Get To Know Journalist Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson [Exclusive]

Scoop stared intently, measuring the quality of the cloth with his gaze.

“You want something wool? Something linen?” Cameron asked.

“I feel like wool would last year-round,” Scoop replies.

“Cotton is nice too,” according to Cameron, well-dressed, as he rocked a dark vest.

Mr. Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, editor at Respect Magazine and fore-runner of Scoop B Radio, with Cameron Fontaine, bespoke clothier at Badger & Welsh, discussing to great lengths the intricate detail of Scoop’s future ensemble. The goal was a fitted blazer.

There was quite the selection — dozens of fabrics — nestled in a tiny, red book with a leather interface. Scoop calmly analyzed each slit of material as he strolled the pages.

“You can do the cotton what you do with darker colors,” Cameron said. “Like, you can do the cotton in the blue,” as he gently showcased the embroidered tapestry tucked behind his fit.

The locale was animated, armed with basketball memorabilia and swimming in the aroma of fresh-cut clothing. We shared space with a tailor. People with inky suits marched in and out.

“You mean like that green, right there?” Scoop said, pointing to the guts of the red book.

“This one?” Cameron asked, peeking over.

“Yup,” Scoop says. The two laugh about it. The engagement is sweet, the correspondence a fruitful mesh on every front. The conversation immediately divulges the obvious: Scoop embodies modesty. He projects this ubiquitously.

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“He’s a beast, man. This guy’s a beast,” according to Emmanuel Grant, Scoop’s right-hand for his podcast, Scoop B Radio, speaking enthusiastically over the phone.

“You know, Brandon is a very thoughtful person. He’s very humble, he definitely takes care of his family, he’s very community-oriented. He’s a man with purpose.”

He’s also a busy guy. The rising journalist manages Scoop B Radio alongside Grant for weekly episodes, depending on the content covered. Scoop loves the podcast life. It’s his baby, his passion. And he relishes the auditory aesthetic. It’s one of the three centerpieces of his character.

Alongside the podcast, Scoop champions his composition — chugging 2–3 articles a day for Respect Magazine, and idolizing basketball as a way of life.

“I think that, if you’re relevant and are putting out consistent content, the masses will follow,” Scoop said, as Cameron was taking his vest measurements. “I think I really learned that during my time hosting a podcast with CBS Radio, and as a contributor to CBS sports radio.”

Scoop’s been present on the radio spectrum for years now, starting as a pre-teen with radio show Nets Slammin’ Planet, he’s set the standard for quality sports journalism. Landing on CBS Sports Radio and The Source, before kick-starting Scoop B Radio.

Scoop B Radio attracts notable characters, including Don Bosco HS alum Steve Levy, former NBA star Keith Van Horn and pre-draft NBA pick Glenn Robinson III, all accessible through iTunes or the podcast website. And it’s still young — rounding out season 1 last fall, with more than 50 episodes available online, and viewership across the globe, attracting 4k to 10k a month, with hits in the most unexpected of places.

“We’re global. We’re not just in the tri-state area, we’re global. We get plays from England, Russia, China, all these other places. I’m like “damn” what’s going on. That always blows my mind,” Grant said. “Oh my goodness, we got people from England, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, like, Canada — although I mean, Canada’s here. It’s really a treat to see other markets listening. The metrics we get from the website is not always perfect, but it gives me a good representation that we’re working on something.”

The workload of podcast to writing endeavors adds dimension to Scoop’s repertoire, but he always has somewhere to go, people to see, and challenges to tackle. With the faculty to act like a goofy, older brother remaining unscathed.

“It’s so funny you say that, because everybody I know says that, like he has this stupid side kind of vibe to him,” according to Kandace Moore, Scoop’s sister. “However, to me, that’s just Brandon, you know. I think the reason why he kinda has that celebrity vibe to him is because he just looks so cool. But then, when you talk to him, he’s just regular people. And he’s relatable”

Kandace assists Scoop with his podcast transcripts from time-to-time, despite her college duties, but when the question of his celebrity status comes up, she remains unfazed.

“I feel like, at least as far as celebrities, when I look at them, like I said, they’re just people, you know. They have their quirks and their merits, and they have a sense of humor, you know,” Kandace said. “He’s still very level-headed, always stays humble, knows where he came from, and he knows it’s not all about him. And I think that’s what makes him relatable and approachable.”

‘Celebrity’ Scoop and every-day Scoop are mutually exclusive. So much so, the label withers in excess, as the occupied air of a busy man camouflages the jovial. But such begs the question: where do the lines between lover of sports, and popular sports personality stand?

“To be honest with you, growing up, I liked Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan is the reason why I fell in love with the game of basketball. My step-father’s from Chicago, and in 1991 he introduced me to basketball,” Scoop said. “He and my uncle Billy, introduced me to basketball when I played.”

For Scoop, the sport had an everlasting effect, demonstrating the intricacies of the game with ease, the impact of his childhood interests pervades all his work. The influence is everywhere. One such avenue to cite: hip-hop.

“My entrypoint to hip-hop was as a staff writer on the Source Magazine. I was there from 2013 to 2015. And eventually, after leaving there, I married the two cultures — as well as sports — together,” Scoop said. “So, although people say I’m a sports journalist — a sports and entertainment journalist — because I can cover anything from fashion to hip-hop, the cultures all intertwine. But basketball was my interest, other than The Source.” By then an entourage of camera people were present, recording the discussion.

The Source Magazine, a conglomeration of hip-hop, music, sports, and political culture, was founded in 1988. It reached national publication status in 1990. Scoop aggregated content from the Magazine to the podcast and vice versa. But the process has its hardship. For instance: writing difficulties.

“If I have writer’s block, I go downstairs and do laundry, washing clothes, or I go to the gym,” Scoop said. “You’re able to spread out what you’re doing. I think, in the grand scheme of things, I feel like when I made the analogy and talked about washing clothes, if you have writer’s block — if you’re motivated to do something else — like wash clothes and wash dishes — you get a chance to sit and think, why you’re thinking, and you might be motivated to go back to the computer and learn. And I think that goes for anything, even if somebody’s editing a photo or cutting a video. You kinda get inspiration from the strangest of places.”

This was the moment; confessing to the camera: as even the busiest of people, experts of their craft, can admit their faults.

But that’s just Scoop.

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“This is actually it — yeah. So you like this?” Cameron asks. They’d been pondering for a few minutes. There were a couple more books on the table by then.

“Yep. You know what it reminds me of? Chad school.” Scoop said.

“Chad School?” Cameron asks, grabbing hold of the tape measure on the table.

“Yeah. You originally from Jersey, right?” Scoop asked. “You know the Chad school on South Orange?”

“Chad school? Nah,” Cameron said.

“They had their colors. They had a gold shirt with the uniform, with a green tie,” Scoop said. “We used to buy their uniforms.” The meticulous character suddenly closes the red tome.

His phone started to ring.