roboto's response to HOT 105.9 format change

hastings | 1/13/2007 2:51 pm | Emcees Without Voices

originally posted in the forums, by roboto:

Absolutely ridiculous.

Madison was so far behind the rest of the country in the early 90's when hip hop (rap actually) was still relevant and good (for the most part). When 105.9 came around in about 2000 it was a welcome change for people like me; male minorities living in Madison. Finally, we had someone out there appealing to us, albeit about 10 years behind the rest of the country. Another problem was it barely registered since the airwaves were stretched all the way to Rockford. (It was doomed anyway).

Now, the crap they played at 105.9 wasn't really hip hop (especially the last couple years) , it was 'hip pop'. But at least it represented the commercial segment of the culture, and had an audience that is part of a growing demographic in Dane county. To continually ignore this group, and shut down all outlets for promoting this hip hop culture, shows how small minded and non-cosmopolitan this city truly is. To use NAS's song 'hip hop is dead' as a ways of spreading this message shows how little these assholes at the station understood the culture they were selling.

The reason why hip hop has a bad rap and why there is violence in Madison at these events is because people there are frustrated, and have been feeling belittled and ignored for years. To have one 'event' every weekend that appeals to thousands of people, yet only has room for 200 tops, of course there will be problems. Top that frustration off with the fact that there will always be two or three bad apples (no matter what color or place - you know white frat boys start fights too), spoiling it, and presto - you have created a powder keg.

Madison is a joke. People of different races and ethnicities are moving in the area, and the backwards liberals all of sudden realize they are not really 'liberal'. I would rather have a man who lets me know where he stands, then someone who acts like a friend when they are no different from the people they claim are ignorant.

Part of the reason I moved from Madison is the continual refusal of acknowledgement of the minority communities in the area, particularly of the young people. The Madison college campus is one of the least diverse in the nation for a top 30 public school. The lack of representation in local politics is startling. The closing of this station, with no feedback heard from the public, is not a surprise, its merely the perpetuation of ignorant practices that the powers that be in this city will not stop.

I remember when Z104 would cut the rap segments out of pop sings by harmless groups like TLC. This is just an example of the many subliminal messages of 'we dont want you here' the powers that be seem to play up there.

Good luck to the new WKPO, but more importantly good luck to the city of Madison in their fight against diversification. Peace.

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