Big Von Talks Radio, Breaking Records and Bay Area Sound

This week's guest is Bay Area radio vet and Sunday Service (Shade 45) host Big Von. Here he talks about his history in the radio game including the records he's broken and the contributions the Bay has made to urban radio culture, period. 

1:45 - Big Von talks about the moment he fell in love with Hip-Hop, and like so many others, it started with Run DMC. He talks about how being born in New Jersey and being raised in the Bay and going back and forth played a role in him getting exposed to it so early. Branden and Von also go down memory lane listening to Sway and Tech's "Wake Up Show."

8:20 - Big Von reveals that he started off as an MC and then a DJ and goes through the list of ridiculous names him and his crew came up with. 

 

11:20 - Big Von talks about the history he has with Bay Area icons Tha Jacka (RIP) and Mob Figaz. He also talks about KMEL being the first FM Hip-Hop station in the country and the originator of the "Summer Jam" concert idea.

 

15:30 - Von talks about how he got into radio as an intern and then worked his way up the ladder. He shares a story of how he got his first on-air gig seizing an opportunity that another person fumbled. 

 

25:00 - Von talks about how his passion keeps him going in radio, especially at a time where urban stations' relevance is dwindling. He also talks about the long list of records he's broken ranging from Dorrough's "Ice Cream Paint Job" to Ella Mai's "Boo'd Up."

 

32:15 - Von talks about how he landed his Sunday Service show on Shade45 and the role 50 Cent played in setting it up. He also talks about why he's never bothered with trying to produce albums like the DJ Drama's and DJ Khaled's of the world.

 

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