Students and community members flocked to the Van Duzer theater on Sunday, Nov. 12 to see Maryland based funky jam-band, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. The event started around 7:15 p.m. with the opening band, Dogs in a Pile, and heated up around 8:45 p.m. when Pigeons took the stage, kicking off their first set with “High as Five” – an ode to being “High in Humboldt.” In total, the quartet played (with instruments, not ping pong paddles) two sets and an encore, saying their goodbyes just before midnight.
Earlier in the day, the bassist of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Ben sat down for an interview on KRFH. Listen to the interview below.
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong frontman, “Scrambled” Greg Ormont jumps in the airbeside lead guitarist Jeremy Schon during a high energy performance at the Van Duzer Theater. Photo by Carlina Grillo.No limits on the mic for “Scrambled” Greg Ormont. Photo by Alex Anderson.Lead Guitarist Jeremy Schon vibes out in the lights. Photo by Alex Anderson.Ben, bassist of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, wears his bass face during a heated jam on Sunday Nov. 12. Photo by Carlina Grillo.Ben, bassist for Pigeons Playing Ping Pong showing love to the crowd before signing off. Photo by Alex Anderson.Pigeons Playing Ping Pong lights up the crowd at the Van Duzer Theater on Nov. 12. Photo by Alex Anderson.
This past weekend, KRFH DJ’s made the journey down to Los Angeles to attend the University of California Radio Network Conference held on Nov. 4 by KXLU at Loyola Marymount University. The day consisted of three sessions, where students could choose between workshops and panels like creating DIY promotional materials, developing an on-air persona, staff training protocol, life after college radio, and more. Students especially interested in play-by-play sports broadcasting and news casting were given the opportunity to attend a journalism seminar also held at LMU featuring professional broadcast journalists.
Outside of the panels, workshops, and seminars we attended, this conference proved to us how hard-working and committed KRFH DJs are; the kind of people who would drive 12 hours on a Friday to attend a 10-hour event on Saturday, just to drive the 12 hours back the very next day.
Although the conference seemed to be targeted towards UC’s and private schools, we’re grateful that we committed to the voyage because it genuinely left us feeling inspired and validated as DJ’s, and station managers, for a student-run radio station. Being compared to almost 10 other bigger stations, where there is paid staff, we learned that there is something so special about Humboldt and our student-run station. KRFH is full of real, passionate, small town DIY DJ’s. No amount of money could buy what we have, which makes sense because as a class and a club, open to only students, we are responsible for raising the majority of our funds.
We’ve hosted three 24-hour live radio events, featuring live radio dramas such as “War of the Worlds” and “Coraline”, something other college radio stations absolutely aren’t doing. We brought back our Local LIXX, featuring local bands live from our station, and brought back KRFH News, offering the community weekly news in an audible format.
And, for the first time in our KRFH career, we not only got 15 DJ’s to make the trip down to LA, we also got them fed, sheltered and inspired.
One of the most eye-opening realizations during the conference was the fact that most, if not all, leadership positions at other college radio stations are paid, but at KRFH, we do everything solely out of passion for college radio.
KRFH is so much more important than Cal Poly Humboldt gives us credit for. Upon a Google search, you can see KRFH is one of the most popular stations in the county, and as we grow, every day we become more and more of a community resource. In places such as Berkeley, eccentric radio is seen as a necessity for local commuters. A question we asked ourselves was: Why is KRFH seen as anything different?
The truth is, KRFH will never be like KALX or KXLU, other big college radio stations with lots of funding. However, that’s kind of the beauty of our station. KRFH is entirely student-run, and although it’s difficult sometimes, this weekend has shined a light on how beautiful, important and rewarding the work we do actually is. Despite coming from higher-funded, and arguably more organized stations, students from other stations at the conference vocalized the way our small town aesthetic and methods have inspired them.
KRFH deserves to be celebrated and recognized for all that we do. We aren’t simply a group of journalism and communication majors who like to spin vinyls late at night. In reality, KRFH is made up of students from many different majors coming together for the love of music, community, and most of all, college radio.
