Charlamagne

Baller Alert ran a story about The Breakfast Club being booted from 105.3 in Atlanta. There are three odd things to consider. They announced that they heard or saw that the news was on the site Baller Alert. Clues: Would you mention a platform that just announced you are being canceled in Atlanta? The Black Effect Podcast Festival is coming to Atlanta on the 27th. This would be an amazing opportunity for 105.3 in Atlanta to promote and market the event. The Breakfast Club, while we love them, is becoming more and more famous for these pranks. There is no

Charlamagne Tha God criticized diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives on The Daily Show, calling them "mostly garbage" and questioning their effectiveness in corporate America. He highlighted the lack of Black leadership in companies and the performative nature of some DEI efforts following George Floyd's murder. Charlamagne, Candace Owens, Dr. Shaun HarperHowever, the founder and executive director of the USC Race and Equity Center, Dr. Shaun Harper, someone who may have uniquely benefited from DEI as a black man, countered Charlamagne's claims in a Forbes response, emphasizing the positive impact of their DEI work across various organizations and citing evidence that

I love to see an artist like Muni Long, who is exceptionally versed in how the business works. She and Charlamagne speak up for radio around the 17:00 mark, but the whole interview is great. Muni

(This story was originally written in April 8, 2013)Digital and Radio Facts founder Kevin Ross was a radio DJ for many years working in many markets including monumental and historic stations like KKBT in Los Angeles during its [...]

Your Greatest Cheerleader is YOU!I was in a very interesting Clubhouse the other day and I was glad to be a silent participant and listened to what the younger generation coming up in radio had to say about the [...]

Digital and Radio Facts:  Many urban radio people, including PDs (still), feel it's better to maintain a low profile to maintain a more neutral stance with their respective corporations.This story originally ran June 11, 2017. [...]

Digital and Radio Facts: This has got to be one of if not THE best, MOST IMPORTANT interviews I have ever heard on the radio. [...]

(This story was originally written in April 8, 2013)Digital and Radio Facts founder Kevin Ross was a radio DJ for many years working in many markets including monumental and historic stations like KKBT in Los Angeles during its heyday in the early 90s. [...]

Radio Facts: During today’s live press conference from New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, The Breakfast Club -- the most-listened-to Urban Contemporary morning show in America -- got a shout out for helping encourage an executive order to extend the grace period for insurance payments for those impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

“I got asked for this by some friends of mine at The Breakfast Club on 105.1, Charlamagne and DJ Envy and Angela Yee, the other day,” said Governor Murphy.  “And this was in the works - we didn’t have a definitive answer, so I want to give them a shout out for helping give us even more impetus to get this done sooner than later.”  

Watch a clip from the press conference here:  https://www.instagram.com/p/B-xPaDUg4aj/

Ironically, Teddy Riley's story has rarely been told. This is one of the best interviews I've ever heard or seen on The Breakfast Club Radio Show pertaining to the music industry. Teddy talks about being ripped off by his former stepfather, the late Gene Griffin, something that former original Guy member Timmy Gatling told the group about and ended up leaving because of Gene Griffin.

I remember hearing that Teddy got into a fight with Gene at an industry conference, maybe Jack the Rapper back in the day, but never got all the details. Anybody interested in being in the music industry should see this interview.

Radio Facts: On 10/17 Charlamagne Tha God sat down with Gucci Mane to discuss his evolution, how his wife made him a better man, staying drug free, losing friends, some of his regrets and so much more!!!Gucci himself said [...]

KUDOS to Charamagne tha God for donating $250,000 this past Saturday to his mom's alma matter South Carolina State. All funds will be allocated towards providing scholarships to black women in his hometown of South Carolina who wish to major in English as his mother did, Communications since he's the "Radio/TV Guy" or for "any sister who wants to be a Mental Health professional." Charlamagne: "My mother is an alumni of @scstate1896 class of 75. Today was South Carolina States homecoming and I had the honor of announcing “The Ford Family Endowed Scholarship Fund” Ford is my mother’s maiden name and my grandmother's last name. We will be providing scholarships to black women in South Carolina who Major in English, (my mother’s major) Communications, (because I’m a Radio/TV Guy), and for any sister that wants to be a mental health professional. Always remember investing in an HBCU is investing in the future of our people so the next time an HBCU ask for money, open that wallet. It’s a blessing to be a blessing! All Praises Due To God!!! P.S. Speaking of GOD my creator told me to announce that I’m tapped out until February so to all friends and family don’t even consider calling me this holiday season for nothing. Have a blessed day. #wefightdifferent" Photo: CTG credit Power 105

