KAHLIEF ADAMS | Engage Your Audience

About Kahlief

Gaming's most culturally essential voice.

Kahlief Adams is the founder and CEO of Spawn On Me — the award-winning video game podcast downloaded over 4 million times in 160 countries, recognized by the New York Times, NPR, Forbes, and Good Morning America as a pioneering voice in gaming culture.

He is the creator and executive producer of The Spawnies — the first Game of the Year-type awards show ever hosted by two Black hosts — and a Game Awards Global Gaming Citizen and inaugural Future Class honoree. A BAFTA Awards Judge, GamesBeat "Up and Comer" Award winner, and Black in Gaming Award winner for Best in Media.

His career spans both sides of the industry: former Diversity Community Program Manager at Riot Games, former Sr. Community Manager at Firewalk Studios (PlayStation), and Technical Program Manager at Intel's VR, Gaming & Esports Group.

Emcee — Games For Change Awards
Host — GamesBeat Summit
Host — 24th Annual DICE Awards nominee panels
Host — The People's Pregame, Fan Controlled Football on NBCLX / Peacock
Co-host — IGN's Podcast Unlocked

Need a Subject Matter Expert?

Keynotes · Panels · Workshops · Fireside chats

Expertise area

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

13 years of editorial advocacy through Spawn On Me and hands-on corporate program management at Riot Games — 12 ERGs, global NA/APAC/EMEA scope.

Keynote · Workshop

Expertise area

Independent Media & Podcasting

Built Spawn On Me from a blog he nearly shut down to a 4M+ download global platform. A practitioner's blueprint for creator longevity and audience ownership.

Keynote · Talk

Expertise area

Community Building

From grassroots podcast community to Sr. Community Manager at Firewalk Studios (PlayStation) — built the first AAA community strategy for Concord from scratch.

Talk · Panel

Expertise area

Gaming Journalism & Media

A working journalist who has covered gaming from the blog era through the streaming revolution — with a clear-eyed view of the industry's identity crisis and what comes next.

Panel · Keynote

Expertise area

The Creator Economy

Active across every wave — blogging, podcasting, streaming, social. Managed Intel's $60K diversity influencer program. Both the creator's and the brand's perspective.

Keynote · Talk

Expertise area

Social Justice Through Gaming

Led #Spawn4Good. Covered Ferguson, Gamergate, and more with editorial courage — and carried those same principles into Riot Games as a program manager.

Keynote · Panel

Past appearances

Speaker · Host · Emcee · Moderator

Awards ceremony

24th Annual DICE Awards

Hosted the nominee panels at gaming's most prestigious peer-voted awards — the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences' annual ceremony.

Host

Social impact awards

Games For Change Awards

Served as emcee for the annual ceremony celebrating games that drive positive social change, education, and humanitarian impact.

Emcee

Industry summit

GamesBeat Summit

Hosted VentureBeat's flagship gaming business and leadership summit, bringing together executives, developers, and investors.

Host

National broadcast

The People's Pregame — NBCLX / Peacock

Hosted the 30-minute pre-game show for Fan Controlled Football's Season V2.0 on NBCLX and Peacock — live national sports television.

Host

Community event

Blacks in Gaming @ GDC

Hosted three fireside chats at GDC 2018, featuring developer Charles Webb (Mafia III), Dr. Kishonna Gray, and the creators of Black Card Revoked.

Moderator

Podcast · Media

IGN Podcast Unlocked

Co-hosted IGN's flagship Xbox-focused podcast — one of the most listened-to gaming podcasts in the world — alongside IGN's editorial team.

Co-host

Kahlief Adams.

Gaming's most culturally essential voice.

Gaming's most culturally essential voice.

Need a Subject Matter Expert?

Past appearances