As registration for Spring 2024 opens, we highly encourage any student who’s interested in being a part of our community to enroll in JMC 154 and JMC 155, the classes that will teach you about audio editing and get you in our station. For most of us, college radio isn’t forever, college radio is right now, a time in our lives where we, like many other college radio alums, will look back on very fondly. Our hope, as the 2023 KRFH station managers, is for anyone who feels compelled to radio gets to experience the beauty of KRFH.
Despite in-person instruction coming to a halt in the wake of COVID-19, student-run radio shows are still an option for KRFH students. For students not interested in going to great lengths to produce a weekly show, there is an alternative.
When Humboldt State University first transitioned to online instruction following spring-break, KRFH students were given the option to continue doing shows, as long as they comply with strict CDC regulations. This includes leaving three-hour gaps between shows, having only one student in the booth at a time and wiping down everything inside the booth before and after shows.
The new protocol lasted less than two full weeks before students were no longer allowed back in the booth. Instead, they were given the option to pre-record shows.
Ayrton Flaherty has a show with Debate Team coach, Aaron Donaldson, called “Debate and the News.” It was the first show at HSU to utilize Zoom while broadcasting live over the air-waves having Donaldson contribute from the safety of his home and Flaherty sit in the booth for their final live shows of the semester.
“It’s hard to do radio if you’re not in the station,” Flaherty said. “I guess cause we do a talk show, we’re able to get away with that. Because, rather than having music and occasionally talking, it’s talking and occasionally having music for us.”
Flaherty has found pre-recorded shows to be far more forgiving, with options to edit and re-take segments. However, they have created hours of post-production time that wouldn’t exist with live shows, in addition to hours they spend on pre-production. But, both Flaherty and Donaldson believe their show is worth the effort.
“I think all the DJs feel a little bit of a responsibility to stay involved, because otherwise there’s the chance that KRFH could get shut down if people aren’t showing interest.”
Shelley Magallanes
“This education is as important as ever,” Donaldson said. “The resources, as always, are very vulnerable and threatened, and students should get involved if they think it’s important.”
Shelley Magallanes hosts multiple shows on KRFH and they completely agree with Donaldson. Magallanes only intends to attend the class if it’s offered in-person next semester, although, they still might sign up if the program is in danger.
“I think all the DJs feel a little bit of a responsibility to stay involved, because otherwise there’s the chance that KRFH could get shut down if people aren’t showing interest,” Magallanes said.
They don’t think the course should be offered next semester if students can’t meet in person, unless that would put the future of the program in jeopardy.
“If we’re just doing it the way we’re doing it right now,” Magallanes said. “Then the main reason to hold onto the class is just to ensure that later semesters, it still gets put on.”
Anwaar-Khabir Muhammad is in his first semester with the radio and based on his experience, he doesn’t think the course should be offered next semester unless classes resume in-person and on campus.
“The radio station in and of itself is the learning experience,” Muhammad said. “I understand trying to maintain a sense of familiarity, but if that maintenance comes at the expense of the student’s overall learning experience, don’t do it!”
Alice Peterson won best show at KRFH last year with her program, “Ear Hugs.” The program mixes lighthearted discussion with relaxing tunes.
“Sending out your part and being a storyteller and providing that comfort and that service,” Peterson said. “It just makes you feel good.”
Since live shows have been taken away, Peterson forgets to attend her Zoom classes and turn in her alternative assignments, which are a five-minute weekly update that are aired on KRFH of students describing how they are navigating their lives through these stressful times.
“I kept forgetting to do my recording,” Peterson said. “Which was weird for me, because with the radio shows I never missed a show.”
As a result of missing classes, Peterson was unaware of the option to produce pre-recorded shows. As a senior without a graduation, she takes solace in the fact that she can at least put on a final show.
With administration still waiting to make an official decision about how classes will be conducted next semester, the future of KRFH remains uncertain and at risk.
