The full article about my show & interview with me

This article and interview appeared on www.myspace.com/plex24 and was written by Fireflyy. Please check her out at www.myspace.com/fireflyy24

Thanks to her for giving me the oppurtunity to talk about these subjects :-)



"I Still Love Her' The Show

Now remember guys and girls before the visual transmission in the form of a television became available to the masses there was a radio. A way of interacting over invisible sound waves.
Radio has always been a very personal way of getting your view across, giving your own opinion and being able to listen to quality music has always been the main one!!
Radio broadcasting has progressed over the years in many ways, beginning in the 1920s with the wireless and in 1954 the transistor radio meant that you could listen to your favourite show in many mobile situations.

Although many people consider pirate radio stations to be one of the downfalls of radio broadcasting with an estimated 150 illegal radio stations in the UK alone, the introduction of such freedom of speech also contributed highly to the progression of the radio as a media component.
Pirate radio stations were formed when we realised not ALL good music could be found on air. There was no guarantee of hearing your favourite tracks on a licensed radio station, the introduction of censored play listing narrowed down being able to listen to anything other than the mainstream causing frustration to us quality music lovers.
Due to the technology boom of the millennium using the internet as a source of research, communication, advertising etc soon became the norm and Radio also picked up on this.
The first internet radio station was launched in 1993 and the notable differences between broadcasting on the internet and traditional methods soon became clear. Traditional radio broadcasts have always been limited by two key factors; The power of a stations transmitter and the availiabity of the broadcast frequency, we all know what it is like trying to tune into a station and getting either nothing but static or a combination of music played all over each other!!

Internet radio had no geographic limitations, listeners are therefore able to hear online shows from all over the globe and visa versa the broadcasters will gain listeners from countries they may have never even visited. Internet radio also costs less than the traditional methods with many people being able to start up their own station from their own homes simply having the access and recording equipment.
Internet radio broadcasts can be accompanied by photos, graphics, message boards, you are able to actively take part and comment on the track playing as you hear it and interact with others who are listening to the same show as you.
We decided to take the time to hit you up with one internet radio show that plays nothing but the realness...
Plex24 brings you a profile and interview with the creator of the "I Still Love H.E.R" internet radio show....

The "I Still Love H.E.R" show broadcasting on Conspiracy radio and hosted by Wanja is another one of those gems for all hip hop lovers not to miss. Nowadays this Fireflyy will admit that it is becoming increasingly hard to find a radio show that plays that quality sound that I want to hear.
"I Still Love H.E.R" all hip hop lovers know where the influence for this captivating title came from. Common Sense hit "I Used To Love H.E.R" critized the direction hip hop was taking during the mid 90's commenting on the fall of afrocentric rap and the rising popularity of west coast hip hop and G-funk. It is now classed as one of his greatest tracks, this is then obviously a perfect title for a show which brings you all things hip hop, inspiring music both old and new, interviews with all those artists we, hip hop lovers, would just love to get to meet and vibe with and of course a host who has her very own charismatic methods of getting us the information we need to know.

The show consists of a flow of tracks personally selected by Wanja herself, tracks that always have the ability to spark a reaction from the listener, whether you start to relive the moment you fell for hip hop or that night in the club when you lost your voice spitting out verse after verse. Each tune manages to connect you to it and over the two hours if she wants you to take a long journey through the decades of the music we love so much then best believe you brought that plane ticket.

The vast amount of artists the host Wanja has interviewed is more than impressive considering her first show was only aired four months ago in July of this year. The journalism bug caught Wanja before that however and now in her archives are the likes of Jazzy Jeff and Rhymefest, Aloe Blacc, Slum Village, Phat Kat, Kev Brown, Buff1, Motive from the Demigodz to name but a few...and I mean a FEW. The rapport she holds with each willing subject comes across in her interviews and the skill she has developed over her short time now puts her up there, in my opinion, as a credited hip hop journalist.

Catch Wanja every sunday on www.conspiracyuk.com.
US 3-5pm
Central Europe 9-11pm
UK 8-10pm

Also check out her myspace at www.myspace.com/istilllovehertheshow

Plex24 would like to thank Wanja for her taking the time out to answer our questions!!



Plex24: Has radio presenting always been an interest of yours?


Wanja: Actually, no. I never really thought about doing that. But I always loved doing special mix tapes for my friends, and I knew that putting music together was something I was good at. But since I had never been a big radio listener myself, the idea of hosting my own show never crossed my mind. I started doing the interviews for an online magazine and one day my boyfriend said I should send the audio material to this independent radio station because they would like to include them in one of their shows. While we were talking about that the idea occurred of just doing a whole show myself. I love putting music together so it made perfect sense.



Plex24:Do you think internet radio now reigns supreme over traditional broadcasting?


Wanja: It depends. One problem of internet radio is that it is not as accessible. You can only tune in while you're on the computer. You can't tune in while you're in the car or running around in the house or whatever. Another disadvantage is that there are so many internet radio stations that it's hard to get a lot of listeners for your show, also because with internet radio you don't make any money, so you have no budget for promotion. On the other hand, the internet has become so important and big, that it gives a lot of people the chance to start their own thing. You don't need a budget to start something like that on the internet; you basically just need a good idea and the passion to invest time in it.

