DJ Vlad (born Vladislav Lyubovny, June 28, 1973) is a Ukrainian-American interviewer, journalist, and former DJ. He is the creator of the news website VladTV.com. His namesake YouTube channel is known for hosting interviews of entertainers and celebrity figures, and has accumulated over six million subscribers. He is based in Calabasas, California.

Early life

Lyubovny was born in Kyiv, Ukraine (then part of the Soviet Union) to a Russian Jewish family and moved to the United States at the age of five, first living in Springfield, Massachusetts, before his family settled down in San Mateo, California. He grew up in the Bay Area and became interested in hip hop in his youth when N.W.A released their debut album. He went to university at UC Berkeley graduating in Computer Science and Engineering.

Career

Lyubovny was initially making hip hop beats, but later quit when he realized he would not be successful at it. He began DJing after experimenting with a friend's equipment. In a 2010 interview with Parlé Magazine, he stated: "I kinda reached this point where I was like 'I really wanna do music. Let me try and concentrate and do music as well'." He directed on the American Gangster television series, as well as the documentary film Ghostride the Whip.

Lyubovny later launched VladTV.com and initially uploaded MP3 files of DJ mixtapes.[when?] He moved to New York City and released the Rap Phenomenon mixtape series.[when?] He was also making hip hop DVDs, but was financially struggling as DVD sales began to decline. In 2008, Lyubovny turned his attention towards YouTube, which had recently launched its Partner Program which allows content creators to earn money. Lyubovny then decided to drop all other endeavours and focus on YouTube full-time.

In August 2008, Lyubovny was assaulted by rapper Rick Ross's entourage after he covered a story on the rapper's former career as a corrections officer. Lyubovny filed a $4 million lawsuit. On April 15, 2010, a New York Federal Jury awarded Lyubovny $300,000 in his civil suit, finding Ross liable for setting Lyubovny up for the attack at the 2008 Ozone Awards in Houston, Texas.

In April 2009, the Star & Buc Wild show joined the VladTV family to do a daily feature. In May 2010, Lyubovny voiced himself for a cameo in The Boondocks episode "Bitches to Rags".

In December 2016, Lyubovny interviewed Soulja Boy, who explained events surrounding a home invasion and shooting in 2008. The interview went viral, with many questioning the validity of Soulja Boy's claims. Numerous people parodied Soulja Boy's interview online, including rapper Joe Budden, and comedians Mike Epps and D.C. Young Fly, in what was ironically dubbed the "Soulja Boy Challenge".

In 2026, rapper 6ix9ine stated that Vlad had paid him $50,000 for earlier VladTV appearances and $15,000 for a later interview. Vlad himself said on the podcast The Real Report that he has spent more than one million dollars paying for interviews, a practice that has been described as checkbook journalism.

Political views

In 2023, Lyubovny criticized hip hop personalities Drake and DJ Khaled for not speaking on the Palestine-Israel conflict following the October 7 attacks, stating “Has anyone noticed that the most famous Jewish person on Earth, Drake, and the most famous Palestinian person on Earth, DJ Khaled, haven’t said a single thing about the Gaza-Israel conflict? That’s the difference between artists of today and timeless legends like 2Pac. You know damn well Pac would be the first one to speak out about something so close to home.”

Controversies

DJ Vlad has been a controversial figure in the hip‑hop media landscape. His interviewing style, business practices, and public remarks have drawn criticism from artists, comedians, and academics.

Accusations of exploitation

VladTV has repeatedly been accused of profiting from Black trauma. In a 2021 investigation, The Ringer described Vlad’s interviews as “more like a police interrogation than journalism” and noted that critics label him a “culture vulture” who builds a brand on sensationalizing the pain of Black guests. R&B singer and actor Tyrese Gibson publicly stated that VladTV is “exploitative of Black culture” and urged entertainers to stop appearing on the channel. Rapper Vince Staples declined to be interviewed, stating that Vlad only wanted to discuss “gang banging” rather than music or broader cultural topics.

Guest departures and disputes

Several recurring guests and interviewees of VladTV publicly severed ties or condemned the platform amid disputes over compensation, editorial integrity, and platform representation.

  • In 2023, comedian Mo'Nique and her husband/manager Sidney Hicks declined to finalize a VladTV interview after Hicks objected to a contract provision that would have granted VladTV ownership of the footage. Following the withdrawal, DJ Vlad aired his grievances on VladTV, calling Hicks a “bitch” and accusing the couple of attempting to “steal” his content.
  • Rapper Boosie Badazz announced in March 2026 that he would no longer appear on VladTV after a pay increase request was denied, later launching his own independent interview series.
  • Comedian Aries Spears demanded higher payment for his VladTV appearances, accused Vlad of defamation, threatened legal action, and called him a “culture vulture” in Black spaces. A subsequent A.I.-generated diss track posted by Vlad deepened the feud.
  • Rapper Royce da 5'9" publicly criticized Vlad for alleged anti‑Farrakhan remarks, demanded the removal of content, and later called on fans to “eliminate” the platform, referencing past involvement of Juvenile and Young Buck with VladTV.
  • Television personality Nick Cannon stated he could no longer work with VladTV after Vlad’s critical comments on Minister Louis Farrakhan.
  • Rapper N.O.R.E. demanded that Vlad remove all of his videos from VladTV, distancing himself from the platform.
  • Lord Jamar and comedian Godfrey publicly announced they were pulling their support for VladTV.
  • Rapper G Herbo vehemently criticized Vlad after an interview, saying Vlad “prioritizes views over integrity” and vowing never to return to the platform.

Joyner Lucas copyright lawsuit

In November 2025, Vlad filed a federal copyright infringement lawsuit against rapper Joyner Lucas in the United States District Court. Vlad, through his company Hot In Here, Inc., alleged that Lucas reposted a five-minute segment from a VladTV interview with comedian Aries Spears to his X account on July 6, 2025, without permission. The clip, in which Spears mocked UK rappers, was posted at a time when Lucas was in a public feud with British rapper Skepta. The lawsuit claimed that Lucas had removed the VladTV watermark and failed to credit the source, causing a loss of advertising revenue. Vlad sought up to $150,000 in statutory damages, legal fees, a permanent injunction barring Lucas from future use of VladTV content, and a full accounting of any profits Lucas derived from the post.

Prior to filing suit, Vlad reached out to Lucas's manager, Dhruv Joshi, offering to drop all legal claims in exchange for Lucas either licensing the footage or sitting for a VladTV interview. Vlad stated he had been in contact with Joshi before the repost to arrange an interview, but negotiations collapsed after Joshi forwarded an expletive-filled text message from Lucas that rejected both options and dared Vlad to take legal action. Lucas subsequently released screenshots of the exchange on social media, accusing Vlad of extortion.

In response, Vlad denied any wrongdoing, insisting the lawsuit was strictly about protecting his intellectual property. He called Lucas and his manager "not very smart" and suggested Lucas was "clout-chasing" by publicizing the dispute instead of resolving it privately. Lucas, meanwhile, publicly maintained that Vlad had been "stalking" him for years to appear on his channel and that the suit was retaliation for his refusal.

Notes

External links