Editor’s note: members of The Lumberjack staff have been and are currently part of KRFH, including the current KRFH student station manager. The author of this story had no previous affiliation with KRFH, but our coverage is inevitably biased by this crossover.
Students expressed a range of emotions in response to a recent slip-up from their radio production teacher, Cliff Berkowitz.
In a conversation that followed an interview with the Times Standard for his then-upcoming election for the First District Board of Supervisors, Berkowitz said the N-word in a comment he thought was off the record.
When asked to chime in on the conversation surrounding a racist joke that had been made by his opponent in the election, Berkowitz did a Richard Pryor impersonation using the N-word—but he said the complete N-word. Berkowitz requested the reporters not print his slip-up, but they were well within their rights to do so.
In the wake of the interview, Berkowitz lost his primary election by a landslide, although it’s not clear what impact the interview had. Berkowitz issued a public apology to the press that he also read to his students.
“There are words that are so steeped in hate and racism, that they inflame our community when uttered; I am grateful to live somewhere that holds people accountable for what they say and do,” Berkowitz said. “While I did not wield that word as a weapon nor did I direct it at anyone, it does not remove the harm of saying the word. Nothing excuses what I said. There are people who have trusted me and for them this is a betrayal.”
Mikayla Moore-Bastide, first-semester KRFH student, described her experience at the station leading up to Berkowitz’s remark as a welcoming family environment.
“Whether he was on record or not, I still don’t understand why he felt he even had the right to say it anyways,” Moore-Bastide said. “Like, I’m a black person. I don’t even say it. I don’t even say the word at all. Anybody who knows me knows I don’t even say it, ’cause of the history behind it.”
Moore-Bastide intends to return for another semester of KRFH in the fall, not because she forgives Berkowitz, but because of her passion for radio.
“I don’t think I really forgive him yet,” Moore-Bastide said. “It’s gonna take a long while for me to forgive anyone who would just say the N-word around people who feel comfortable to say it.”
“If I’m being totally honest, I was super hurt.”
Delaney Duarte
Moving forward, Moore-Bastide believed Berkowitz has done all he can to repair the damage his statement caused.
“He knows what he did wrong, he knows that he hurt people, he’s not oblivious to that fact—he’s very aware,” said Moore-Bastide. “It’s one of those things where you kind of have to just put it behind you and then just kind of realize that people are probably gonna remember you for that, and you kinda have to accept it.”
Delaney Duarte, manager of KRFH’s TALX program, has been at the station for three semesters.
“If I’m being totally honest, I was super hurt,” Duarte said. “The whole day when I found out I was just like, I don’t know, I couldn’t wrap my mind around someone who I look up to so much to say that.”
Duarte wanted it to be made clear that KRFH is a student-run radio program, and that Berkowitz’s role does not go beyond instruction in the classroom.
“His apology in my opinion was just complete crap, if I’m being totally honest,” Duarte said. “It just seemed like he’s just saying sorry cause he has to. He got caught. You have to say sorry.”
Duarte expressed sympathy and concern for the African-American students in class, feeling a great deal of pain, herself, as a Latinx student.
“I wouldn’t blame them if they didn’t want to join because of that,” Duarte said. “Because, I mean, who wants to be taught by someone who doesn’t respect their students?”
It’s not just the students of color that feel uncomfortable in the classroom.
“People in our group, they’re just like really uncomfortable even going to the booth, like knowing that he’s either upstairs teaching his class, or like, his office is literally in the radio station,” Duarte said. “So it’s kinda hard to not run into him.”
“You have to take into account the perspective of the people that would potentially be offended by these kinds of statements in that regard.”
Elliott Portillo
Elliott Portillo has been a part of KRFH for three semesters, and doesn’t think this single incident should overshadow the good Berkowitz has done for students and the community.
“I think the joke was in bad taste,” Portillo said. “I think it came from more of a position of ignorance rather than of blatant hatred. I don’t think Cliff is a racist in any way, just based on the interactions he’s had with students and his passion for students.”
Portillo pointed out that his perspective should be taken with a grain of salt, as a self-described “white-washed” Mexican.