Plex24: Do you specialize in interviewing hip hop artists?


Wanja: Yes, definitely. Since Hip Hop is my first love and has always been my biggest interest it came natural for me to interview artists who make that kind of music. I also wouldn't mind interviewing Neo-Soul artists, it just hasn't happened yet.

Plex24: What do you think of the statement "Real hip hop is not played on the radio?"


Wanja: I do understand where that statement came from. And I agree to an extend. I think the people who say this are talking about commercial radio. That's actually one of the reasons why you will never catch me turning on a traditional radio. Especially over here in Germany I haven't found any station that played Hip Hop. The closest it got was the latest 50 Cent track that climbed to the top of the Billboard Charts. Well, you get the picture. The problem with traditional radio is that it's commercial, it's controlled by an industry that is interested in making money. You have people from record labels paying for airplay. I actually had an interesting conversation about this with a German radio host. I was visiting the radio station that he works for and had the chance to ask him a couple of questions. The outcome was that I had to realize that the concept of my show will probably NEVER work on real radio. Radio hosts do not pick any of the songs that are being played, and that's something I can't allow on my show. I have to be in control of the music myself and make sure that it always represents me and my love for Hip Hop. Also, the reason why they play the same songs 30 times a day is a simple marketing strategy. They do surveys with random people and ask them about different songs, from the answers they create a hit list and those songs they play over and over again. That's why new talent doesn't get a chance, unless it's blown up by the media and backed up with stacks of money by their record label. That's what this business is about, money! Of course I will never get as many listeners as a commercial radio station with the type of music I play. Because it's not that popular. Also, one thing I don't want to forget to mention is that (and this is my personal thoughts on this) I believe that a lot of the Hip Hop I love is too real for the media. When artists talk about real issues about what's going on in this world they will not get the airplay they deserve. Sometimes I feel like the government is trying to keep the people dumb, trying to make them think it's all about partying. Especially in Hip Hop, I've been getting the feeling that the government wants to portray a bad image of hip hop to society, they want the average Joe to think that Hip Hop is all about violence, jewellery and degrading women. Although it's about so much more..

Plex24: While conducting your first interview were you more nervous or excited?


Wanja: The first Interview I did was an E-mail interview. I sent the questions and got the answers back. So there wasn't much to be nervous about. Of course I was worried if my questions were any good but it turned out fine. Then the first interview I did in person, I was more nervous than excited. I got excited afterwards. Actually, my nervousness faded a little bit when I had to wait for the artists to show up for the interview for almost 2 hours, I was more mad than nervous, that actually helped..lol

Plex24: Describe your interview technique. Is it formal or informal?


Wanja: It used to be very formal in the beginning. Because you want to do everything right, you want to ask all the questions you prepared and you think that if you don't have the sheet with the questions in front of you, you will mess up somehow. But as I got more comfortable with it, it became more and more informal. Now I usually don't look at that sheet anymore and just have a conversation with the artist. I do ask most of the questions I had prepared but usually a lot of questions also just come up during the conversation. It's more like talking to a friend about music, which is something that I love to do and I think that makes the outcome a lot better.

Plex24: Do you find it easier to interview people who you already have an appreciation for?


Wanja: Yes, definitely. Because when you have an appreciation for an artist, or have even been a fan of for a long time, you definitely know more about them than if you only heard their music a couple of times. And with the knowledge that you have from being a fan you can ask a lot more and better questions, it makes you more confident too.

Plex24: Over the time you have been interviewing such talented artists have you ever been star struck?


Wanja: Maybe a little bit when I interviewed DJ Jazzy Jeff. Because he's such a legend and great musician to me. But other than that, not really. Talking to all these artists shows you that they are just regular people like you and me. Some of them are cool, some of them are not, but there's really nothing to go crazy about.

Plex24: Do you select your own playlist?


Wanja: Yes, I do and I always will. That's very important to me because I want to be able to stand 100% behind my show.

Plex24: Person you'd most like to interview and why?


Wanja: Definitely J.Dilla if that wasn't impossible. He's been one of my biggest inspirations and one of the reasons why I kept on fighting for my dream. If it wasn't for him I think I wouldn't be doing my radio show now. I would love to ask him about his unbreakable love for music, how he started and what kept inspiring him.


Plex24: Female rapper you'd most love to interview and why?


Wanja: Tough question. I know a lot of people aren't gonna like it when I say this. But unfortunately I'm not a big fan of female rap, although I even used to rap myself. There have only been a few that I liked listening too and right now I can't name any who dropped a recent album .I think what bothers me is that most female MCs either try to sound like men or represent themselves only as sex objects. Of course there are exceptions. I guess if I had to choose one, it would be Lauryn Hill, I always loved her style and she is an incredible MC as well as singer.

Plex24: Which interview has left you feeling proud that you do what you do?


