Urban Unrest

26 October 2006 | Programming | Ernesto Aguilar

Although Gary Taylor’s ‘open letter’ is seemingly promotional for his release, his concern has been echoed by others in the United States who feel Black radio has lost its soul. Some have pointed to white power in ownership and management of Black radio dramatically increasing in the last two decades. Others have worried about label consolidation cutting indies out of the process. Either way, community radio has a unique opportunity to tap into an audience that is seeking alternatives to the pop-culture treatment of African-Americans.

Dear Black Radio, it’s Tuesday morning here in Los Angeles and I’m up doing what I do every morning–trying to figure out a way to get Black Radio (Urban AC specifically) to listen to what I believe is my most purposeful recording ever.

Getting up at 5:30 am everyday to reach out to East Coast Urban AC stations has been a major part of my life for the past eight CDs (14 years). I figure I’m Black owned and Black operated; why wouldn’t Black Radio want to play my music? Hell, it’s positive music. What more does the Black Community need at this time?

It’s sad, that closer to never than seldom, do I get a return phone call or email. Sometimes I get lucky and a PD (program director0 or an MD (music director) comes to the phone, but I have yet to see results for my efforts. Some PDs have been very honest with me. “You’re an Indie man,” they’ll say. “I’m only playing the top 15 records.”

My question is, how do you ever get to the top of anything if you never have a chance at letting the people–THE PEOPLE–tell you whether or not they like your music?

In this email/letter, I am asking you, Black Radio, for consideration of airplay. Many of you played my single, “Women Of Color,” and I humbly thank you for that.

I know that most of you won’t respond to my request. To you, I ask that you keep this in mind: Our women are more than a butt shaking in a video. Our young men are more than removable gold teeth and rims on a car. I’m sick of these being the predominant images representing the Black community.

There are those of you who will say, “This nigga ain’t never gonna get played on my station.” To that I say, you can’t take away airplay that I never received. Eight CDs and you never played a track from any of them.

Four stations (KJLH, Los Angeles, WGPR, Detroit, WHUR D.C. and KVMA, Shreveport) have given me their love and support on my new single, “Lovin’ My People,” a song about the love of a people and its culture. These stations are getting a positive response, and I do whatever I can to support their efforts to bring back quality music to Black Radio.

Sincerely, I ask the rest of you to please consider playing more than Black music talking about sex, violence, drugs and love on the decline.

If any of you would like a second copy of my new CD, “Retro Blackness,” I’d be happy to send it to you. But please don’t ask me to send it if you’re not going to seriously consider playing it. Let’s not do that to one another.

The single “Lovin’ My People” is attached. play it… you might find it worthy of airplay.

I want to get back to loving you Black Radio, with or without airplay of my material.

Respectfully Yours,

Gary A. Taylor

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