The 102.3 KJLH Mixdown: Still Holding on to Classic Hip Hop

LOS ANGELES - It’s a hot Saturday night mid-July 2009 in Los Angeles, California – a city where hip-hop’s origins date back to the popping and locking of teenagers in neighborhood streets in the early 1980s. Blazing out of the speakers of the Range Rovers and beamers cruising down Sunset Blvd. between 8p-midnight are the sounds of pioneers such as Sugarhill Gang, Whodini and the Pharcyde. The 102.3 KJLH “Saturday Night Mixdown Show” is putting it down once again.

During the week, 102.3 KJLH, a small urban station in the #2 market [owned by Stevie Wonder], is known for jamming with the hottest R&B hits. But every Saturday night a transformation occurs - a euphoric epiphany in what one listener describes as an EARgasm.

‘The Mixdown’ is unlike most radio shows. Created by DJ Ricky Waddas in 2004, the show is a perfect blend of classic hip-hop music, that helped create the foundation of hip-hop culture, while incorporating the perfect dosage of current music to keep the show relevant but different from any other show in the market. A touch of comedy contributed by on-air personalities Doc Clarke, Rhea Bea and Baby Gee give it a morning show feel and keep listeners tuned in for what’s going to happen next.

What’s the biggest difference from ‘The Mixdown Show’ and its competitors? The disc jockies have the freedom to play just about anything they want. “We have no playlist,” said Ricky Waddas – the leader of the six-person crew. “We are ‘Radio Free’, meaning we have the green light to play whatever we want. Nobody is monitoring us, which even gives us the opportunity to support local up and coming artists.”

While other stations and mixed shows follow trends, the 'Saturday Night Mixdown' creates the trend. The only show of its kind on Saturday nights in Los Angeles, The Mixdown Show has quite a loyal fan base from its home turf in Inglewood to listeners in Orange County and the San Fernando Valley.

“It’s nice to still be able to turn on the radio and hear a little bit of Digital Underground, Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul,” said Earl Bradford Jr., 31, from Watts, Ca. “When I turn to other stations I hear the same ten songs in rotation. The Mixdown is something my ears look forward to each weekend whether I’m at home or on my way out with the fellas. You never know what the DJ’s are going to play.”

The DJ’s Bradford is referring to are Waddas, DJ Smoooth Dee and the original mixmaster himself Tony G from L.A.'s legendary hip-hop radio station 1580 KDAY. It’s not uncommon for other local DJ’s to drop by and host a guest spot on the show as well.

The Mixdown Show has also found a way to connect with the hip-hop lovers who are not in Los Angeles via web. “We have quite a few listeners who tune in online to kjlhradio.com from other states and countries,” said Doc Clarke – the funny man of the crew. “We’re very active on MySpace, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, so by tapping into all of these interactive sites, we’ve been able to expand our audience.”

Internet saavy they are. Doc hosts a Top 5 segment every weekend which can be viewed on youtube.com. Covering everything from the ’Top 5 Famous Animals of All Times' to the ‘Top 5 Dances’, viewers stay laughing and entertained. “It gives our listeners a chance to see us in action,” Clarke said.

“The crew is funny and the music is sick” said long time listener Sergio Palomar. “It [The Mixdown] takes you back to when hip-hop meant something. I sit and reminisce about where I was and what was going on in L.A. when these songs were out. They still know how to throw in a bit of the new music, but just a taste – not too much. You don’t hear radio like this anymore.”

“It’s good to know that there’s an appreciation for good music,” said DJ Ricky Waddas. “We thank Stevie [Wonder] for allowing us to do what we do.”

The 'Saturday Night Mixdown Show' can be heard in Los Angeles every Saturday night from 8p-12a on 102.3 KJLH or via internet on kjlhradio.com.