“The Voice”
F
rank Ski-
Who is Frank Ski?
Considered to be among the greatest. Avant-garde, legendary, gifted and talented; Frank Ski has been in the game for more than 30 years. Self- made, and now syndicated, Frank Ski’s ingenuity for connecting with his audience, by bringing humor, relevant subject matter, discussions, and “inspirational vitamins,” accompanied by music and celebrity guests, has crowned him with such titles as, “The Rainmaker of Urban Radio” and “The Pied Piper” of DJ’s. He has been “the voice” heard throughout the air waves on platforms signaling from Baltimore, D.C., and Atlanta. Born Frank Rodriguez, Frank Ski began his career in radio from the encouragement of his mentor while attending college at the University of District Columbia. With intentions on becoming the next “Johnny Cochran,” Ski would spend his spare time DJing and breakdancing when he wasn’t working as a paralegal. He was recognized by the owner (also a lawyer) of UDC’s radio show from his name being listed in the paper as “The Best DJ in D.C.” Asked to come and host a show, reluctantly, Ski accepted the offer; expressing his belief that DJ’s don’t make money. In response, he was given the advice, “If you’re doing what you love, and you’re not making money doing it; then you must be doing something wrong.” He vividly remembers those words till this day. And to him, the gentleman who was only a lawyer, became his lifelong lawyer and mentor to this day. Frank Ski went from being the discjockey in the evenings to co-hosting the number one rated morning show, The Frank and Jean Morning Show on Baltimore’s V-103. The 80’s- Back in the Day It was during this era that Frank Ski made his entrance into the music and radio industry. For many of us, we weren’t even born, let alone can recall anything remotely from this time frame. Having spent summers in New York with his mother, Ski grew up in the era when hip hop was just coming on the scene. He was greatly influenced and ultimately became a prodigy of the culture of hip hop. Ski gives credence to how music videos changed and unified the landscape of hip hop by creating a style that could be seen across America. Becoming more acclimated with his calling, Ski began to make musical beats that would go down in history for generations to come. In the early 90’s, Ski joined ranks with Luke Skyywalker Records and 2 Live Crew. For those who had the 70 A T L + M A G A Z I N E
luxury of enjoying the music of this era, naturally recall dancing to the beats of Uncle Luke and enjoying Freak Nik during spring break. Ski can easily be remembered for his mega hit- rapping under his fictitious character “Doo Doo Brown.” During this time, Ski was able to sell a lot of his music for a minimal price. What he received back in the day, is nowhere near as to what they’re worth today. His advice for the younger generation and even for those who are novices coming into the music industry: “One of the most important things you can do is own your own. Don’t sell your beats. Have ownership of all your music.” “Back[SDM1] then $5k was a lot of money.” But in hindsight, the money that his beats have generated from other artists sampling his music, far surpasses $5k. “Look at the lives of legendary Motown greats, and how they lost control of their music. Copyright and publish all your music. When other artists begin to sample your music, you become part owner of their songs.” Ski’s musical catalog is distinguishable and decorated with well-known greats. We can hear his voice in the renowned wedding and dance song that gets everyone out of their seats, “Wobble.” In addition, the lyrics to his song, “Whore’s in this House” are now being sung by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion. “There’s some whores in this house, There’s some whores in this house. His musical ingenuity isn’t just limited to rap and secular music. He has also worked with gospel artists. Mentioning, Ski has worked with the legendary great, gospel singer Hezekiah Walker; specifically mentioning the song “99 ½ won’t do.” Realizing his time was up in Baltimore, Ski moved to Atlanta in 1998. He began working at (WVEE)V103 with his comedian cohost Wanda Smith. His legacy is enriched with the monumental interviews of the legendary Coretta Scott King, Wayne Williams, who was convicted for the Atlanta Child Murders, former U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, Jay-Z and Stevie Wonder, to name a few. Ski’s “God-sent” abilities have opened many doors for him. Frank Ski was born and raised in Harlem, New York, into a multicultural family with his parents coming from Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. He was sent to foster care by his mother, and at the age of six, Frank moved to live with his father, in Miami, Florida. While there, he grew up in a predominantly white neighborhood, and became fluent in Spanish. Regardless of his origin- he has been widely accepted in the African American community. And, well, his music and dance moves are definitely indicative of his soul-ties within the African American culture. He admits that his Puerto Rican heritage provided him with opportunities that other African Americans did not have. Making "HIS"tory Frank Ski’s accomplishments are superior and noteworthy. In addition to his multifaceted catalog of music- you can also add acting, philanthropy, mentorship, and volunteerism to his repertoire. Ski has an innate passion for helping others and especially children. In 2002, he founded The Frank Ski Kids Foundation. The foundation focuses on science, technology, robotics and sports. Honing in on the importance of climate change,