“You have to take into account the perspective of the people that would potentially be offended by these kinds of statements in that regard,” Portillo said. “But in my personal preference, I think he’s done so much that it’s hard for me to warrant lasting damage or lasting punishment.”
Duarte said students have come forward to request Berkowitz’s replacement because of an unsafe learning environment.
“As much as it hurts to say—I’ve always looked up to Cliff—but now at this point I’m kinda just bummed out and really hurt,” Duarte said. “So, I’d probably want to see a replacement. Someone who’s more respectable to our students of color.”
Entire Statement from Cliff Berkowitz:
I am writing this to formally apologize. I am truly contrite that my words caused pain or anyone to feel less than. I was wrong, it was stupid, and I should not have done it. We all commit harm, and when we do, it is only right to both apologize and work to make things better. I know I harmed people. I am sorry.
I have been asked over and over again about my opponent’s racist comment, which he has attributed to a Cheech and Chong joke. While that may be true, it is still unacceptable. I foolishly compared that to quoting Richard Pryor, trying to make the point that even quoting someone saying the wrong thing is unacceptable, and in making my example, I too said the unacceptable.
There are words that are so steeped in hate and racism, that they enflame our community when uttered; I am grateful to live somewhere that holds people accountable for what they say and do. While I did not wield that word as a weapon nor did I direct it at anyone, it does not remove the harm of saying the word. Nothing excuses what I said. There are people who have trusted me and for them this is a betrayal.
I have spent the past decades of my life trying to facilitate conversations that include rather than exclude. I have used my position to try to give voice to those who often don’t get to talk about their lived experiences. However, that is not enough. I formally, and contritely apologize. I apologize to all those hurt by my words, my friends, my family, the community, and my students. My past actions to help People of Color do not absolve me for the harm I committed. I still said that word. It is still not okay.
As I continue to reflect on how I have harmed people by saying that word, I will work towards a more just society. I will not stop activism or working to dismantle racism, and I will continue to interrogate how racist ideology has worked its way into my own mind. I will continue to work to make things better. I will uphold my promise to make sure all voices are heard and that there will be a place at the table for everyone, especially People of Color.
I am deeply grateful to those people in my life who have held me accountable and shared their personal experiences and knowledge about racism. Thank you to the community for also holding me accountable.
Editor’s note: members of the editorial staff of The Lumberjack are part of and have been part of KRFH. The author of this article had no previous affiliation with KRFH.
Following winter break, KRFH has returned with its entirely student-staffed programs, TALX, MIXX and Local LIXX. Each of the programs bring on guests to participate in their show, providing a platform for community members to show off their skills and speak their mind.
Local LIXX, the longest running program at KRFH, invites local artists to display their talent live on the radio.
Co-Manager of LIXX, Michael Freire first became part of the program in 2017.
“It’s like a really, really cool special thing to have a fully student-run radio station that is promoting a local music scene in a town that has a surprising number of good musicians per capita,” Freire said.
One of the main focuses at LIXX is to create a diverse program that speaks to all music genres and tastes.
“One of the few limitations is that I obviously only have a view on the part of the music scene that I’m familiar with,” Freire said. “So I also try to like reach out to as many friends as possible for suggestions of places I can go, ’cause I don’t want to just put one genre of music or one group of friends on the radio.”
To scout talent for LIXX, Freire attends as many shows as he can, searching for sounds that he feels are a proper fit for the program.
LIXX Co-Manager Michael Freire preps the board for the big show. Photo by Dakota Cox
Konner Bouyette and Quentin Wall of Quentin Wall of Sound rockin’ out on air.
Quentin Wall and his band, Quentin Wall of Sound, were the first guests of the spring semester. This was Wall’s second appearance on the program, but his first with the new band.
“Playing on air is fun,” Wall said. “It’s scary because anything you do, there’s no take-backs. But it’s fun because anyone can listen, and it’s a lot of people that I would never meet.”
