirotino); ASTRAY ( #15 on Apple podcasts); and RACKET (A Vulture “Best New True Crime Podcasts” pick). School of Humans’ first scripted podcast, Sisters of The Underground starring Dania Ramirez (X-Men, Sweet Tooth) and Judy Reyes (Succession, Scrubs) was produced in conjunction with My Cultura and Eva Longoria.
