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Off the Record features interviews with local and national musicians as aired on WKNC 88.1 FM HD-1/HD-2.
Kevelle Wilson 0:15
Hello, everyone, you are listening to WKNC 8.1. To one rally, we are student run organization over here at NC State. I am Keith Wilson. And this is off the record. Hello everyone, you're listening to WKNC 8.1 FM HD one rally. And today we're actually doing an interview with fonti. From little brother fiance. Auntie from little brother. Hey, yeah. How you doing? Pretty good?
Phillip Fries 0:47
Yeah. So, um, I know, I'm at sea rally while working on the listening that you had. You split your time working atBlue Cross? Yeah.So like, I just wanted to ask if, like, for, like, if you had any advice for your younger self splitting your time like, like, you know, pursuing like a job and, and making music or like, paying, like, paying bills with a job and making music for young people in your position.
Phonte 1:25
Um, man, I mean, looking back on it now is easier to say quit your job sooner. But like, when you in it, you know, you can't see that far you can think about you can't see five years from now you can see it's 30 days from now, when your rent is due again, you know, I'm saying. So, for me, I'm, excuse me, I would just say that to young people in you know, in that position of kind of trying to decide, do I quit my job? Do I stay, go pursue my passion or whatever? You know, man, there's no ideal time to take that leap in. I mean, like, there's no it's like having going after your dream is. It's almost like having a kid, you know, I mean, it's gonna interrupt something, it's gonna disrupt something. So you know, I mean, so I would just say to, you know, the younger, you know, cats and maybe listen to this or whatever, the best time to do it, if you're gonna do it is in your 20s. You know, I'm saying your bones heal quicker. You'll need as much sleep. Because, you know, once you get, you know, older later on in your life, you know, those decisions, they bear far more weight in your 30s and 40s. than your 20s. You know, I mean, so it is official time to just say To hell with it all and go for it. Do it in your 20s breath. By union. Yeah, no, kids, you owe nobody. Nothing. You ain't got no wife. No, no, and whatever. Like, go for it now. Like because you can make that time up. Yeah, it's a lot harder to do that. The older you get.
Kevelle Wilson 2:59
When was that moment that you knew like, Okay, this is it. Like, this is my this can support me. This is my new career instead of just like a passion project,
Phonte 3:09
man. Um, I think the moment I knew, and I always say the moment I knew it was support me. It was the moment I knew I wasn't working. But yeah, I was working at so after the Blue Cross, I was leaving blue cried not quitting Blue Cross. I was like, Nah, I ain't doing this. But I ended up I had a job working in South Pointe mall in Durham. I was working at built. Yeah, I'm looking to Tommy Hill Section. Straight up. And Tommy, you actually pulled up one day Tommy Hilfiger came straight up, bro. I was like, Damn this Tommy Hilfiger for assume so. But he you know, he was cool. But anyway, so I had a job working there. And I got a call on my voicemail from homes, I would call and check my voicemail at home. You know, it's for those old enough to remember with voicemail. And, you know, and I had a call at a message on my phone from Pete Rock, who is just one of just the legendary just most you know, my idols, producers, you know, in, in hip hop. And he left me a message on my phone, talking about how you know, he loved the listening, which was a little brothers for US album that just kind of came out at that time. And he's yo, yo, yo, chocolate boy wonder pete rock. Your I listened to you Yoda Dylan was crazy. I need to get you a peel my album, whatever. And I quit my job. I think a week or two after that. I was like, Yeah, I ain't going back. You know, I mean, and I didn't have no plan. I didn't really have. Again, thanks for doing your 20s that you probably won't do in your 30s or 40s. But I just quit man. And I just knew then because to me, it wasn't about money. As much as it was just about getting the respect and the validation for Um, those that I grew up listening to, you know, I'm saying I figured look if I got pete rock, calling my crib saying he loves my record. Yeah, I can figure everything else out for him. That was it.
Kevelle Wilson 5:10
No, yeah, that makes that makes sense.You're a little bit older now.
Phonte 5:15
I hope true bros 20 years later. I look man, we got to fall in this thing. Brah Yeah, yeah, boys, by the way, man.
Kevelle Wilson 5:27
I'm 21
Phillip Fries 5:28
21
Phonte 5:28
Jesus Christ. this man I got sons y'all age man. My boys are 22 and 17. Oh, yeah, so I understand.
Kevelle Wilson 5:42
And you're gonna be forming at the Durham block party. Yeah. Made
Phonte 5:45
in Durham. Little Brother Block Party October 7, Saturday. You know, I'm saying you go get your tickets little brother in c.com. You know, I'm Sam and not man's little brother big credit the cool kids zone tall black guy. Sounds by my peoples hourglass and DJ wildly sparks. And hosted by Sam J. Who actually has a comedy special coming up on HBO on like, the 23rd of May is next week. Just coming out. And you know, these all are people Man, these are people that we just have a lot of love and respect and admiration for in the game. And so we want to just you know, celebrate our 20 of year with you know what I people and I sit here just doing it. You know, I mean?
Phillip Fries 6:32
Um, I just wanted to ask about W JLR.
Phonte 6:39
Oh, my God, man. So that'd be JLR. Man, those JLR was just like a fictional radio station that we had. Yeah. Oh, that we made up. It was fictional. Yeah, it was totally, we totally made that up. Like it was not a real station at all. It was a man. Listen, we can make it more discerning. You're welcome to use 8.1 WJ. Took a lot and took over. Nah, yeah, that was like the first that was I joined. So the idea it was kind of an idea we had for the first record was going to be WJ law, which was based around a TV station. I'm sorry, I was racing around to a radio station. Yep. I second. The minstrel show was based around you begin, which was a fictional TV station. And then a third album was gonna be like a movie. You know? I mean, so took us a minute to get to the movie. But now we got the little brother documentary made a little watch that's coming into this year. So you know, that's the movie. You know, I mean, but But yeah, who I was a fictional station. That was just, you know, me and all my Justice League brothers. Just clowning, you know, making skits and making up fake names. Yes. You know, just being 21.
Phillip Fries 7:48
Yeah, I mean, it makes sense with the interludes and stuff like I can get more of a picture. Totally, totally, totally.
Kevelle Wilson 7:55
Yeah, I feel like the the funny skits within like classic hip hop albums is something that's definitely disappeared over the years, I can think of like, you just look at like the college dropout, literally, like funny skits all the way through it, like registration as well. Like, there's so many other albums as well to have like, kind of like comedy skits and feuds with hip hop.
Phonte 8:14
Yeah, the skits for us. I mean, it was always I mean, they were meant to be funny. But they were also meant to kind of move the story forward. And also, to tell you more about the artists. I mean, if you think of somebody like like Wu Tang, you know, and I know, this is probably ancient history. But yeah, but like Wu Tang, they will have, like, all these kung fu skits in the middle of the albums, you know, I mean, and it was just all like, a minute, like a West Side gun or Rosetta, with all the wrestling. Yeah, you know, those are things that just tell you more about the artists and what their interests are. So you know, at least for when us when we were doing, it was never about just taking the time or just doing it just to do it. It had to be telling something about us, or about the story that we otherwise wouldn't put in a song or, you know, I mean, so that was kind of the purpose of them for us.
Kevelle Wilson 9:12
So kind of talking about like, you kind of moving from a job into your passion project than it becoming a job again, with you said with the minstrel show. Yeah, you kind of felt that that album kind of like felt like work. And I'm
Phonte 9:31
the that making that album didn't feel like work because I think it was promoting it. And I think it was, at that time being signed to a major label and thinking that the label had the answers when we realized that they didn't and it wasn't that you know, they I mean, they weren't bad people are not like that, you know? It was just, you know, we were a group that had, you know, great music. But you know, we just didn't it was a marketing challenge you know, I'm saying like, you know, we were three guys you know coming out of the south at the time when what was status quo for the South was more your snap records like lean with it rock with it yeah, you know D foil Laffy Taffy which you know those kinds of just kind of snap party ringtone records. Yeah. And that was what was running radio at the time. And so back then, you know, this is prior to today's a social media so it wasn't like, you could go and say, Hey, I got you know, 20,000 listeners on Spotify, I got, you know, 10,000 plays on my SoundCloud or I got 30,000 Twitter followers, we had a digital fan base, but we had no way, no real way to quantify it. And so that was just something that made our journey a lot more difficult based at the time we were coming out of, so I didn't really you know, making the music, it is work. And, you know, it is working and weeklies work, you know, I mean, his work. But, um, it wasn't so much making the music as much as it was trying to navigate the new digital terrain at that time, which we had no blueprint for, we had to kind of create our own blueprint, and even labels at that time. You know, this is post 2000. This is like post post Napster, you know, I mean, it's it's like post Napster. So like, what, you know, Spotify and all that is doing now like just quote, unquote, disrupting things. That's what Napster was, you know, 20 years ago, 20 plus years ago, you know, I mean, and the labels didn't really understand how they didn't know what it was, you know, I mean, and they didn't understand how to use it to the artists advantage. So that's what made it difficult. It was the I think it was the times that we were coming up in. Now, if we were a little brother coming up now, like new and 2023. Yeah, I would tell like the hell would a label like you'd like for what? Oh, God, like why? Okay, for what you will have to do out work?
Kevelle Wilson 12:11
Yeah, I feel like yeah, I feel like a lot of new artists are starting to realize that and they're blowing up without a label and able to be huge and be independent. Yeah.
Phillip Fries 12:21
Or, like a smaller label with like, this got good, like production equipment. Yeah. Yeah, that makes more sense to me than to go sign to a big label and a big contract. Yeah.
Phonte 12:31
Anyway, we're production equipment, like, listen, everybody got production equipment on them, right now, you'll follow me, like, you know, you really, you know, from now that you really have the tools available to, um, you can really own the means of your production. And I'm saying, and so it's really just something now where you can just if you own the means your production you can make the joints that you make whatever you want to make and get it out to the people, you know, I'm saying it's like, listen, people either sound labels, either because they need money to help make the thing, or they need money to help promote the thing. And for me, it just got to a point where it was just like, well, if I can make it on my own, and I know how to sell it on my own, and what do I need your for? Exactly? Yeah. And I mean, so you know, that that was just my journey. I mean, it made that that is not one size fits all, it doesn't apply to everybody. But it did fly for me, because I was like, I'm not angling the I ain't getting the people don't want my money. I ain't doing
Phillip Fries 13:35
it. Yeah, part of the beauty of that, like, what you're talking about what the first column is, like, making some true to yourself and telling a story true to yourself. And it's like, unless you know that the label can help facilitate that. It's hard to just yeah,very hard to justify facts.
Kevelle Wilson 13:49
Actually, did y'all not just get your Masters back forthe listening?
Phonte 13:54
Yeah, we, um, for we have all the, we have control of all our records, with the exception of the minstrel show, which was the record that came out on the Atlantic, you know, Ryan, oh, they still, like have the rights to that. We working on it. But you know, I'm saying but, but everything else, like all the other records, you know, they're owned and controlled by us. And, you know, it was something that, um, you know, it came on time, I think, um, I look at artists like de la Sol, who were able to get a masters back, you know, saying later in their careers, you know, I mean, at a time when, you know, it really mattered, and so, yeah, man, it that ownership, it really does no one know, where you're at when you're young, like, you don't have that in your mind. And so if there's any, like, up and coming artists, you know, I would listen to this right now. You know, I'm saying I was just telling him like, Yo, do this is a long game, you know, I mean, is you got to look at music. I think some people look at music, like the lottery, you know, I mean, but you should look at it more like real estate. Like it's a long term investment is not something that it ain't us. slot machine, you know, I mean, your chances of hitting the slot machine like, it's one in 200 million or whatever, like, you know, you're trying to get the hit or to get on like, I mean, do that's, that requires there's a whole bunch of factors that you have no control over to make that happen. The best thing you can do is just make quality. And just, you know, keep investing in yourself investing in becoming better. And in time, that value will appreciate over time. You know, I'm saying you just got to stay in the game long enough for it to come back to you. Yeah, I mean, and that, at least that's been our story, you know, say with more, I think appreciate it. Now 20 years later, you know, and then we were back then and it's just a long game so yeah, man the money hold on to your rights as much as possible. It may not I know that low. Whatever money they gonna get you right now might look like but that's That's peanuts. That that is nothing like compared to what those songs are gonna do. Time over time over time. So yeah, I will say hold on, hold on let publishing man. It's hard to have the foresight. Yeah, it is. Oh, my God, maybe somebody's gonna hear this and be like, hell nah, I'm selling. Like, do whatever you need to if you need money if you don't meet Listen, bro. Everybody didn't do on the first. Listen, that's you got to do do it. But if you can't hold out if you can afford to hold out if you were fortunate enough to have a family a support system, you know, whatever. You know, I mean, take that investment in yourself long term. I would definitely say do that.
Kevelle Wilson 16:47
So you kind of talked about West Side gun, which I'm also a huge fan of. Oh, yeah. You have any other new artists? hip hop artist. You want to shout out? Oh,
Phonte 16:56
man. Oh, man. I knew hip hop. I mean, man. I mean, yeah, I mean, cool. I'm gonna get Grizelda like them, you know? I love them. I shout out my god my man. Local right my man Pat Jr. Because to him, shout out, you know, to Corinne. I Winston. Man, I don't want to be forgetting nobody. Man trying to thank my gosh, oh, my gosh, Sonny miles. You know, I'm saying he's not a rapper. But he's a singer. But he's, you know, he's out here. You know, I'm saying he's out of Winston. But you know, Carolina. Um, you know, I'm really rooting for shot my man Luke. Shout to him. Luke Dreamville. My brother rapper big pool, you know, I'm saying is handling him out on this project? Nah, man. I mean, you know, I'm just looking at, like, you know, all Carolina artists now. And like, I'm just so happy to see them take advantage of the tools that we didn't have when we was coming up. Like, there's just so much more infrastructure here now that we didn't have, you know, I mean, like the thought of a Dreamville fest began 20 years ago, like, not happening at all, you know, Xander thought of a block party in downtown Durham in 1997. When I got hit, bro, it wasn't nothing is not happening on TV we did in Durham downtown was Go get your books or school from the bookish names and go pay your light bill. That was five and five o'clock. 530. downtown Durham was like ghost town, you know, I'm saying Oh, my God, it was you know, I mean, so there's a lot more opportunity now. So I'm really, you know, rooting and I just tried to be just as supportive, you know, the NC artists, you know, and it's really about their business and hopefully, you know, they can use the tools that we had, and, you know, go further than we took it.
Phillip Fries 18:55
Um, I just want to ask about, like, receiving reception on what's it called? Like, like, rap music. Where they like, the blogs, like, like music blogs, like, I know, you you received, like, the listening sort of became like an underground, just like, classic. Like, through through music blogs. And even like, I read something about Questlove of the roots. Yeah, like, giving y'all props. And yeah, that was awesome. Yeah. Like,
phonte 19:34
yeah, I mean, back then, you know, it was really you know, you had like blogs, you know, and that was where a lot of times people discovered new music, you have blogs and you know, we used to play around on a site called okay player, which was, basically it was, it was, you know, the patient zero for what social media would become. And I mean, it really was the precursor to like, you know, Black Twitter Like, Oh, that was that's what okay player was back then message board. Hello, good player you had Soh was another message board you had the lawn, which was our just as the message board. And you know, it was just us just online, just saying craziness. You know, I mean, talking about music. Yeah. You know, and just kind of going in. And so, back then, you know, we didn't understand kind of how far our music would go. And so when we would put stuff up, and you will see cats like Questlove, you know, I'm saying who I still to this day, I do mean, he and I do a podcast together called Questlove. Supreme, you know, I'm saying, and, you know, just but to see someone of his stature, some someone like that just, you know, raving about what you're doing? You know, it's kind of surreal. Yeah. I mean, it was like, Oh, my God. So that was just, it was a time it was a it was a wild time. Because it was the first time I think, in the history of music, that you could get real time feedback on your song as an artist, you know, I mean, back in the day used to have that I was known as focus groups, where they would just take 10 random, like white people or something and like, put them in a room and be like, here's the new song from WHO and like, what y'all think or whatever. Yeah, but online internet, erase all of that. Like, it became an instant focus group, like to everybody you put out? Are we gonna let you know what we think? Is good or bad? We ain't gonna be no secret when you leave this job and how we feel about you. Yeah. And that was that was wow, that was that was Wow, Delta to live through that time and go that so? Yeah, man, it was it was it was fun.
Kevelle Wilson 21:46
I'm kind of curious, but like, the general attitude was during things like message boards and the Internet back then was it still seen as something kind of nerdy to be into
phonte 21:57
is absolutely nerdy. Let's do that. Listen, man, you understand, I took all the time. Like, you know, I'm saying like, hip hop was, there's always a man dance on this shows them he wrote a piece about this, in the New York times of the day, where, you know, hip hop, the common phrases that, you know, hip hop started in the streets, it started in the streets, and it came out streets, and it started. And, yes, that is true, you know, in the sense that it was performed in the streets, you know, I'm saying it was performed and taking the streets and at parties and everything. But at its core, to me, hip hop is nerd culture. You know, I mean, like, hip hop really is nerd culture. Like, if you really think about it, you're looking at DJs like,yeah, like crate digging and stuff. You gotta be like, yeah, you probably don't have a lot of women in your life. You probably have not that guy, or having time to dig records for hours on end looking for looking for the perfect beat. You know, I'm saying yeah, looking for him seeing like, you're sitting down and just thinking of words to rhyme that is nerd if not a little borderline or artistic. Probably yummy. Like, this. buddy of mine has a working theory that like all rappers are probably on the spectrum somewhere. And I it kind of tracks but like Yeah, dude, like, it's rap is this this is nerd stuff. So yeah, like message boards, you know, even though it was a new medium and the internet was a new medium. It kinda in my estimation, it really just kind of gave a voice to and kind of elevated or, you know, what the culture kind of was, you know, anyway, you know, I mean, like, we just nerds mess around on computers. Yeah, you know, I mean, is that interview I don't mean you solve it don't mean like, last but like, we nerds Yeah, me like sitting around thinking of words to run trying to make beats like sitting alone in your room for hours like producers. I do produces nuts. Like they're all every last one of them. They're all nuts. And they I think they kind of have to be because that's just the different you know, that's their brains just work in a different way. So yeah, man, I never got you know, I never got a fin fin did or whatever they called us nerds like I'm a proud nerd. Like I'd stayed in my room all the time. Listen to music. Yeah, I'm a straight up rap nerd. Brah that's that's what it is. But on the mic, I still busted. So that's what it is.
Phillip Fries 24:54
Um, I just want to ask about the Justice League. Law Like, how did that evolve past the creation of the listening and past? Like graduating college and stuff?
phonte 25:07
Yeah. So the Justice League man Justice League shot my brother says all Comanche you know, I'm saying he's still, you know that still still here, you're still in Raleigh. That's my that's my brother, man. He and knife wonder they were the ones that really started the kind of form, you know, the early iteration of the Justice League. Yeah. And you know, we were just all homies that went to school at the time is Comanche. He was here in Raleigh, and so he had all the homies from NC State. So we used to record our first record, the first record we made we record in a dorm it was in North Hall, you know, I mean, and yeah, so back in the day, it looked like it's the state history for listening so back in the day like North Hall I don't know if it's still the same now. But North Hall we used to call good times because it was like the black dorm. Yeah. It's like the projects like a high rise like good times straight up. And so you had North Hall and then like, right, you know, across the North Hall that was where you had the planet smoothie. And then you had right next to that it was a record exchange which was a record store you know, I'm saying and so the planet smoothie I'm sure I think all that is going down I think it's like a brewers bagels or like something whatever but there's
Phillip Fries 26:29
there's a record store up the street
phonte 26:31
Yeah, I think it's a nice price Yeah, nice price. But yeah, we used to go there to shop for breakfast there. Yeah, but But yeah, man so bla bla extra time to Justice League. They were all like homies at the time they went to state so up here it was Comanche meeting who actually use the median was how I used to post on okay player, because at the time, I didn't have a computer at my credit. And so meeting he used to let us get his password to get into the computer lab. At um, and in what you call it not entirely in the library. No, no, it was the one that was in Oh, even ferry. It was it used again. I don't know if there's still anymore. It used to be like, even fair, like you coming out west and you make that left or even ferry that thing on the right that building on the right islike a fairy dorm. Yeah.It used to be like computer lab over there. I don't know if it's still there. But um, we used to basically just like going in and like still internet. I mean, just like that was our that was how we would post on a good player like, communicate with people in a staff meeting and he used to let us so shouts the meeting for that for that. That ID meeting was here. Man Sunnegga rail, he was also a student at state Leroy McDowell. He was here. Who else is up here, Edgar Allen flow. He was a student here. He worked his way out if you worked there, but he was he was here. And um, I think that was all the rally dudes. And then on the DERM side, it was me poo Shan Don. Big dough was a manager at the time crisis he lived and he was staying in Durham at the time. He was kind of back and forth. And DJ flash who was a touring DJ he lived he was kind of he was in Raleigh, you know at that time, but we were just all home his legacy shots the leg leg was he was here he was in Raleigh, but we were just all like local guys. And so we were just kind of just you know, we just mob up and just, you know, go to do shows and like freestyle and you know, I mean like battle like whatever. And oh, shout Sean book as well. Um, Sean booth Booth was here in Raleigh. And so I kind of the kind of hustle Comanche at the time he worked at the planet smoothie. That was right across North Hall. So he used to put all the homies on if you needed a job like he will put the homies on so I think like everyone probably has to just leave probably work that day and plan the smoothie. Like, everybody, everybody had a job down here defendants move the crisis might work there for a bit. But that was you know, that was there. We used to come here. We used to come here you can see my man, God rest his soul, DJ Merlin, believe he had to show up here. And you know, we would do like parties and Tally tally center. We'd be rapping and like, like nobody knew who we were. Nobody cared. People did not care at all. But you know, you're still going for it. So yeah, I have a lot of memories on this campus man a lot of memories.
Kevelle Wilson 29:48
So talking to you since you're already taken us back. What did the typical day kind of look like for you on a college campus? Kind of kind of walk me through like a normal day.
phonte 30:00
Yeah, well, certain words I can't say so I can't take you through a whole day. My days back then like,diversion. Yeah.Listen, man, I mean, yeah, I'm not I mean, back then, you know, I was. So I had my first son, my oldest son, he was this was an I was a junior in college. It was like he was born like, Well, yeah, you got pregnant, my junior. And so he was born like my, like, I was going into my senior year. So, um, you know, when I had my son, that's when a lot of stuff changed. And I mean, but um, I think just my typical day on a college campus as a college student. My first few years my first two years is central. I graduated from Central in 2001, NCCU, Eagle pride, all of that. I got there and like, my first two years, I played football, and I was just like, Yeah, to help this. I don't care about this. This is nice. Yeah, I mean, it's not the same me. And you know, so during that time, it was all football everything. Wake up, lift weights. Yeah. Go to class. Practice, Team meet and Film Study Hall. Wake up in the morning, dude. Man. Hell no. Come on, bro. Nah, nah, they can have it. Yeah. And so um, you know, but then afterwards when I quit. That was when I was like, Well, I want to kind of get into doing more of the things that I want to do and kind of exploring what type of artist I want to be what type of things you know, motivate me I mean, so Nah, bro. We did like after I left was what I left football. Man, I learned is all I hope people listening now which I think you're probably figured out in college now. Never take an eight o'clock class. Yeah, I
Kevelle Wilson 31:55
figured that out the hard way.
phonte 31:57
Don't it's just it just you're not isn't because the thing is like you it seemed like eight o'clock. It sounds like I eight o'clock. Because you're coming out of high school and you use to get another crack as in the morning. That does not apply in college. You know? Like it does not it getting out of bed and high school and getting out of bed in college. Everything's
Kevelle Wilson 32:15
completely different.
