There are times I don’t understand my own people but in this situation I do. Urban radio not only plays the artists, to a certain extent we adopt them… they become our brothers, sisters, kids, neighbors and friends… We may not understand them or agree with what they do, shit some of them we don’t even like but we don’t throw them under the bus because they make mistakes. Vanesssa Williams once stated after the entire industry shut the doors on her after the scandal, it was urban radio that backed her up, played her records and gave her another shot…
With all due respect to the pop stations and their decision to drop Chris Brown, many of whom read Radio Facts, I think you guys are jumping the gun. Unlike Mike Phelps, who won a Gold medal, there is no picture and no proof of Chris Brown actually committing any crime and everything is still pretty speculative at this point outside of the fact that Rihanna was attacked.รย Besides all the sensationalism even some that we have done here, truth is, none of us know enough. Fuck Wrigley’s and their doublemint twins, they can stick that gum up their asses and chew it that way (laugh).รย However I do enjoy milk, damn.. I’ve GOT to have that on my cereal (laugh)…
Urban radio is aware that this is the time to rally around both Chris and Rihanna until we know more. After all, while physical abuse is unacceptable, so are the rap sheets of many urban AND pop artists who have been arrested for drunk driving, drugs, convictions and MANY other crimes they got away with.. Right? WRONG.. Shit we would only be playing 3 records on ALL stations if there were prerequisites for airplay like this. Most important, before we assume the role of the Moral Police and look over the top of our glasses at artists in judgement least we forget the fact that we all have our own secrets too?รย While none of us are hypocrytes or hypocritical, I hope, do you REALLY think listeners will tune out because you play Chris Brown?
I’m proud of urban radio stations and the pop stations that understand it’s too early to make a call like that right now.รย Finally, how much stupid shit did we ALL do at 19 years of age?