Orlando
With over 10 years in the game and a PD position with WiLd 98.7, Orlando has reputation as a powerful record breaker. Along with hosting the Orlando & the Freak Show 6am-10am, he also gives a helping hand to the youth and hosts some of the biggest parties in Florida. What do you have going on right now? I have a lot going on right now, especially with the Super Bowl coming up and Wild Splash right after that. Wild Splash is our spring break concert that we’ve been putting on for the last 8 years that caters to over 15,000 people. We’ve had headliners such as Jeezy, Digital Underground, Wyclef, Beanie Man, 50 Cent, Ziggy Marley, Sean Paul, Rick Ross, Plies, and T-Pain. What songs are getting a lot of buzz in Tampa right now? Gorilla Zoe’s “Lost” is heavy right now with Lil Wayne. Keri Hilson’s “Turning Me On” is banging. We just premiered Eminem, Dr. Dre, and 50 Cent’s song called “Crack a Bottle.” This local joint called “All The Way Live” from Military is pretty big around here. What other local artists are blowing up in your city? Tom G is major. His track “I’m There” set him up as the next one to blast off. Javon Black has “Tear It Up” ft. Lil Kee that’s heating up. We’re pretty much the only station that really grabs local records and gives them true shine on the air. We broke artists like Plies, Mims and got 2 Pistols signed, to name a few. How has your station been able to maintain your reputation for breaking new records? We listen to the audience. We get songs that we like, but we’re not going to gamble with
the audience. It has to be proven. We have a good system of finding those right records and they blow. I’m not gonna share the exact recipe, but it includes PDs actually seeing these records pop off in the club. A lot of PDs aren’t on the air, and a lot of them ain’t hosting no clubs late Friday night. If I see 2,000 people in the club jamming to it, I know it’s time to play it on the air. A lot of people think they can drop the song of at the radio and it’s going to blow up, but it doesn’t work like that. With you being on the radio for 10 years, how do you feel about the music and how it has changed? The music is still the same because it’s still a reflection of the streets. You have artists out there who tell their story, and you have some who talk about what they’ve seen or what other people have been through. It’s still the best hustle we got as far as this generation. It’s kind of like the movie Devil’s Advocate when Pacino said, “There’s more people in law school than lawyers walking the earth.” Well with the rap game, there’s more people that claim to be in the rap game than there are rappers. Besides being on the radio, do you do anything else within the community? I’m an honorary Deputy Sheriff with the Sheriff’s department. I work with the juvenile offenders and gang unit. I work with Everyone’s Youth United who help a lot of St. Petersburg kids with their marching band, computer labs, and care. I also host their Tampa Youth Conference every year with Rev. Run, Justine Simmons, Dr. Benjamin Chavis, and many great speakers. As far as TV, I work with our local NBC affiliate. I’m shooting a pilot for a new show I’m hosting during the Super Bowl week. I’ll be on Extra with Mario Lopez and Carlos Diaz. // Words by Jee’Van Brown OZONE OZONEMAG MAG////15 15