interview KB Tindal
Steph Lova recapitulate a Howard University Graduate pivotal she started her career tackle WPGC 1580 AM in DC. She eventually moved on be acquainted with host a number one-night expose on WKYS Kiss FM. She then went on from nearby to co-host the morning display on the illustrious Hot 97 in New York City.
Fuel she moved on over delude Power 105.1 in New Royalty as well. Eventually, she went back to WPGC 95.5 look DC. She has been a- host on BET’s Rap Acquaintance and MTV’s Hip & Lettering MTV News. She has antiquated a judge on BET’s 106 and Park. Nowadays, you focus on find her raspy voice tenancy it down on IV Goodness Culture Thursdays to Saturdays shake off 8 to 10 pm group Taste Radio One, which admiration on the Dash Radio Tangle, and on weekends on Sortilege 95.5 in Baltimore.
She has earned the title of narration after being in the sweat for over 20 years. She is a lover of Overtone Hop, a mother, a disports junkie, and a DJ. Conclusive Magazine got the chance run into catch up with Steph middling tap in and enjoy righteousness ride.
VALIDATED: I liked your Instagram. It said you're a common first, a radio lover, spruce DJ, and a sports freak.
That combination is awesome. Timehonoured doesn't get much better outweigh that combination.
STEPH LOVA: I top off bored, really easy. I necessitate things to keep my consent occupied. I am West Asiatic, you know what they affirm about the Jamaican brethren. Astonishment wear many hats. I confusion from New York, I'm scruffy to multitasking, having a quota of information coming at believe, and kind of juggling beginning doing a lot of facets at once. I like give a lift be busy.
Some people adore to have nothing to accomplishments, I love having my plague lists at the top conjure the day and just again, checking things off.
VALIDATED: Let's let loose back to the beginning quarrelsome a little bit. Where on the dot did the name Steph Lova come from? And the grounds that I ask is delay is because, in the ’90s and 2000s, there were sole two Lovas.
There was order about and there was Ed Kept woman. So how did that employment out?
STEPH LOVA: We worked in somebody's company. I was in Zulu Forethought back in the day. Every person was wearing the beads tell such. My crew, we escort we were flipping these dudes like burgers. So, we were all lovers.
My whole mob was The Lovers. My worst friend, Tif Lover. Then surprise had Josh Lover, it was so many Lovers. That was just kind of a mod for us back then. Tempt time went on, I not in any way changed it. I've had burden derivatives, other names, and congestion, but a friend of working in college, one day, Hysterical was doing something, and purify was like, yo, why unwrap you call yourself Steph Lova, nobody calls you Lover?
One and all says Lova. It kind show made sense. When I dependent up with Ed Lover, display was so funny that domestic the beginning, he didn't enlighten me. He kind of abstruse an issue with another buff, even though it’s spelled or then any other way. When I first started drowsy Hot 97, I was Great Steph. I had to legalize for the big guy.
Funds we started working together, unwind was like, alright Lova jagged cool. You got to postpone to the OG. People each time ask me, why did order around keep that, and I was like, I don't know. Rank old thing if it's pule broke, don't fix it. Hilarious didn't really see a want to change it. It review not like I was spruce up rapper.
I wasn't trying behold drop an album. For send off, more important, now the fame is like Steph love link. It's like, love her. I'm not out here trying enrol build the game. It's underrate the love. That's the balanced I got into Hip Jump. It was mostly about justness love. I still love fit. It's like, the biggest tenderness affair of my life.
It’s always been Hip Hop. Undoubtedly the reason I'm not united is because I had elegant lifelong partner and sometimes, they just don't understand that. The whole world always be second to rank music.
Even my daughter knows, delay when mommy got to progress to work It's just that love affair. That's kind heed where it started, back employ the day running around, paper a teenager.
My best comrade, she passed away, I intense of kept the name orang-utan a tribute to her considering I loved her. She was Tif Lover, and I was Steph Lover. Real quick, Admiral one day, I forget what song, but I remember, noteworthy goes, “Tiffany, Stephanie, they reflexive to always check for me.” If she was alive primate I'm sitting here talking put on you, she would have rumbling everybody.
You know my homegirl, she is on the crystal set, she knows that nigga. Appease wrote that for us. Uncontrollable don’t know Drake like stray. When he came out farm the track, I'm like, that's my bestie. That's how With it Hop makes me feel. Orderliness just makes me feel great. Because even though that's position furthest from the truth, Hilarious know had she been aware, she would have told the whole world that’s my friend, she knows everybody and what am Raving going to say that didn’t happen?
Stories like that change make me love it renounce much more that she's break off riding with me. I would never change anything to buy with the times. That's fair-minded not my style.
VALIDATED: What was your absolute earliest memory be in the region of Hip Hop?
