New Pittsburgh Courier

A8 OCTOBER 14-20, 2020 METRO NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER Legendary Pittsburgh radio DJ ‘Ki Ki’ Brown leaving 107.3 The Beat But the Hill District native and daughter of legendary WAMO DJ Sly Jock intends to stay busy in Pittsburgh’s Black community into old friends, and their “kids,” who titled, “The Hey Girl Hey Podcast,” are kids no more. “I’ve seen their kids with friends LaShawn Tipton and Gerri grow up,” she said. Tipton. And Ki Ki told the Courier she Ki Ki was an overnight and weekend hopes to add a “Diggin’ In The Crates” DJ at WAMO in the mid-to-late ‘90s, show on the online stream, with none when WAMO was at 105.9 FM, and other than her father, Sly Jock, as host. later, 106.7 FM. She also produced the WAMO weeknight show during that time for Neke Howse, who was the on- air DJ. After more than 25 years “She taught me everything I know,” Ki Ki told the Courier of Howse. on terrestrial radio, Ki Ki Ki Ki calls Howse one of her mentors in the radio field, along with the late Brown says it could be Kris Kelley, WAMO’s smooth, polished female midday on-air talent for much of coming to an end after the ‘90s. “She taught me how to smile when I talk,” Ki Ki said of Kelley. Oct. 23. Pittsburgh radio fans became more fa- miliar with Ki Ki when she became co- host of the WAMO weeknight show with Ki Ki also is looking to attend the Uni- “DJ Boogie” in the early 2000s. She also versity of Phoenix to earn her MBA, all did night shows with the DJ “GQ.” while doing her most important job— As the 2000s progressed, Ki Ki found being the mother to her son, Vaughn, herself with her own daily show, mid- who is now 22. days, generally from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. “Ki Ki’s work ethic is unmatched,” where she was exposed to the at-work said Jonathan Steele, program direc- audience, an older-skewing audience. tor of 107.3 The Beat and sister station This worked in Ki Ki’s favor—she had WAMO 100.1, in a statement. “When I now become a household name with all think of Pittsburgh, she immediately ages of Pittsburgh’s Black community. comes to mind with her being tapped In 2007, out of nowhere, Ki Ki was ter- minated from WAMO. She told the Cou- rier she was given “the old, we’re going KI KI BROWN in a different direction” speech. Ki Ki then turned to Macy’s—yes, the now-closed Macy’s Downtown—and by Rob Taylor Jr. known on-air to Pittsburghers, will per- worked there for a year. form her last show on 107.3 The Beat, Courier Staff Writer “I hated it,” she said. which plays Urban Adult Contempo- Ki Ki then reached out to an old friend, There was just no way LaKeisha rary music. The show will air from 3 to Howse, the former WAMO DJ who Brown would follow in her father’s foot- 7 p.m. Ki Ki told the Courier she has moved on to Baltimore as a program di- steps. no immediate plans to return to the FM rector for “92Q Jams,” which was owned “It was hell” being Sly Jock’s daughter, airwaves in Pittsburgh or any other by a Black company, Radio One (now she told the New Pittsburgh Courier in city, thus ending a terrestrial radio on- Urban One). Howse was able to hire Ki an exclusive interview, Oct. 12. air career that’s spanned more than 25 Ki for fill-in and weekend work, and Ki Everyone in Pittsburgh knew Sly years. Ki eventually sold her home in Pitts- Jock, the fun-loving club and radio DJ “The rapport that I have, and the con- burgh and moved to Maryland, where who was the first DJ to play rap music nection that I have, that’s what I enjoy she worked on-air for eight years. on WAMO-FM in the ‘80s. And whenev- the most and what I’ll miss the most, In 2016, Ki Ki returned home to Pitts- er “Ki Ki” Brown would do something, being able to connect with actual peo- burgh, and to WAMO, although by now, or go somewhere, or date somebody, her ple,” Ki Ki said. “Terrestrial radio gives Pittsburghers had referred to this business became everyone else’s busi- you that, where online radio, and ev- WAMO as “the new WAMO.” ness. Since everyone knew Sly Jock, everything else, you don’t get that con- In 2009, the Sheridan Broadcasting eryone told him everything Ki Ki was nection.” Company, which had owned WAMO for up