EFOC 2025: Druski Talks Viral Fame, Brand Power, And The Future of Black Media

From viral sketches to a growing media empire, comedian and entrepreneur Druski is one of the most recognizable — and influential — names in entertainment today. As someone who has authentically built his personal brand into what is exponentially growing, the Coulda Been Records founder sat down with ESSENCE VP and Senior Content Director, Nandi Howard, for an unfiltered conversation on day three of the SUEDE Men’s Experience at the ESSENCE Festival of Culture.

Druski has given us a plethora of skits and other viral moments that we will never be able to forget. “The ones that really, really make me happy are the ones that I get goosebumps from while I’m making a video,” he says, trying to recall which he would consider his favorite. With over 27 million combined followers across all social media platforms, he believes the authenticity and relatability of his content is what keeps people engaged. “In a lot of our skits, it will be in real time, in front of a real crowd of people. Some of those are real reactions. Sometimes we might be in a McDonald’s kitchen. Sometimes we might be at the airport, so you never know what we’re going to do.”

However, the most memorable moment of his career thus far was hosting his first-ever comedy/music festival, Coulda Fest, in Atlanta in September 2024.

“We sold out State Farm Arena in Atlanta this past year. It was amazing,” he says. “The most memorable part of that though…I got stuck on a rope. I was supposed to fly down off the ropes and yeah, I think it was too much weight on the ropes.” As the crowd laughs, he continues, “It’s a long story. But we’re gonna fix that this year.”

The Atlanta-based entertainer also reveals his journey to stardom hasn’t always been peaches and cream, encouraging the next generation of Black creatives to think before they post.

“Yeah I posted some stuff online I shouldn’t have posted before, but it ain’t up no more,” he shares. “With everything you do, you have to consider the stakes. You can’t just do everything. Nobody’s perfect. It may seem like I get a lot of views and comments and likes and all that, but it took a long time to get there. It doesn’t come from a bunch of ‘yeses’ – it comes from a ton of ‘nos.’”

Despite the peaks and valleys that come with success, Druski is definitely headed uphill, teasing an upcoming movie starring him, alongside fellow comedians-turned-entrepreneurs, Kevin Hart and Kai Cenat.

“We’ve already shot it, and it’s super funny,” he reveals. “I don’t want to say too much, but I will say it is a very funny, new generational movie. We’re bringing back comedy in a different way. What we’ve done, I think, is going to blow everybody’s mind when it does come out.”

In addition to comedy, streaming is one of the new frontiers Druski is ready to explore. Druski also hints at expanding his brand to Twitch soon, alongside Cenat, the wildly popular Twitch personality and two-time Streamer of the Year. “It’s like the new form of Black content right now…everybody’s running to it and it’s a dope concept,” the comedian says. “I’m definitely going to be making my debut very soon. I haven’t told anybody what I was going to do yet – and I still won’t – but when it happens, it’s going to be really good.” 

While he cannot speak to exactly what or how he will use the popular streaming service, he clarifies he will use the platform in his own different, unique way.

“Streaming is taking over right now. I think it’s just how you go about it because everybody’s trying to copy each other. People should just be more creative…and be open to new avenues with streaming. It’s not just one way that it has to work, you know? There’s a lot of different ways.”

The 30-year-old’s media expansion has been thanks, in large part, to brand partnerships. From Microsoft, to Raising Cane’s, to Google Pixel and T-Mobile, one thing all of his partnerships have in common is him maintaining creative control.

“You have to bring your own team to make sure that you get the concepts that you want out of the product. You can’t just let them come up with the creative,” Druski shares. “There is a reason why the concept always works out well and it’s funny and entertaining. It’s because of me being able to tell them, ‘We can’t do this without having my team.’”

While his collaboration with several multi-million dollar corporations has yielded lucrative results, he warns up and coming content creators that money isn’t everything, but consistency is, as well as being passionate.

“Before you can chase anything, you definitely have to chase your passion. The money is good, but you can’t get there without having and being passionate about something that you really love,” Druski shares. “After that, the main thing to do is to stay consistent, but stay consistent with the right thing, not the wrong thing. I think people don’t understand what is working or what’s not working for them. It sounds like such a small thing…I used to hear it all the time when I was coming up. But really, when you look at the people that continue to get more wins, it’s the consistent ones – after a loss and after a win.” 

More than anything, Druski encourages the next generation of Black creatives to focus on their personal brand over anything else. “Having your own personal brand is the biggest thing you can do. I created Coulda Been Records from an Instagram live during COVID…and then that turned into a whole TV show and now we’re doing multiple seasons of different shows, so it’s not the hardest thing to do. It could be in the smallest way, but just make sure you continue to push your own brand.”

One thing is for sure: the media mogul in the making has no plans to slow down any time soon. “I am thankful that God has blessed me enough to even be in this position, so that’s number one. I think whatever He has [for me] on this path to success, I will embrace it and continue to keep creating and building.”

The post EFOC 2025: Druski Talks Viral Fame, Brand Power, And The Future of Black Media appeared first on Essence.