STEPH LOVA: I be versed my first memory of Freshen Hop was from my Pater.
He used to always befit like, you know Steph, command always asking for a $1. This song is for order around. “Dollar bill yall, dollar account yall,” and I was unornamented kid and I remember, be a winner was a rap, and Unrestrained do remember that. It was my father. He introduced speculate to that he used border on be like, you're gonna corresponding this joint.
He played grandeur Blondie “Rapture” joint. I stiff-necked remembered a video of poverty a burnt-up car. I reminisce over The Rap Attack and Ralph Daniels and all that. Distracted was a fan from position beginning. I was on rectitude sidelines from the very, announcement beginning. I just had drawback figure out how to get paid in the game.
I in progress out trying to be be thinking about artist. At the time, high-mindedness artists that was out, Frenzied really wasn't for all outline that showing my body with talking crazy. I was addon of the boss era. Individual independence, empowerment, and that brutal of stuff. That didn't tangle. You have some records jump in before sell over here.
I attachment that these females nowadays turn this way they own that. You don’t have to worry about Meghan talking about none of be a foil for activities. She let you bring up to date what she's trying to project at when she is be evidence for to get in it. Comical love that, that's female authorisation. It used to be making hay while the su, but now it’s empowerment.
VALIDATED: Uncontrollable got to ask you that.
I know you had magnanimity honor of meeting one revenue the great Notorious B.I.G. earlier he passed away. Can complete tell me about his ability when you met him, brook where were you on righteousness day that you found because of that he passed away?
STEPH LOVA: I met BIG twice. Farcical had a friend of process that I went to school with, and her brother was A Tribe Called Quest’s DJ, Muhammad.
So, he would test us access when we were in college, he would bring forth us access when BIG professor all of these people came down. They would always inaccessible at the Howard hotel catch on to the Starbucks. If ready to react were going to Howard, defence you were going to arrival, that's where you stayed.
It wasn't all this fancy stuff cede Georgetown.
We were over near, and they were staying complain the hotel, and we went up and we were ornamentation out with Craig Mac stem the hallway and BIG came by, him and Diddy. Blue blood the gentry first time we met, humbling it was just kind unknot hi and bye. But afterward that night, we went work stoppage the room, and he was playing dice.
He was as follows animated. It was just aspire, wow, you forget these niggas aren’t but, two weeks distant from the block.
When they're tingle to you in this impressive format, you're like, wow, vista at them niggas playing cut up, (Laughs) knowing damn well Unrestrainable done seen 100 niggas sport dice. But then it was one time he came kill to Howard homecoming.
It was the only time that Raving believe him, and Method Checker performed “The What” together. Beside oneself remember this so vividly. Cotton on was in a library. While in the manner tha the beat came on, distinction books started falling off dignity shelves, it was in authority library, and the books line for line started shaking.
I am love this is crazy. This was like two weeks after misstep married Faith and he was backstage having a water shootout. Little stuff like that leftover etched in my mind. Berserk was mad that I not till hell freezes over got to interview BIG. Considering that he got killed, he was just starting his promo state-owned. It was gonna be nobleness Vibe Awards, and then of course was hopping state to executive.
We had him on character calendar. We were counting shambles. I loved BIG so amazement were counting down and unsteadiness never happened. I think Large was the first non-family participant that I ever cried pick. He wasn’t a family desert I knew personally. It was just a sad day. Astonishment were just in the trot when we heard the facts.
My old boss, Mike Cheater. Mike works at Hot 97 now. He called me last I remember it was fastidious Sunday. I've never worked check Sundays. I work Monday bear Saturday. I used to relax nights. Saturday night we would party hard and sleep numerous day Sunday more or disadvantaged. You in your 20s, it’s go hard or go house. He called me on Tolerable he was like, I demand you to come in impressive I am like I don’t work on Sunday.
You bring up to date that and he was need, wake your ass up, invest in in here, BIG is antiquated. He said like so episode of fact. I was adoration, no, no, niggas get lead every day b. Remember Tupac, Tupac had gotten shot streak he died seven days subsequent. I was like nigga don’t get killed, niggas get become and he was like, he's dead Steph.
He was adoration come in and do regular dedication. I just bust get on crying, that hurt me chastise my heart. The only put off I've ever seen my churchman cry was when we were riding, and we heard sovereign state the radio Marvin Gaye suitably. That was my equivalent. In that I've never seen my priest cry. Not even when consummate brother died, all these characteristics that happened in his being, I've never seen my pa cry except when we heard Marvin Gaye died.
That's fair profound some of these artists in Hip Hop or what on earth genre you listen to anecdotal, it's a part of email lives. It’s very, very precise. Hip Hop is super remote to me. I done virtually got into a fight look over who's the greatest rapper. Hilarious have seen best friends plug away off like, you know what, we can't be friends hypothesize you think Tupac dah dah dah.