Wanja: I'd have to name two. One was the Jazzy Jeff & Rhymefest interview. Just because I never expected it to happen and it was a real spontaneous thing. The other one was Slum Village. I thought it came out great and also that's one of my all-time favourite groups so it was a pleasure interviewing them.

Plex24: What's real hip hop to you?


Wanja: First off, I want to say that this is only my own perception of what real hip hop is. I think every person has their own definition and it will always stay that way. To me, real Hip Hop comes from the heart. I'm not saying every Hip Hop track needs to be conscious and talk about the deepest topics. Hip Hop can be party, battle, conscious, a great beat or just simply fun. But one thing Hip Hop should never be is only made for the money. Since Rap has became such a trend the music industry took on to it and turned it into this commercial thing, they take people off the streets, shape them into whatever they need and make them their money makers. Sounds like prostitution, don't it? So if you only do it for the money, that's not Hip Hop to me. But if you have love for the culture, if Hip Hop is in your heart and soul and that also displays in your music, then that's real Hip Hop. I might not like it because it's doesn't fit my taste, but it's still Hip Hop.

Plex24: Why do you think hip hop is often referred to as being a female?


Wanja: I think it's because the majority of Hip Hop artists are guys. And you will never hear a guy say "I love him" lol. Imagine if people referred to Hip Hop as a male, Commons "I still love H.E.R." would've never been possible. I think it's much easier for men to express their love for Hip Hop this way. And it's much more beautiful too. It expresses how deep ones feelings for the culture can go. But maybe a man should answer this question..lol

Plex24: Being a hip hop lover where do you stand on the "hip hop just died this mornin', and she's dead, she's dead" Nas lyric?


Wanja: Hip Hop isn't dead. It never died, and it never will. I actually did an episode of my show once, called "Hip Hop is dead?" and touched on that subject, check that out sometime.. I've always said, Hip Hop lives is the hearts of the fans and artists. As long as there is one person out there that genuinely loves this culture, it can't die. It all depends on how you define that phrase. I think to someone who doesn't really follow Hip Hop music and only gets to hear and see what MTV plays, yeah it might seem like the culture has died. But if you dig there is still as much good music as ever. I love Hip Hop right now. I find great new music every day. It's just that you can't swallow everything the media feeds you; you have to go out and look for it yourself.

Plex24: I was reading an interesting article that touched on "Is Hip Hop Dead'? the opinion constructed from this was that the hip hop artists of today are not willing to take chances and that was an essential charactistic adopted by many hip hop artists of the 80's early 90s. Do you agree with this statement?


Wanja: A lot of artists don't take chances because it's just easier to follow something that has worked for others. If you do something new, individual there's always a 50% chance that you will not succeed. So a lot of artists or people in general, prefer to stay on the safe side. I think especially in Hip Hop the fans often can't accept something that sounds different and new. They are so stuck in their mind state of what hip hop is supposed to sound like. Look at people like Common, Andre 3000 or Cee-Lo, when they stepped out of the regular Rap music sound, they got dissed for it by a lot of Hip Hop fans. A lot of them just aren't open minded enough.

Plex24: Artists such as Common, Talib Kweli, Mos Def etc have often been referred to as more "conscious" rappers or "back pack rappers" do you believe that sometimes they become overshadowed by other mainstrem artists because they are focusing more on providing diverse lyrical content than actually the track having a beat to hit the club with?


Wanja: That's definitely true. Like I stated before, Rap music with a message will never have as much commercial success as the ones with catchy hooks and beats to dance to. Mainstream Record labels work with concepts. It's like they have a formula for hit records, they know exactly what they need to put in there to reach the masses. But what they don't do is creating timeless music. They do not serve longevity. You will not see anyone putting a "Souljah Boy" single in his stereo in 5 years, but there will still be a lot of people listening to classics like Mos Def and Talib Kwelis "Black Star". I guess the question is, what do you want as an artist, that one hit that is going to make you a couple millions or timeless music that is going to stay in peoples list of favourites and marks a certain period in music? People like Kweli or Mos Def may be overshadowed as far as popularity and media but never in the quality of their music.

Plex24: Album you're feeling at the moment?


Wanja: The new Little Brother album, Median, I'm still loving Pharoahe Monchs joint. I'm always listening to a lot of older records too, I just put Camp Los "Uptown Saturday Night" back on my iPod. Dilla is always in rotation of course. And I can't wait for the new Slum Village to drop. Oh and I can't forget about the Blu & Exile album, that is one of the highlights of 2007 to me. A real proof that Hip Hop is alive and well.

Plex24: Collaboration or reunion that you would like to see happen?

Wanja: I would love to hear another Common album produced by J.Dilla. Common is really at a great point in his career right now and I would love to hear what they would create. But as we all know, that will never happen. So as far as possible collaborations or reunions, I think I would love for the Soulquarians to get together again and make music or even go on tour. I think that would fulfil the needs of a lot of hip hop fans right now. A new album by A tribe called quest is something I would definitely love to hear also.