This is posted on January 10, 2017 by Rodney Ho on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
Yung Joc likes to sing and rap, of course. That's how he became famous. And he doesn't stop now that he's a new morning show host at Streetz 94.5 with Mo Quick. Off the mic, he'll sing along with whatever Streetz is playing. He'll just freestyle. He plays off his partner and producer Akini.
And he likes to do Facebook Live on the studio at Hurt Plaza, constantly interacting with fans and goofing around.
Mo is able to play along and humor Joc. They have a good rapport.
But building a new audience to replace the popular New York-based Breakfast Club? That could take some time .
Steve Hegwood, who owns Streetz, lost the syndicated Breakfast Club show to a new rival station the Beat 92.3/96.7. He had to scramble to put a show together so he is giving this combo a try, a pair that has never worked together before and has no morning show experience. Fortunately, they have Akini as a producer: he has worked with everyone from Frank Ski to Rashan Ali to Ryan Cameron.
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Here's the action last month in the studio:
Mo Quick had been making commercials for Streetz and filling in part time on weekends. She had just been given the new title production assistant when Hegwood approached her to do morning drive.
He told her, "I know you want to do more things. You're always asking."
"What can I do?" she asked.
Hegwood: "Tomorrow, you're going to be on with Joc. The Breakfast Club is on hold right now. Just get ready in the morning.' "
Quick, who is 24, grew up listening to both Frank and Wanda and Ryan Cameron. And she was, of course, familiar with Yung Joc's music career. (He broke open when she was in middle school.)
Yung Joc, 36, said his playboy image is not all that it's meant to be. "I genuinely care for women," he said.
"He's not that person at all," Mo Quick added.
That image has been shaped partly by "Love and Hip Hop Atlanta," where he has been a supporting cast member since season three.
Joining this morning radio show is a major commitment of time and energy, especially for a hip-hop artist used to late hours. But Joc likes the idea of playing the underdog. "I feel good," he said. "I know this will challenge me to push myself. In order to get new results, you have to try different things."
The show, he said, has turned his life into "one of the busiest and well structured times of my career." (The last time Joc had a 9-to-5 job was in 2003 as a crane operator. "I looked around at the older dudes. I'm not trying to be that. I knew I had to go really hard to manifest my dreams.")
What little down time he has, he said, is to go see his kids. (He has eight children from multiple relationships.) "Or I stop by granny's house, take some scratch-offs and sleep on the sofa," he said.
He said it's a little odd to be interviewing his peers, other hip-hop artists. "I have good relationships," he said. "I believe in nurturing relationships." In the first few weeks, they talked to Kandi Burruss, Monica, Bow Wow and Keri Hilson.
Joc himself pitched Hegwood awhile back on doing a radio show, that he is of the streets and on the streets. Hegwood ultimately called him on it, believing his likability will transfer over to the radio.
"Radio morning shows are an honor," he said, citing Ryan Cameron and Rickey Smiley. "bestowed usually to the most seasoned jocks. Both of us are rookies." He said it's cool to hear his name cited all day long on Streetz.
Plus, he genuinely likes Mo Quick, who appears to have the maturity level of someone older than 24. "She's a professional," Joc said. "She understands how to be politically correct. She has a very bubbly and inviting spirit." He loves her sense of humor.
They are going on the road every Friday to meet with fans face to face. "Turnout gets better each week," Mo Quick said.
Joc said he is growing up. "I'm going to start wearing suits," he said. "I definitely love Steve Harvey, man. I aspire to be as well-versed and well rounded as him. He's been on the Apollo. He's on 'Family Feud.' He's a stand-up. I've started working on comedy myself. I've done Uptown."
"I'm this much closer to being a happier and well-fulfilled person," he added.
Joc said "Love and Hip Hop Atlanta" asked him to join the show in 2012 but he was still married at the time and "wasn't living right. I wasn't going to shame my wife like that." He waited until he was divorced and single before he was added to the cast. At the time, he said he had all the material comforts but "spiritually, I wasn't all the way. I wasn't where I needed to be. I didn't feel it was going to be right to go on national TV talking about my mistress. and making a fool of myself."
Mo Quick, who has an infant son, is a hometown girl who graduated Campbell High School in Smyrna. Her family listens all the time. She graduated Georgia State University majoring in mass communications and radio, minoring in journalism and Arabic.
ON THE RADIO
"The Streetz Morning Takeover With Yung Joc and Mo Quick," 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays, Streetz 94.5
About the Author
