Welcome to Miami’s ‘Home of the Hits’
Miami-based label Slip-N-Slide Records has opened the doors of its “Home of the Hits,” South Beach-based high-tech recording studio to the other singers, songwriters and producers for pre-production and post-production. This marks the first time the studio, used exclusively to record Slip-N-Slide hits by the likes of such artists as Plies, Trina and Rick Ross, will be available to those in the music industry to record with the label’s producers and engineers.
GMWA Guild Heads to Greenville
The North Carolina Gospel Announcers Guild of the Gospel Music Workshop of America (GMWA) has announced its 11th Annual Convention will convene at the Greenville Convention Center on May 27-30, 2009. Describing the event as a mini-GMWA, North Carolina Gospel Announcers Guild of the GMWA head, Pastor Arvetra Jones, Jr., says this will be the first time that the Guild has held a convention in the eastern part of the state. Anticipating 2,000 plus participants, the NCGAC four-day event will include presentation of its annual Prestige Awards, workshops and showcases.
Hot Sauce Joins the Spyders
Duane “Spyder-D” Hughes, president of the College Park Spyders, the latest new team to sign to the American Basketball Association (ABA), reports the signing of AND1 star Phillip “Hot Sauce” Champion to the 2009 expansion team roster. The Columbus, Georgia native, who joined And1 in 2000, recruited from pick-up games at Atlanta’s Run N’ Shoot courts, became a popular player on the And1 Mixtape Tour and was selected for a role in the basketball movie “Crossover.” Says Hughes, one of the first rappers to launch his own label, Newtroit Records, in 1979, “This signing reminds me of when Julius Erving first came into the ABA with the Virginia Squires.” Currently working on an autobiography, Hughes is also finishing his final rap album. Called Legendary, the project pays homage to many of the great rappers Hughes worked with during his career, including Roxanne Shante, Father MC and Eric B, among others.
Carol Blackmon Joins WAMJ
Veteran broadcaster Carol Blackmon could be heard on Atlanta airwaves again on January 24th as she began her show on Radio One urban AC WAMJ-FM (Grown Folks Radio 102.5). Joining a line-up of other veteran personalities heard on the station like Steve Harvey, Warren Ballentine, Rev. Al Sharpton and SiMan Baby, Blackmon can now be heard exclusively on Saturdays from 2pm-7pm on WAMJ. Host of the Georgia Lottery, Blackmon is a well-known Atlanta personality, having co-hosted the morning show for top-rated CBS urban WVEE-FM (V103) more than ten years ago.
Clear Channel Florida Cuts
As part of the Clear Channel budget cutting, urban WBTP-FM (95.7 the Beat) reports the loss of music director/midday host Coka-Lani who had joined the station last March. She has been with Clear Channel, however, for more than ten years, including MD/midday personality stints at WMIB-FM (103.5 the Beat) in Miami and WUSL-FM (Power 99) in Philadelphia. Current APD/afternoon and night show personality Stu Robinson absorbs her duties.
Part-time on-air personality/programming assistant Victor Lambert departs Clear Channel’s Miami urban WMIB-FM (103.5 the Beat) in the cutbacks.
Griff Going Down Under?
Former Atlanta Radio One urban WHTA-FM (Hot 107.9) morning host Griff is taking his high energy, comedic morning wit to Aukland, New Zealand. Reportedly, he is joining the syndicated morning show, “The Edge Morning Madhouse,” broadcast from Auckland. Having met this past summer at an international summit, the Morning Madhouse team of Jay-Jay, Mike and Dom, asked Griff to join the troupe to add comedic commentary on all things American to the broadcast.
Foxy Appoints Mike Tech PD
Over at Beasley sister station, urban WZFX-FM (Foxy 99) Mike Tech, who has been holding the interim PD reins since last September, was likewise made the official PD. Tech started his radio career with Foxy in 1998.
WUKS Names Taylor Morgan PD
Beasley urban AC WUKS-FM (Kiss 107.7) in Fayetteville, NC has officially named Taylor Morgan PD. Acting PD since March of last year, Morgan joined the station as the promotions director in 2000. Prior to that, she was MD/midday personality at sister urban WZFX-FM (Foxy 99).
Radio One WJZZ Tries Urban AC Format
With the depressing PPM results for the smooth jazz format, Radio One has announced it will go head to head in the Atlanta market with Cox Radio’s urban AC WALR-FM (Kiss 104.1). The chain, according to market manager Tim Davies, is switching its smooth jazz WJZZ-FM (107.5) to urban AC (Majic 107.5). The Radio One four-station Atlanta cluster, that also includes urban WHTA-FM (Hot 107.9), Grown Folks radio WAMJ-FM (102.5) and gospel WPZE-FM (Praise 97.5), was not attracting a large enough audience with the smooth jazz format. WJZZ PD Dave Kosh and air personality Greg Fitzgerald had already exited the staff as the station had been running jockless during the transition.
Collipark Signs Yung Daze
Platinum producer Mr. Collipark, aka DJ Smurf) has signed 18-year old South Carolina rapper Yung Daze to his Collipark Music imprint. “This is a blessing for me and my family,” exclaims the Greenville native, the new owner of a diamond-studded chain boasting the Collipark Music logo. “I’m happy to be part of one of the world’s hardest working and successful music labels.”
Production on his introductory mixtape, entitled Emergency Room, is currently underway with “Contagious” being the first release.
What struck Mr. Collipark about Daze? “I have a little bit of everything to offer, especially ‘real life’ situations. It’s very lyrical, very raw.” Additionally, Yung Daze provides a contrast at Collipark Music. “Although my music is nothing like Soulja Boy’s, the fans [of Soulja Boy], can still relate, it’s more street and covers all aspects of life.”
