Posted by Tony Santiago on October 03, 2009 at 15:28:35:
In Reply to: Former WBLS DJ Passes posted by Rich Klein on October 02, 2009 at 21:28:32:
I am really saddened by this news :...(
If there was ANY one person that was an influence to me to look into a potential radio career at the time, it was Mr. Magic. As a high school kid having school the next day, I would actually get up around midnight and stay up to 2AM just to tape his shows when he was on WHBI (105.9) He was a pioneer as he broke out MANY artists that weren't played on conventional radio yet (since 'HBI was a brokered station then)
Aside from Whodini's "Magic Wand", he was responsible for breaking out the career of a young girl who called herself "Roxanne Shanté".
Her track "Roxanne's Revenge", an "answer" track to UTFO's "Roxanne" (1984) broke out on Mr. Magic's show. At the end, you can hear him going "Oh my goodness!" and that remained on the album.
He had his little radio "disses" back then on 'BLS, calling Kiss-FM DJ's "DJ "Red Dirt" (DJ Red Alert) and "Chuck Illout" (Chuck Chillout), while he had DJ Marley Marl on his side.
That was VERY interesting radio at that time and it's a shame we may never have the likes of this man again :( The hip-hop community owes a great debt to him.
:.....( (I really am in tears on this).
TONY SANTIAGO