Not to be mistaken for LIXX, the MIXX program currently abides by a first come, first serve policy. This allows the platform to seek out the hungriest, most enthusiastic artists first.
Manager of MIXX Alejandro Zepeda does a final for ChopsJunkie before showtime. Photo by Dakota Cox
ChopsJunkie hard at work spinning records on the KRFH MIXX program. Photo by Dakota Cox
MIXX Manager Alejandro Zepeda is currently in his sixth semester with the radio program.
“It’s really fun to watch the different DJs and their different techniques and how they’re doing it,” Zepeda said. “It’s a really great learning opportunity for myself and anyone else on the MIXX crew if they’re interested in DJing, just because you don’t really get to be this close to the performer usually when you’re out at an event, and you know there’s all sorts of other stuff going on.”
TALX is the odd man out of the programs. Instead of placing the focus of an entire show on a single guest act, TALX incorporates their guests as part of a larger conversation. Unlike MIXX and LIXX, TALX doesn’t require a guest in order for the show to go on. Instead, students are given direct control of the content they create.
Members of TALX discuss the days trending topics. Left to right, Manager Delaney Duarte, & Deserie Carias. Photo by Dakota Cox
Members of TALX discuss the days trending topics. Left to right, Paul Hilton & Ayrton Flaherty. Photo by Dakota Cox
Delaney Duarte is currently in her second semester as manager of the TALX program.
“When you’re in there you’re gonna meet a bunch of other people, and then you kinda create like this bond with everyone,” Duarte said. “Everyone knows you and it’s like a really good community. I love the radio community a lot here on campus.”
KRFH is one of the last student-run free-from radio stations. Students are given complete creative control over their content, so long as they conform to Federal Communications Commission regulations. KRFH programs provide an opportunity, not only for community members to showcase their talents, but for students to express, explore and share their identities.
“There’s just something about being in the booth, something about being in this radio station,” Zepeda said. “It’s calming for me despite all the crazy things that happen, and there’s always something ridiculous happening. It’s my happy place, and I’d like to continue that for other people that need to find something like this in their lives.”
Floods and frequent power outages caused issues for KRFH during the fall semester
Editor’s note: members of the editorial staff of The Lumberjack are part of and have been part of KRFH. The author of this article had no previous affiliation with KRFH.
The Humboldt State University student radio station KRFH is back with new and old DJs for the spring semester after dealing with flash floods and frequent power outages during the last semester.
Alejandro Zepeda was the station manager during the fall semester and is assistant station manager.
“It’s been a rough semester for sure,” Zepeda said. “I ended up taking over halfway through the semester as station manager and just kinda walked into a shit storm.”
KRFH is in the basement of Gist Hall, and when it flooded on Sept. 19, 2019, Zepeda said water started coming down from above.
“There was a couple spots where the water literally just came in through the ceiling,” Zepeda said.
Zoe Kelman, the manager for the live music program LIXX, said the lounge they use for recording ended up getting affected badly from the water.
“I’ve probably turned the station back on myself after power outages somewhere between six and 10 times at this point.”
Alejandro Zepeda
“The whole LIXX lounge got flooded and it smelled horrible,” Kelman said.
Kelman went on to say that pieces of the ceiling came down and the whole floor became dyed orange. Kelman also said it was lucky she came in before the event to set things up.
“I had actually gone in and already moved some of the equipment,” Kelman said. “It was already sitting on a table, so we got lucky that when the flooding happened none of our stuff was on the floor.”
Despite the salvaged equipment, the wiring in the KRFH studio runs in the ceiling. At first they couldn’t immediately tell if there was any direct damage to the wiring, but they ended up having to move the LIXX recording that day.
Part of KRFH’s CD collection adorns the wall of the KRFH booth on Jan. 28. | Photo by Seth Finnegan
“We couldn’t do it in the LIXX lounge ’cause it smelled like a swamp, so we decided to do it in a different room,” Kelman said. “It was just like a whole thing where basically all of our equipment cut out at some point. We got dead air. Like, anything that could’ve gone wrong, went wrong.”
The frequent power outages were also an issue for the station.