 

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My mother is an alumni of @scstate1896 class of 75. Today was South Carolina States homecoming and I had the honor of announcing “The Ford Family Endowed Scholarship Fund” Ford is my mother’s maiden name and my grandmothers last name. We will be providing scholarships to black women in South Carolina who Major in English, (my mother’s major) Communications, (because I’m a Radio/TV Guy), and for any sister that wants to be a mental health professional. Always remember investing in an HBCU is investing in the future of our people so the next time an HBCU ask for money, open that wallet. It’s a blessing to be a blessing! All Praises Due To God!!! P.S. Speaking of GOD my creator told me to announce that I’m tapped out until February so to all friends and family don’t even consider calling me this holiday season for nothing. Have a blessed day. #wefightdifferent

A post shared by LENARD (@cthagod) on Oct 19, 2019 at 10:27am PDT

Greetings young radio brethren and sistren. I'm sure many of you have heard of Radio Facts during your career. For that, I'd like to give you some advice I hope you never forget.

I am a very wise and brilliant elder MF who embraces technology and I LOVE it. I also admire Millenial and Gen Z concepts because you KNOW your value and you don't take the sh that we had to take. I surround myself with many of you people and I learn a lot and I teach those who I mentor what I'm about to tell you. I get that you don't like to be managed but understand, while that works for more opportunities there is a price to pay for it too when it comes to "relationships." I'm going to leave it up to you to figure out how to make that work but make sure you don't burn too many bridges that you might have to cross down the road. Allow me to thank you for opening the door to 40-year-old plus people to still get work because corporations are confused by you and they want people who are committed to achieving THEIR goals and there is nothing wrong with that either but for those who want to be on a faster track to success ... read on. Recently, I asked a millennial to do an assignment and he told me, "You know Kevin, I'm really not interested in doing that!" I cracked up because he reminded me of ME. I was a "millennial" in the 80s and 90s which is how I ended up being an entrepreneur. I felt that every boss I ever had was no smarter than me and I could do their job as good or BETTER than they did so I might as well own the company too. I truly hope that many of you are on a path to entrepreneurship because at the end of the day, its the hardest you will ever commit yourself but you will love every minute of it because it belongs to YOU. Notice I said, "commit." Know there is a HUGE difference between "commitment" and "work." Click "NEXT" to see the next suggestion and pass this on to every other Radio DJ you know. Share, share, share.

Whatever you want, GIVE it away first

The first rule is selfishness is an interest-bearing account that YOU pay the interest for. And there WILL come a time for the universe to collect the debt. Someone ALWAYS needs your help. Know that what you give not only comes back but it comes back in multiples. I know from experience. There are some industry people who are selfish in their approach to success. NEVER be that person. They will always develop a reputation for being greedy and playing games and end up with the short end of the stick. Give and when I say "give" make it from your HEART, not for Social Media points. For example, if you give a homeless man or woman $20.00, that's not an opportunity to humiliate them and pat yourself on the back by filming it and putting it on social media to make yourself look good. Your intention will be blatant and self-serving and there is no reward for that kind of sh. Nobody has to know your good deeds besides the person or situation that you help and the universe. Click "NEXT" to see the next suggestion and pass this on to every other Radio DJ you know. Share, share, share.

Radio is a Springboard NOT a Recliner.

I could literally write this paragraph and make it the entire story. I cannot tell you HOW many times, EVEN STILL TODAY that I have seen industry people stuck in their career roles. They lose one job after working there for 5 years then get the same job for 5 more years somewhere else and the cycle repeats itself for 20 years. If you are comfortable, YOU ARE NOT GROWING AND YOU ARE GETTING OLDER. At some point, opportunities start to fade, you want to make sure you are prepared for them when they knock at your door. If you are working for a corporation that won't let you grow and is stagnating you, start the journey and look for something else. But use your job to do other related things that will make you more valuable at your next gig. If they ask you to work your ass off doing 10 jobs ... that's a blessing. Learn how to do as much as you can and get paid for it instead of looking at it like abuse. Look at it like college and a stipend instead. Those skills will come in handy down the road. The more you know translates to the more you can work. It's how I started this site and magazine. When I worked at Urban Network Magazine in the early 90s, they made me the Rap Editor, I HATED that job and it wasn't me but I learned how to do sales and I developed relationships with many people who are still in the industry today. We grew up in the industry together. Of course, the white people moved up the ladder much faster and to more powerful positions but we were all still kids in the industry (lol). There was a LOT of infighting and power fights at Urban and I knew my time was limited there but while the "adults" were fighting each other for power I was learning how to do a damn magazine ... the REAL power of owning my own. Thanks, Urban Network. Preciate chew. Finally, befriend one or two of the salespeople at the station and take them to lunch, this kind of relationship is invaluable down the road. Click "NEXT" to see the next suggestion and pass this on to every other Radio DJ you know. Share, share, share. [caption id="attachment_239252" align="alignnone" width="1000"] Set the clock and get up and move when you need to. Time waits for no one, so don't wait for time.[/caption]