to. decades, decided to sell the 106.7 FM “I couldn’t go anywhere,” Ki Ki Brown signal to a religious organization. More SLY JOCK eventually convinced his daughter, Ki recalled. Overall, she described being than 30 WAMO employees were termi- Ki Brown, to follow in his footsteps and work on- the daughter of a legendary radio DJ nated. There was no urban-formatted air for WAMO. as, “a lot of pressure.” FM station in Pittsburgh for the next So, case closed. There was just no way two years, virtually unprecedented in a LaKeisha Brown would live a life in the market the size of Pittsburgh. into what’s happening in the city and public eye as an adult. In 2011, Tim Martz, a Pittsburgh her community focus. She’s a vet and After graduating from Brashear High outsider who owned Martz Communi- what I call ‘one of the good ones.’” School in 1991, she was on her way to cations, helped bring WAMO back. He In a matter of days, Ki Ki will no lon- the medical field. Ki Ki Brown wanted acquired the 660 AM signal, and simul- ger be on FM radio. But she told the to be an Emergency Medical Technician, casted the WAMO hip-hop format on Courier she’ll never forget the mem- and enrolled at the Bradford School of an FM signal, 100.1. “The new WAMO” ories from being on the radio in her Business for its Medical Assistant pro- had the right mix of hip-hop songs, but hometown. She’ll never forget when she gram. didn’t have as powerful a signal as “the met Jay Z, before he was “Jay Z.” She’ll A few years later, she enrolled at Com- original” or “the old” WAMO. never forget when a little-known rap- munity College of Allegheny County to But the “new” WAMO got an injection per named “50 Cent” was visiting “the shore up her EMT training. of star power in Oct. 2016 when current old WAMO” on Penn Avenue, Down- But there he was, Ki Ki Brown’s nev- general manager Jamal Woodson hired town, and she could have cared less. “I er-bashful, never-one-to-bite-his-tongue Ki Ki in a full-time on-air role. She lat- needed to go to work. I needed to do my father, Sly Jock, urging her to work for er took the 2 to 6 p.m. weekday after- shift,” she recalled. WAMO, where he was a fixture. noon spot, where her “What’s Good In Ki Ki won’t ever forget the time she “Just try it, just try it,” Ki Ki Brown Ya Hood” on-air segments recalled her father telling her. “I want were re-introduced to the you to do this.” Pittsburgh audience. Ki Ultimately, daughter gave in. “I did Ki would invite members what my dad told me,” Ki Ki Brown KI KI BROWN, JEROME BETTIS of Pittsburgh’s Black said. community on-air to dis- She called WAMO, became an in- cuss certain events that tern, spent two years on the promo- would be beneficial to the tions “street team,” then went into the Now 47, Ki Ki has Pittsburghers com- community. She also had WAMO studio for an overnight on-air ing up to her and saying, “I remember a “Ki Ki’s Classifieds” shift, and the rest is history. listening to you in high school,” or, segment where she alert- LaKeisha Brown discovered a new “you’re the voice of Pittsburgh and the ed listeners to certain job love—radio. last DJ from the original WAMO.” openings. On Friday, Oct. 23, “Ki Ki,” as she’s Ki Ki peruses Pittsburgh and runs When Martz Communi- cations acquired another FM signal, 107.3, and later decided in June 2019 to start a new station and format on the signal (107.3 The Beat), Ki Ki moved her show to that station. But come Oct. 23, it will signal the end for Ki Ki on “The Beat,” and pos- sibly the end of Ki Ki KI KI BROWN with the rapper DMX. on terrestrial radio on a continual capacity. She told the Courier she’s prepared for her was waving to thousands along Fifth next chapter. She has her own market- Avenue, Downtown, as WAMO was part ing and promotions company, “Nice 2 of the “Celebrate The Seasons” holi- Media,” where she handles media rela- day parade in 2001. Fans were cheer- tions for local businesses and nonprof- ing WAMO’s iconic name, and cheering its. She’s expanding “What’s Good In for Ki Ki, real name LaKeisha Brown, Ya Hood” to a video series, available on the girl from the Hill District who nev- YouTube beginning in mid-November.

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