The Breakdown with King Williams

King Williams
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A podcast covering the intersection of Atlanta in business, entertainment, politics, and urban planning. Hosted by me, King Williams. I am a documentary filmmaker and journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. If you haven’t already, sign up for my freemium newsletter at https://iamkingwilliams.substack.com

  1. 10/15/2025

    Marietta Mayoral Candidate Sam Foster

    In this episode of The Breakdown with King Williams, I talk to Marietta Mayoral candidate Sam Foster. Sam Foster has been gaining notoriety ahead of this early voting period. At only 24 years old, Sam Foster is one of the youngest people statewide running for office in this cycle. Sam is trying to seat a four-time incumbent, utilizing grassroots campaigning and a burgeoning social media presence to get the word out. In this interview, we talk about his ideas for Marietta, the gaps in leadership, and what he would like to accomplish. You can visit his website at /https://samformarietta.com/. To find your voter status, visit the state's website at https://mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/. If you enjoyed this episode, please like, share, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. If you would like to support, you can donate to my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/iamkingwilliams. You can also sign up for my newsletter at https://iamkingwilliams.substack.com/subscribehttps://iamkingwilliams.substack.com/subscribe.

    29 min

  2. 06/07/2025

    Goodbye, Sweetberry Park with Josh Green

    In this episode of The Breakdown with King Williams, I speak with journalist and author Josh Green. Josh is best known for his contributions to the Atlanta housing scene through his roles as editor at Curbed Atlanta (RIP) and now at Urbanize Atlanta.   However, today we discuss Josh's latest novel, Goodbye, Sweetberry Park, an Atlanta-inspired story of gentrification and chaos. We explore how the book came to life and how Atlanta has developed into a character within his fiction writing. He also shares that this is the second installment in a planned trilogy of novels and offers a teaser about what the next one will entail.   If you enjoyed this conversation, please visit Josh's website https://joshrgreen.com/ to purchase the book or find it on Amazon.

    45 min

  3. 05/31/2025

    Quick Listen: Pride Run ATL

    In this special episode of The Breakdown with King Williams, I talk to Troy Newkirk of Pride Run ATL. Pride Run is one of the largest events of Pride in Atlanta is one of the key focal points for this annual celebration. In this conversation with Troy, we talk about the run as well as the looming changes coming from the Trump administration regarding LGBT issues and what that means for events like Pride Run. If you would like to know more about Pride Run, you can visit their website https://www.priderunatl.org/, and if you would like to donate, you can click the link here.

    19 min

  4. 03/05/2025

    New 'Cop City' Podcast - "We Came To The Forest" with Tommy Andres

    In this episode of The Breakdown with King Williams, I sit down with Tommy Andres, one-half of the producing duo behind the new Wondery Podcast limited series We Came To The Forest. We Came To The Forest explores the ongoing 'Cop City' movement in Atlanta through direct interviews with those involved in the protests, including a never-before-heard interview with Manuel Esteban Paez Terán, also known as Tortuguita, the protestor who was killed by a Georgia State Patrol officer in January 2023.  In this conversation, we discuss how Tommy learned about Cop City, the controversial Atlanta Police Training Center in Southwest DeKalb County. He also shares insights on the journey to produce the podcast and what he has discovered since starting the series.  Tommy also produced the award-winning King Slime podcast with fellow Atlanta-based journalists Christina Lee and George Chidi, which focuses on the Young Thug, YSL Trial, and we touch on that towards the end.  This podcast is available for Wondery subscribers on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.  If you haven't already, please subscribe to my podcast and newsletter at iamkingwilliams.substack.com.