“I’ve probably turned the station back on myself after power outages somewhere between six and 10 times at this point,” Zepeda said.
Zepeda said the power backup system was out of date so when the power went off, there was no leeway.
Zepeda said KHSU could hold a solution for the station.
“Within the year before they got gutted, they actually just upgraded all of their equipment and got a backup generator and a bunch of emergency supplies,” Zepeda said. “I remember thinking during the blackouts—having nothing to do at home—that I could’ve been on the air. I could’ve been talking. We could’ve been relaying news but instead we were all just sitting on our hands.”
“You can’t break this KRFH spirit.”
Eddie Rivera
Zepeda said if the station was given access to the abandoned KHSU studios, they could’ve taken it over and helped the community.
Last semester was Eddie Rivera’s first time as a DJ. Alongside the floods and power outages, he also described the station’s leadership struggles.
“Students are so busy and so overworked that sometimes you just can’t attend to everything that the club might need,” Rivera said.
He estimated that with class time and time spent on the air, students in the class will add an extra five hours of work to their week. Rivera said their manager struggles are a lot better now.
“We have a couple new managers and people who are taking a lot of initiative,” Rivera said. “The managers that we have are very dedicated to it and very positive.”
Rivera said the setbacks made the semester difficult for them, but they are still going.
Part 1: We discuss the opening seasons of competition for Humboldt State sports including cross country, volleyball and soccer. We also provide an update on HSU basketball alumni Justin Everett’s move to professional basketball in the Republic of Georgia.
Part 2: With hockey season just around the corner we recap the San Jose Shark’s 2019 playoff finish and offseason. We also talk free agency with the Sharks’ losing Captain Joe Pavelski, and give our thoughts on the re-signing of Defenseman Erik Karlsson as well as Timo Meir and Kevin Labanc.
Part 3: Conversation turns to the start of the NFL season and the teams we support. We talk about some of the more notable scorelines form the weekend. We also dip into some NCAA news, with California attempting to pass a bill that would see college players compensated for having their likenesses used by schools.
Part 4: In the closing segment we talk some Formula 1 off the back of the Italian Grand Prix heading into Singapore and speak about the death of Formula 2 driver Anthoine Hubert. We also address the international basketball scene with the U.S.A. being eliminated from the 2019 FIBA World Cup.
Radio station KRFH hosted a 70s themed skate night on March 1
Bell bottom pants, tube tops and knee high socks were seen everywhere. The 70s definitely made a comeback Friday night on March 1. The Blue Lake Roller Rink was packed with students, children and other locals who wanted to join in on the lively disco party.
KRFH student DJs played classic hits from the 70s creating an uplifting atmosphere for roller skaters to dance to. Hits like “The Hustle” by Van McCoy, “Get Down Tonight” by KC & the Sunshine band, “Kung Fu Fighting” by Carl Douglas and of course the crowd pleasing “Dancing Queen” by ABBA came on for more laps around the rink.
Students like second year HSU student Cita Hunter came to support the small KRFH hosted event and to relax with her friends after a stressful week at school.
“I heard about this from one of my good friends, they told me to come down here because they were going to DJ,” Hunter said. “I came here to have a good time with my friends and to have a night out.”
Along with Hunter’s friend, second year student Shelley Magallanes also showed support for her fellow KRFH DJs.
“I belong to KRFH and I wanted to support an event that our group was sponsoring plus some of my friends were the DJs so I wanted to support them,” Magallanes said.
Shelley Magallanes showing off some moves. March 1. | Photo by Skylar Gaven
After a few laps skaters were feeling the burning sensation in their legs. Some skated the whole night, determined to dance until it was over like Magallanes but others had to step away at times to rest their tired feet.
Gliding against a hardwood floor around in a circle served to be a definite workout for second year student Ellena Negrete.
“Roller skating is a lot of fun and great cardio. This was an awesome Friday night,” Negrete said.
It had been a while since some people last put on a pair of skates. Though multiple fell trying to balance themselves on the rolling wheels attached to their feet, skaters still managed to get back up and continued to have fun with those who surrounded them.