Time Waits for No One, So Don't Wait for Time!

Another mistake a LOT of people in my generation made was not having a goal or time limit set. They were hoping they could keep working forever and I will tell you, even the BIGGEST stars in the industry start to fade over time and the top reason is they didn't diversify on their way up or when they were successful. EVERYTHING was linked to their job, except for a backup plan and when that job is gone so are their opportunities. Wendy Williams told me HERSELF that she didn't expect to have the TV show, she was ready to retire after working on the air for many years and close it out at her last station WBLS. But because she wrote those best-selling books during her tenure and did that interview with Whitney Houston, she opened more doors for herself and when the offer came to do the TV show a whole new life began outside of radio. Having a backup plan extends far beyond another job or career, it means investing in real estate or stocks early in your career or taking advantage of opportunities that come with working in radio. It means going back to school online and getting another degree. It's about growth NOT stagnation. Click "NEXT" to see the next suggestion and pass this on to every other Radio DJ you know. Share, share, share.

Have a Plan B in Progress NOW

Things will not always be as they are right now. In your career. You will have ups and downs. ALWAYS and I mean ALWAYS have something to fall back on. Ask yourself what else you could be doing in your market to build your experience and your brand and do it WHILE YOU ARE WORKING. Some stations will want you to tell them first and I get it ... but then again I don't. ALWAYS PUT YOUR CAREER FIRST then look out for everybody else however you can after that. If you find yourself running into a wall with the station that you work at now start looking for a new gig. As a matter of fact, ALWAYS BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY.  Click "NEXT" to see the next suggestion and pass this on to every other Radio DJ you know. Share, share, share.

If an Opportunity Doesn't Present itself ... CREATE ONE

"Seek and ye shall find ...  wait and ye shall perish." OK, that's my made-up statement but it's the truth. From the years that I have done this site, it's the bold and brazen Radio DJs who make waves not the ones who don't take control of their own destinies. Life is short. Get to where you want to go faster by being who you really are and demanding the world know you are here to create a legacy. It's your vehicle, drive it. Click "NEXT" to see the next suggestion and pass this on to every other Radio DJ you know. Share, share, share.

Get a Mentor, Then Again, Maybe NOT

I've been in the industry for 30 plus years. This is the first time in my entire career that I have ever had a mentor and he is white. I hate to say it but black men in this industry don't look out for each other enough. I've developed some great relationships with Black men that I grew up with in the industry so not ALL Black men are like that but I have to ask other elder BM to step up to the plate and mentor young black men. Out of ALL the press releases we get about people being promoted to power positions in the industry 1% maybe 2% out of 100% are black men. That's pretty fkn sad so I get it. We are not afforded many opportunities and it's unbalanced considering the charts and how many back men are the ones who bring a ton of money to the table but then again, sports is no different. Also, it is the reason you should explore creating your OWN vehicle. If you don't pay it forward there will be a heavy price to pay where you will need people you may have ignored in your career. I was once told that this industry is like a record (I know you may not know what a 45 looks like but ask your mother if she still has some) it goes round and round and that's true. Anyone who came close to being a mentor to me was white. Had I had a mentor, I may not have been as successful as I am because I would have been taught go-along-to-get-along concepts from their own fears. I get it because people from my generation watched our parents and grandparents have to do it because of racism. But I needed people in my corner who were fearless. If all that is available to you are people of other races don't turn the opportunity down. Go by your gut and how you feel about the situation if you feel like you could learn something or benefit from the situation go for it. Click "NEXT" to see the next suggestion and pass this on to every other Radio DJ you know. Share, share, share.

