KJHK’s hip-hop director and host of I-70 Independent talks about meeting two hip-hop celebrities
My favorite part about all the concerts that Lawrence attracts—and there are a lot of
them—is not the shows themselves, although I love live music. My favorite part is getting to
meet the artists as they tour across the country and talk to them like they’re one of my friends, not
the mini-celebrity they may be perceived as.
As hip-hop director and host of I-70 Independent on KJHK, I had the opportunity to host two in-studio interviews this month that were some of the most fun segments I’ve ever had on the radio. On September 15, G-Eazy stopped by the studio to talk about his tour with Hoodie Allen, his upcoming show at the Granada and his new album that came out this month. On Sep. 25, George Watsky stopped by and talked about the poetry slam open mic night he was hosting that night, his appearance on The Ellen Show and who really is the fastest rapper in the game.
I walked away from the interview with G-Eazy realizing that the tour life is not as glamorous as it may seem, especially for an up and coming hip-hop artist trying to make it big. He talked about early morning wake up calls in cheap hotels and trying to get motivated every night to go out on stage and perform even when he was under the weather. He reiterated that he loves what he does and wouldn’t trade it for anything else.
After interviewing Watsky, I was most impressed with how much he loves what he does. He talked about how one video of his went viral overnight and received seven million views, and was able to meet Ellen DeGeneres and be a guest on her show twice. He gave love to Kansas City artist Mac Lethal, even calling him the fastest rapper in the game. He asked
about me and my personal life and my plans after graduating from KU, which made him so relateable to talk to.
It was a dream come true to meet two artists that I admire for their talent and their music, but it was even more enjoyable realizing that they aren’t much different than me.
For two afternoons in September, I felt like a mini-celebrity.
I-70 Independent airs every Tuesday from 9-10 p.m.