“I’ve pivoted in my profession. At this level, I need to do issues that I’m actually obsessed with … issues that I need to go away on the desk.”
A type of “issues” for Radio Corridor of Famer Angie Martinez, aka “The Voice of New York,” occurs Saturday with the April 29 premiere of Iconic Data. Spotlighting iconic albums in popular culture, the brand new visible podcast sequence kicks off its debut season with a glance again at The Infamous B.I.G.’s esteemed ultimate studio album, the 11x platinum Life After Dying. Martinez doubles as host and an govt producer of the eight-episode sequence from WMX, Warner Music Group’s next-generation artist companies, media and artistic content material division. Viewers can watch the present on the WMX Hip-Hop channel on The Roku Channel (Ch. 1137; 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT).
“Celebrating B.I.G. and 25 years of this album another way was thrilling,” says Martinez of being approached by WMX in regards to the venture’s inaugural season, which coincides with the fiftieth anniversary of hip-hop. “That’s as a result of a number of the folks we talked to weren’t the standard folks we see or hear from and who had various kinds of viewpoints on him.”
The ever-busy multimedia character additionally talked about a number of different issues she’s leaving on the desk. These embody her podcast In Actual Life With Angie Martinez, nominated for an NAACP Picture Award within the arts and leisure class this yr, and nonetheless holding courtroom within the afternoons on her eponymous radio present on iHeartMedia’s Energy 105.1 in New York. She additionally shared reflections on hip-hop’s momentous birthday.
Because the Iconic Data promotional trailer notes, you spoke to “25 folks over 5 nights.” What was that like?
It was quick. [Laughs] Whenever you do one thing in 5 days, you’re, like, immersed in it. However we didn’t need to drag it out; we needed it to really feel recent. It was cool as a result of the interviews would overlap. Any person can be strolling out, any individual can be strolling in and it will create this storytelling vitality, even off digicam. [Among the guests sitting down with Martinez were Lil Cease, Fat Joe, Pusha T, Rick Ross and Too $hort.] It was this neighborhood of individuals reminiscing about B.I.G. and the album; private tales that I’d by no means heard earlier than. And you possibly can really feel his spirit. It was additionally thrilling to speak to a number of the producers and the individuals who labored at Unhealthy Boy. There have been so many who had been round for a very long time and had a lot affect in so many areas that I’d by no means had an opportunity to speak with earlier than. Like, I’d by no means interviewed [producer/DJ] Clark Kent, who’s a pal of mine and a beacon within the tradition. So to have that second with him was nice.
The primary anniversary of In Actual Life is in August. Why did you determine to do a podcast?
I’ve been actually fortunate in my profession. I really like what I do, all the time have. The rationale I nonetheless love what I do is as a result of I’m all the time making an attempt to problem myself and develop. It’s not even about reinventing. It’s about ensuring my profession is aligned with the place I’m in my life. And that was how IRL opened up. I’ve had plenty of real-life classes: success, trauma, heartbreak, disappointment. I don’t need to say it was a calling, however I simply felt compelled that this was one thing that I needed to provide; I needed to have this dialog about life. So I type of jumped out the window with it, calling Lauren London and asking if she’d speak with me. She stated sure. [Martinez’s guests since then include Kelly Clarkson, Mary J. Blige and Mike Tyson.]
Every part is so calculated and metrics-driven in our enterprise now that you just lose the guts of what simply feels proper. Truthfully, the great thing about creating your personal content material, proudly owning your personal firm and being ready the place you may function out of your intestine is so releasing and rewarding. I’ve been leaning into that. Generally I don’t know who’s going to be the following visitor. However any individual will name and say they need to speak. It’s been so pure. Even the viewers neighborhood that we’re constructing is natural as I actually haven’t performed any main promotion but. It’s been an impartial effort, which I’m so happy with. As a result of now we now have the roots that come from an trustworthy, genuine place. And watching that develop goes to be enjoyable for me over the following few years. I additionally produce other concepts about doing dwell occasions and creating content material for different folks. So it’s going fascinating as nicely to see the place this evolving street takes me.
Why is radio nonetheless vital?
Over no less than the final decade, I’ve been listening to folks say, “You higher begin figuring one thing out. Streaming platforms are coming and your job isn’t going to exist anymore.” [Laughs] I nonetheless love being on the radio, speaking about music and with new artists. On the finish of the day, it’s about connection. There are individuals who really feel linked to their favourite radio station or character. Radio is free, it’s native, it’s comfy. It’s going to be there though it could shift by way of the way it operates or what the verticals should be. However radio is only a staple.
What does hip-hop reaching such a momentous birthday imply to you?
It’s a fantastic time to mirror on its historical past and evolution. It’s come to date that it’s very simple to overlook the historical past. And a spotlight spans are so brief that generally folks skip over particulars. So this can be a nice alternative for us to carry up hip-hop’s historical past and ensure individuals are conscious of the founders, the ups and downs whereas celebrating the evolution. There are lots of people doing cool stuff, which I salute and respect. Like Nas, a pillar of the tradition, and what he’s doing with Mass Enchantment. However then I additionally see folks simply making an attempt to leap on the bandwagon and throwing up hashtags with out providing any considerate or caring enter on the tradition. I don’t like to see that. Let’s make this anniversary vital; let’s make it matter.