Never Love Radio More than it Loves You

I've seen people make this mistake and literally die as a result. If you need to separate yourself or divorce radio DO IT, you can ALWAYS come back but don't let other opportunities pass you by in the process. People who had so many other talents have been trapped by the radio game by not exploring other opportunities. Don't believe that radio is all that you can do. It's an addictive trap that can end up killing you. You can do MUCH more until the next opportunity comes along. In addition, the universe likes what's moving. You are either in the race or on the sidelines cheering on those in the race and giving them water. Which one will you be?

Aim HIGH(er)

If you have been a Radio DJ for three years, tell your boss or the PD that you want to get into management (if you actually want to). You will not get what you don't ask for in a reasonable amount of time. Give yourself 10 years to climb the radio ladder don't be in your 40s or 50s still working a shift if you have higher aspirations. If you WANT to be on the air for life than so be it. This story is not for you. But ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT and if you don't get it from your current situation, start planning your move. Don't be dedicated to a situation that will divorce you in a split second if you don't deliver.

URGENT...Take pictures for press and OWN the use of them

This is SO important and a small investment that can pay off big. Most quality sites won't run your press without quality images. Take PROFESSIONAL pictures every couple of years not every 10 years after you have gained 50 pounds and you look different or you are bald on the top of your head or your hairstyle is dated. I know people who are using images that are 20 years old right now in the industry. Get PROFESSIONAL pics and all the coverage that you can get from the industry trades will be available to you. Out of everybody I know in the industry DeDe McGuire is CONSTANTLY updating her pics and I see her all over social media. This is a great investment for your career. I know that there are barely any urban trades besides us and we are willing to promote you here if it's newsworthy. But make sure your pics are updated and professional and MAKE SURE YOU HAVE PERMISSION TO USE THEM. After a recent situation, we will be taking our own pictures but you don't want an opportunity to promote yourself held up by some BS like a photographer who you paid that refuses to let you use the pics. This is where "the hook up" can get complicated. Dig in your pocket and pay for the pics and GET PERMISSION TO USE IN WRITING.  If the station doesn't get your pics taken or promote your efforts PROMOTE YOURSELF. Send us a note about your promotion and we will post it. If the corporation has a problem with us posting it tell them to contact me.

Never Aspire to be Like Someone Else

Charlamagne, DeDe McGuire, Rick Party, Envy, Frank Ski and Greg Street, to name a few, are one of a kind and they all got to where they are by being themselves. Back in the day when Frankie Crocker was hot EVERY black male Radio DJ in the industry (and some female Radio DJs) copied his style. They sounded ridiculous. Be who YOU are and create your OWN legacy. Until then, we can't wait for your star to shine. Remember it's up to YOU to make it happen. Share this story (remember, pay if forward) and ask any questions in comments or via email to me at [email protected]. My best Kev

“They didn’t really know what to do with me.”

Lil Durk stops by The Breakfast Club Radio Show and discusses why he left big label Def Jam. He explains to them how he felt that Def Jam was holding him back. His new signee King Von joins the interview as well. He talks to Charlamagne tha God, Angela Yee, and DJ Envy on why he signed King Von. King Von was just released from prison and explains how he started rapping a few months ago. The two also explains how King Von is still trying to learn all the new things from social media. He also talks about his hometown Chicago, and how he feels like Chicago artists need to leave to succeed. Charlamagne asks how he feels about Kanye West moving back, and he explains how a lot of people loved it and other didn’t care. Later in the interview, Lil Durk talks about his relationship with girlfriend India. He talks about how one day he wants to marry her You can watch the full interview down below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2jRTTnANSo

GREAT MOTIVATIONAL RADIO FACTS MAGAZINE

The year end Radio Facts Power Play List magazine, coming in mid December, spotlights the contributions of several industry notables. We have announced one of our honorees, Doc Winter, as the Broadcast Exec of the Year but one of our other successful winners has never been honored which shocked us considering this person's contributions. Each winner has been interviewed for the issue by CEO Kevin Ross who states: "The common denominator with all the honorees in the 2019 Power Play List magazine is that even though they are successful, their success is the last thing that they are focused on. They are all more focused on the grind and all are incredibly ambitious. I got exhausted AND motivated talking to them. This is one of the most motivating magazines we have done with the Radio Facts brand." Ad space still available. Contact Kevin Ross  See last year's issue here