[ad_1]
The Midwest hip-hop and R&B music scene will have some more muscle behind it this year with the entrance of the newest radio show, “Traffic Crew,” on the Dash Radio app (www.dashradio.com), on the Taste channel run by NYC power player Reggie Hawkins.
When Quad Cities resident and well-known Midwest DJ DJ K Yung brought up the idea of programming an all-Midwest show to the VP of Da Union DJs (whom she is a member of), DJ Exeqtive, he was more than eager to help. “He immediately responded yes to me and contacted Reggie within minutes, and I was on the phone with Reggie within 72 hours.”, DJ K Yung recalls. “It happened so fast but that’s how respected DJ Exeqtive is in this business and I’m forever grateful.” After a few phone calls back and forth to the long-time radio and music tastemaker the show was set. “Reggie has given me a massive amount of guidance from another perspective of radio and I’m very thankful for that. In this short amount of time, he’s had unbelievable faith in what me and my team are doing and the direction of where we want this radio show to evolve.”
That team in which DJ K Yung is referring to consists of Cedar Rapids Iowa radio personality Pinkey (aka Pinkey the Brain) and Quad Cities resident by way of St. Louis Missouri, DJ Cat Dady. “I knew I didn’t have the time to host a weekly show with my current 2024 touring schedule (she’s currently the play-by-play host for an international motorsport company), and who better to get than these two who have been supporting me from the moment I’ve met them.”, states DJ K Yung.
“I met K (DJ K Yung) through my older brother, DJ Scratch Master Dee (DJ K Yung’s mentor), while they were both DJs at a college radio station. We started our friendship quickly after she allowed me to perform as an artist at one of her first showcases that she put on in the area. We shared a love and respect for the culture and have been good friends, business partners, and big supporters of each other since the first meeting.”, said DJ Cat Dady. Cat for short, also is the president of DJ K Yung’s Local Traffic Only LLC company which also does distribution but also co-owned an internet radio station with her as well back in 2019.
His foundation though starts in the streets of St. Louis. “There were a few brothers like Early D, Sylk Smoov, Deadly Deuce, and many other brothers and sisters that made Hip Hop music regardless of what area they were from, and the city supported them. Gang -banging was real widespread in the 90s, and it was the Black Pearl Mafia, which was basically a conglomerate of different groups and solo artists, that helped bring the music scene together. That was the brainchild of my brothers Scratch Master Dee, Rock-A-Fella, and Ebony-P.
The idea was having people from every part of St. Louis coming together to make music, no matter where they were from or what they claimed. Those who know their STL Hip Hop history will back this up, from independent to mainstream artists. This is what I saw first-hand growing up, and I still think of that unity and solidarity when I think of what St. Louis and how it could potentially be musically.”, recalls Cat. “As far back as I could remember there were DJs, emcees, graffiti artists, and break dancers in my family. Having older brothers, sisters, uncles, and cousins all doing their thing in one or more elements, I almost didn’t have a choice in my career. I started off as an emcee. But I always had an interest for my brother’s Technics 1200’s and getting my practice in whenever I could. I DJ’d my first party when I was 13 and had been doing it off and on. It wasn’t until about 15 years ago that I started to put a lot of my focus into DJing.”
Pinkey the Brain, also known as Pinkey, received her nickname the day she was born. “The brain”, came from those thinking she “knew everything”, and naturally it stuck. Pinkey whose upbringing comes from the south side 20 minutes outside of Chicago in Hammond Indiana moved to Iowa at age 15. “I grew up listening to WGCI. I always knew I wanted it to be my voice coming through those speakers. It was my goal for the Midwest to say, “Pinkey said it’s hot, let me check it out!”, exclaims Pinkey. Outside of the Midwest, Angie Martinez (NYC radio personality and artist) was a voice that Pinkey knew she admired and looked up too growing up. Back then not having a lot if any female Latina voices in mainstream radio it was a goal for Pinkey to get on radio and make an impact just how Angie Martinez made an impact on hers.
Taking this goal seriously she enrolled and then graduated from the American Broadcasting School in 2012. She started managing artists where she then met DJ K Yung at a music festival in Iowa and continued her love of the music business which include being named “The Voice of the Midwest” as a PA announcer for a local semi pro football team and go to host for concerts, tours, and shows within the Midwest. She’s also the Vice President of DJ K Yung’s Local Traffic Only company as well. Recently learning that after years of providing support and guidance over the Midwest region, Pinkey would now have an additional title of “National Radio Host.” With relentless drive, she has plans of introducing America to the influential culture of the Midwest, including her residing state of Iowa. The advancing state of the Midwest music scene, Pinkey has become a respected music professional herself and will continue to share her authentic love of the Midwest music scene nationally.
Both Cat and Pinkey agree that this new show is just the beginning of what they want to do with all Midwest artists, both independently and industry, and to be a stop for artists within hip hop. This show will highlight all Midwest pop culture, new music, rising stars, and will also bring some of your favorites from the past back into the present. “We have some big interviews lined up from DJs, artists, to producers. I’m so excited to see how this show takes off and how Pinkey and Cat can make it their own and become a staple within the Midwest music scene.”, said DJ K Yung. “It’s long overdue for both of them having put in the work within the Midwest to support music in this region.”
Cat adds in, “Geographically we are in the unique position to be heavy consumers of every region. We can vibe with and support everywhere else and still be able to maintain our own identity. We just celebrated 50 years of the culture last year, the first commercially successful Hip Hop song, Rapper’s Delight, got its very first radio play ever on a radio station in East St. Louis (WESL), even before any New York station played it. So, the Midwest is very influential and has always been to the culture.” Pinkey adds, “The Midwest has silently influenced the Culture for years. A lot of creatives come from the Midwest and regularly return home because the vibe here is unlike any other.”
And indeed what they want to accomplish is unlike any other.
The “Traffic Crew” show airs every Thursday 9pm cst and replays every Saturday 5pm cst on the Taste channel on the FREE Dash Radio app or at www.dashradio.com. For more information contact @localtrafficonlymusicgroup or @djkyung and follow Pinkey the Brain and DJ Cat Dady on all their socials @pinkeythebrain and @ogcatdady.
[ad_2]
Source link
