9.29.2005

Can I get a real radio station?

This ain't it. I had this argument with a "Pittsburgher." Yes I know that's wack, but that's what they call themselves. Anyway, I told one guy that an "urban" radio station needs to play recent music. I know this seems like an obvious concept, but not in Pittsburgh. I really don't think they add a new song into their rotation any more frequently than once a month. Come on!! Can you watch BET, too. Just watch 106 and Park even. DANG! This really makes no sense people. I can't even hear the songs BET plays? What? This is ridiculous.

Now I must warn you. What I say next will shock and appaul you. I hear Biggie no less than 3xs a day. Three. Stop. The. Madness. This is unnecessary. Its not like its Tupac where he's released an album just about every year since he died. This is Biggie. Seriously. Biggie? He's been dead almost 10 years!! Stop it!! I also hear Aaliyah nearly daily. Perhaps I was unaware and WAMO is actually a tribute station. Ok. Its all clear now.

So then why do I hear "Hotel" by R.Kelly and Cassidy weekly? At least weekly. How is that okay? Why is it okay for me to hear songs from Lil Wayne's 2nd album? How is it okay to play "Salt Shaker" daily? What about "Get Low?" Why do they love Pretty Ricky? On the countdown every day. Why can I hear 50 cent at least twice per half hour?

Perhaps most importantly, why does every "Pittsburgher" think he or she is so down because he listens to Jeezy? Get that out of here!! A lot of Southerners don't even like Jeezy! I didn't start hearing him like that until I got up here. Of course I heard some before but come on. For real? Jeezy? His skills are not that tight. Oh don't get it twisted, the music in the background? I'm all over it, but the rappin? Nah, I'll pass. Thanks. "And then what?" "Yeah!" Genius? I think not. That is the one artist of this century that they think they are really cool for recognizing. Congratulations.

So the Pittsburgher says to me, "Nobody listens to WAMO. We all listen to satellite radio. Or like me, I go down south and travel and I hear all kinds of music." Hmm... okay but that's because WAMO is not playing anything recent. Or worth listening to. Nobody wants to hear the hits of the 90s and "today" (meaning circa 2002) when you're billing yourself as an urban radio station. I tried to explain to him that before satellite radio, what would you listen to? Even now most major cities have radio stations that its hard to turn off. Please look at Charlotte, Greensboro, Philly, Baltimore, D.C., Tallahassee. Do I need to go on? Please Pittsburgh, get that together. I should only have to turn on my AOL radio to hear Southern rap. I don't expect you to provide me with that. But when I have to do it to hear anything from the last 2 months? You're killin me! Oh yeah. And don't let that little countdown fool you. I only hear those songs during the countdown. I guess they write down the requests, then play them at night or during their thrice daily countdowns.

This is the killer people. If you didn't look at the site (I don't blame you), their motto is Pittsburgh's #1 for Hip Hop and R&B. I for one think that thinks volumes about this city.

No comments: