As hip-hop culture has ascended from the streets to the stores to worldwide domination, the role of radio can never be underestimated. Recently the folks at Red Bull Academy produced the documentary Revolutions on Air: The Golden Era of New York Radio 1980 – 1988, which offered a glimpse of the early days of Mr. Magic, Marley Marl, Kool DJ Red Alert and others who broke through to the mainstream airwaves with underground sounds. Contrary to the myopic expectations of older-generation Black radio and music executives, rap music was able to progress way beyond pure novelty status. However, as the music became more popular, the radio shows soon became less cutting-edge and more commercial.

By 1990, the year Stretch & Bobbito launched their radio show, “real” rap fans in New York City were fed up with the hair grease sheen of the music being promoted through mainstream radio, and were ready for a change. Broadcasting from the campus of Columbia University on WKCR every Thursday night until 5am, the show started off as a local sensation that became ever more influential with the dawning of the boom-bap era that brought forth gritty emcees like the Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, Biggie Smalls, Mobb Deep and Fat Joe, among others.

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