    1h 5m

  5. 11/08/2024

    The Rise and Fall Of The Religious Left featuring Dr. L. Benjamin Rolsky

    King Williams hosts L. Benjamin Rolsky, a professor and author, to discuss his book "The Rise and Fall of the Religious Left." Using Norman Lear as a case study, Rolsky explains his work on the intersection of religion, politics, and popular culture since the 1970s. He critiques the term "Christian nationalism," arguing it emerged post-2016 and oversimplifies conservative activism. Rolsky also discusses the complexities of evangelicalism and its political leanings, noting the influence of media and marketing. He emphasizes the need for robust academic analysis and critical thinking in understanding contemporary political dynamics. This interview references two books worth reading in addition to Dr. Rolsky’s book: Nicole Hemmer’s “Messengers of The Right,” a History of conservative media in America, and Kevin Kruse’s “One Nation Under God: How Corporate America Invented Christian America” a look at how corporate conservatives infiltrated Christian politics. Nicole Hemmer has previously appeared on the podcast, and you can listen to her interview below: Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/episode/5RXrdl5YaHNic403ptD9mw Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-history-of-conservative-media-with-nicole/id1598766335?i=1000570923137 If you enjoy this conversation, please let me know, write a review, and share it with a friend. You can also sign up for my newsletter at iamkingwilliams.substack.com. If you want to advertise on the podcast or the newsletter, please message the podcast.

    1h 13m

  6. 11/03/2023

    The Black Atlanta Restaurant Scene From An Owner's POV Featuring Randy Hazelton

    In this episode of The Breakdown with King Williams, I talk to veteran Atlanta restaurateur Randy Hazelton. Randy co-founded H&H Hospitality, one of Hartfield Jackson's biggest food vendors. H&H Hospitality has nearly two dozen brands in the world's busiest airport. Randy also founded Cafe Circa, a beloved Atlanta restaurant staple, before entering the airport hospitality business. And understands the demands of hosting a popular Atlanta restaurant. In this conversation, we discuss the last two weeks in the Atlanta restaurant scene. This includes Randy's thoughts on the Michelin Guide and whether or not awards matter for his business. We also discuss the now viral weekend featuring MMA fighter turned TikTok food reviewer/influencer Keith Lee. We also discuss the related topics on the social media conversation and the reputation of Black Atlanta restaurants. This includes his thoughts on the perceived lack of service culture in certain Black Atlanta and the realities of owning a restaurant. As well as what he would do to change the reputation of the food scene in Black Atlanta. If you liked this interview, please give it a 5-star review and share it with a friend. You can also sign up for my newsletter at iamkingwilliams.substack.com or become a monthly donor at Patreon.com/iamkingwilliams. To be a one-time donor, you can donate via CashApp at $IAmKingWilliams or Venmo at IAmKingWilliams.

    55 min

  7. 10/31/2023

    Keith Lee, "Grass Wall Restaurants" and the Michelin Guide in Atlanta featuring Mike Jordan

    The episode starts at 2:00 In this episode of The Breakdown with King Williams, I talk to Mike Jordan, a veteran Atlanta food and culture journalist. In this interview, we talk about the wild week in Atlanta's food scene. A week that includes the first-ever Michelin Guide winners and recommendations. But also the wild weekend of MMA Fighter and TikTok food reviewer and influencer Keith Lee's misadventures in Atlanta's Black food scene. As well as the explosion of the online backlash to specific Black-owned restaurants in Atlanta. We discuss the role of "Grass Wall Restaurants," referring to trendy, social media and celebrity-driven restaurants that have angered its mostly Black clientele for years. Mike also gives his own opinions on the best restaurants in the city and what areas of growth the industry needs to address. If you want to follow Mike on Twitter, he can be found @michaelbjordan on Twitter or at his website, http://www.mikejordanonline.com/.

    1h 9m

  8. 10/27/2023

    Reactions to the Atlanta Michelin Guide with Sara Delgado

    In this episode of The Breakdown with King Williams, Sara Delgado returns to give her thoughts on the 2023 Atlanta Michelin Guide. The guide comes at a time when Atlanta's food scene is being heavily questioned on both its quality and service. In addition, social media influencer Keith Lee is in town tasting Atlanta's Black-owned restaurants, resulting in an online firestorm of virality. This interview continues an earlier conversation from the previous episode titled 'Does Atlanta’s restaurant scene have what it takes to get a Michelin star?'. Sara is a food industry veteran, blogger, and enthusiast. You can read some of her works below. Medium - Sara Delina Substack - Word of Mouth Rough Draft Atlanta - How to be a good eater, Dine like the main character, and Leaving the party a little too early She’s also on Instagram @saradelina.

    57 min
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About

A podcast covering the intersection of Atlanta in business, entertainment, politics, and urban planning. Hosted by me, King Williams. I am a documentary filmmaker and journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. If you haven’t already, sign up for my freemium newsletter at https://iamkingwilliams.substack.com

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