Smiles were expressed on every face Friday night, from parents trying to keep a close eye on their energetic kids to college students finally getting a break to chill out with each other in a creative way.
Children and older students sharing the rink as the party goes on. March 1. | Photo by Skylar Gaven
Everyone no matter how old had a delightful time skating around showing off their groovy moves. Magallanes especially had a great time and enjoyed every moment spent at the roller rink. The 70s theme was a perfect idea to get people moving, laughing and experiencing something far out.
“I like the disco era a lot,” Magallanes said. “I like the 70s a lot and I like roller skating a lot so it’s pretty much the perfect combination of different experiences all at once for me.”
Sharrod Richard won Best Music Show Award for the fall semester of 2016 from RadioFlag’s Radio Star Awards. In the spring of 2015 he was also awarded Golden Voice and Best Safe Harbor Show from KRFH. His journey at HSU involved being the communication liaison for the Brother’s United Club, a member of the school’s debate team and last but not least a Defensive Back for the HSU football team. With all his extra curricular activities he still manages to do what he likes best, to deejay his show. With his various selections of hip hop and rap music, he gets the listeners going and keeps them tuned in. Going by the DJ name DJ Tana Glo, he gives us music from artists like Nipsey Hussle, Young Dolph, Young Thug, and so many more who are dominating in the rap industry right now. However, he likes to let upcoming artists get a chance to shine so you can even catch local rappers he knows from California being played on his shows. Hoping for a career in radio hosting and deejaying, Sharrod goes day by day living by his motto “Glow Up or Blow Up”.
When did you first start Deejaying?
I actually first started deejaying in 2015 in the spring semester. I had never used a DJ board or anything, I had took a course here at HSU.
What was your first time going live like?
It was kind of nerve racking. It actually felt like the start of a football game, I had a lot of butterflies. I didn’t know if the community would accept my style of music being that it is hip hop.
Richard deejaying on his DJ board for his listeners. Photo by Liam Olson
Where did you come up with your radio name DJ Tana Glo?
I actually was named DJTeezySosa before I was named DJ Tana Glo. One of my friends had called me DJ Tana Glo and I liked it. On one of my shows, I had asked my listeners to vote on which named they thought had the best ring to it. The phone was ringing off the hook, and the vote was DJ Tana Glo by a landslide!
Who or what has been your inspiration in what you do?
I have a lot of DJ friends so it was pretty natural to have a good ear for music. One of my high school friends, London on The Track, is now a producer for Young Thug and Cash Money. So I have inspirations from all over the place.
Richard speaking to a caller on the phone. Photo by Liam Olson
How did you know you were nominated for best show, how did it feel when you won?
I didn’t know I was nominated for this award at all! I don’t remember getting a notification saying I was nominated. I remember getting an email a couple days before this Spring.
What do you think it was in your shows that got you the award? Your music selection? Your hosting?
I think it was mostly my charisma. I have a great sense of energy and that’s what I try to bring to each and every show. Also I would like to think my song selection would have played a great deal in me winning best Music Show. I brought a lot of new artist into my show to interview and play their music. Two of them being King Tre and Paris Francis, two HSU students, who have some great songs. So with a combo of those traits, it made me the best. All Smiles!
Richard interacting with his listeners on Periscope. Photo by Liam Olson
Are you looking for a career in Radio Hosting? If so are there any big Radio stations you are interested in working for besides KRFH?
Yes I do plan on graduating from Humboldt State and KRFH, and going to a major radio station. I am from Los Angeles so I would love to be on Real 92.3 with DJ Charizma and Young California. I love their style and ambition to cover all of California, North and South.
Where do you hope to see yourself in the next 5 years?
In the next 5 years I see myself on tour with an artist or with the radio station. I have big concert plans that I don’t want to comment on due to privacy, but I see myself being successful in 5 years. My motto is “Glow Up or Blow up”, meaning to enlighten yourself, better yourself, or Die!
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This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