phonte 32:19
Straight up. Yes. And it's just like, so I learned. I was like, I know. No, eight o'clock. So like my junior senior year? Yeah, my day might not just thought about level. About a strong level. In there. Yeah, me the 1010. But 1011 But you know, but that was just got to do that. I go to class. You know, I come you know, go eat lunch, whatever. Normally, I'd be done around like 12. Sometimes I might have like a one two, maybe. But generally my day was done around, I'll be done No, at the absolute latest, like two o'clock, you know, I mean, something like that. And then after that, I will go to work I worked at had a lot of jobs. So I had a lot of jobs. So I will go work at that time. I was working at South Square Mall. And I was working at SNK which was like a man suit store that ain't even down exists. Yeah. But they I will sell like men's suits. So I will have to wear suits. You know, I mean, like, I probably like the damn preachers I like walking around with suits all the time, but I was on my way to work. Yeah, so I go and you know, sell my suits, you know, get off work. Go back to the dorm, you know, me and the homies kicking, we might Ryan, whatever. And that would just kind of be it. And I just stay up at night. That was when I would maybe write or just listen to music just kind of to myself, you know, I mean, but that was just kind of like a typical day. I always once I left football, like I always worked always had I always had a job.
Kevelle Wilson 33:53
Okay, um, so we might be a little biased, but we love college radio stations. Yeah, man. Radio stations, unfortunately have been on a decline over the past few decades for obvious reasons. So to kind of reminisce a bit what was kind of your favorite radio stations growing up,
phonte 34:13
man, my favorite radio stations growing up. I think my favorite radio stations. Man growing up. When I was a kid, I grew up. I grew up in this town called Red springs. It's a town that's in Robeson County. It's about like, you know, me like maybe 30 minutes. Wait for Fayetteville. The next biggest city close to it as Lumberton, which is like maybe, you know, it's eight minutes. I'm saying but, you know, it's as always Robeson County is historically I was one of the poorest counties in the state. And so there was a small radio station there called Why are you that I will Listen to my grandparents. I live in my grandparents me and my mom. We live in my grandparents for some time and so, my grandfather will always play WR you and they will play gospel you know, I'm saying so that was where like our we're here all like the gospel quartet stuff like mighty clouds of joy Jackson so the news, it was all that like gospel where they were called quartet groups just for dudes with Jheri curls the singing in the most immaculate home you know, I'm saying and so, I would always listen to WR you and then they would play like you know, at night they will play like early Hip Hop they will play stuff like you know, jam on it by nucleus which was like a you know, I'm who I know you whoever listened to this these records is gonna sound like I'm talking about Dan Martin Luther King somebody. Great record. So check it out. Yeah. Evangelists, the gym owner by Nooglers this closet, you know, but yeah, man. So they will play like those kinds of records. Let the music play by Shannon which is another what, what became kind of what they would call freestyle or Latin freestyle, just that electro kind of disco stuff. Um, I will hit those records. So WR you was great. In Greensboro 102 jams was always though when I was coming up 90 pound 97 I would run that. Also. My favorite college radio station. It was 90.1 W naa which was anti station and t they used to have I think they still have it if I'm gonna stick and they had a show. They will play called The full moon block party hosted hosted by Texas Pete I'll never forget this Texas. Yeah, I mean, so Texas, Pete You know, it will come on, you know, like Friday nights, and he will play nothing but underground hip hop. And I mean, I was like, nine Yeah, listen to this like, oh my god, I would make tapes I'll do I lost my mind. You know, I mean, so Texas Pete fullmoon block party 90.1 That was just yet that that that's where we really went my heart was in terms of the type of music I wanted to listen to. But yeah, those are some and then that gets me around like 9596 I think it doesn't my mama got a car with like a tape deck in it. And I never listened to the radio again. Like straight up I'd never play fair once I could get ones like Danny oh my god once I got a car when I got a car with a CD player with a detachable face once and you couldn't tell me nothing. You crazy. Thank you
Kevelle Wilson 37:37
for tuning into this interview. You can check out at our interviews at wknc.org/podcast will be quick on off the record. I'm on WKNC 88.1 FM HQ one rally. Thank you for listening and take care
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