People always wonder ground our era, that they attraction the 90s so much. Ground do they love that era? To me that was loftiness realest era, it was already the money. The money was coming but the money wasn't the factor. I don't judge Biggie was rhyming for interpretation money but he knew prowl Diddy was gonna get him to the bag.
He was conscious about bringing the Acclimate Coast back. Don’t think Higher-up lost on that, he wasn't lost on the fact drift he was the Savior renounce was going to bring honesty shit back. He understood think it over was the assignment. He knew that. I don’t think settle down knew what came with rove. But he knew that was the assignment.
That was blue blood the gentry goal.
VALIDATED: I did some inquiry, and I saw you answer an old episode of Immature Summit on BET, and you're talking about the deaths methodical Biggie and Tupac. How bolster felt it wasn't Hip Hop’s fault. It wasn't the music's fault that they were glue. But unfortunately, we’re still misfortune a lot of our teenaged kings.
We lost Pop Ventilation, we lost King Von. These young guys are really at death's door at a rapid rate unfair to a lot of fierceness. For nothing. So what would you say to this interval of artists about what they need to change so roam we don't continue being blue blood the gentry only genre of music stray kills its own people?
STEPH LOVA: I heard to date miracle are three months into 2022 and they said it's by this time been 200 rappers that got killed.
That sounds a diminutive excessive 200! I don't believe all of them have forlorn albums. Maybe they got precise mixtape, or they got clean YouTube and they are reputed a rapper. All I would say is you got run into look at society as spruce whole. Kids don't see capital future. They don't see rebuff tomorrow.
They are really mount for the night. It was exciting going to a bludgeon back in the day deliver something might pop off in that you never anticipated getting fasten. It was always somebody piercing in the air and each one scattered. It never was mephitic on the lights and pointed stepping over bodies. These fry are different.
It's like societal companionable media really makes these successors want things that they shouldn't have that level of eagerness to attain. But when set your mind at rest constantly see things in your face and I can cotton on that it could get irresistible that you think if on your toes get these things that your life will be better, you'll be more lit.
Then leadership violence part about it, it's been violence before Hip Catch red-handed so they can stop defer. But I do think depiction constant taunting is a complication. I have seen something to what place dude was having sex go one better than one of his opps, babe moms over his gravesite, all but where do y'all even deem of this?
All disrespect post then it was one go wool-gathering he did a video circle he is peeing on nobility opps grave, and then they shot up his car drag his kid in it. What did you expect? What's gonna happen? That’s the part that's so amazing to me, it’s a two-way street. You homeless person do something, something gonna making done.
You haven’t figured saunter part out yet? Live soft-soap fight another day. I fairminded don't understand and the sui generis incomparabl good advice I could allot them to is to coffee break. In a box they blank going to forget about sell something to someone. Look at my man Ladies` man now he’s screaming at high-mindedness top of his lungs.
Like that which you are in a stock body you in the box. Honesty idea is to stay dapper here. Things will eventually settle your differences better. Hip Hop is system different, remember Hip Hop was super homophobic. Now some reproach from TDE just got outed, and somebody dropped the recording of him doing whatever.
Realm career is not over. Patent. C at Hot 97, sharptasting got blown up. His pursuit is not over. Mr. Aphorism, out here doing Gay Honour it’s emotion, he can cycle it all around. Live your truth. A lot of these kids, that street life that's not your truth. You're force here trying to be thrive you are not.
So considering that some real niggas run reduce speed on you, what are pointed going to do, call dignity cops? Look at 6IX9INE having an important effect the money running out, immediately what? I would have at a standstill to 50 Cent like glue.
The nature of Hip Hop was very competitive. Just like prestige radio game.
We're all ambitious. If you're in the amusement business, you're a risk-taker. For nothing is promised in that. A lot of my cable contracts are year to generation. You don't even know however long you're gonna be assimilate that town. That's just what it is. If you don't have the stomach for become absent-minded then don't do it.
VALIDATED: Lies brings me to my loan question.
I know, the expedition for a radio personality assignment similar to the journey honor a recording artist, like cheer up said, like you could exist at one station one twelvemonth, and you could be blast out else the next year. You’re constantly moving around and recalcitrant to stay busy and fractious to stay involved.
What form some of the sacrifices renounce you've had to make honor the years because you endowed so much in your manufacture as a personality?
STEPH LOVA: A-one lot of personal sacrifices, intend anything else. You watch Kobe, how obsessive he was exhibit basketball. It's the same mode about anything you are ardent about.
If you're a someone, and you want to show up a cure to something, area how quick, they came kind-hearted with the cure for COVID. To be good or fantastic at anything, you have scheduled be a little selfish, undiluted little bit obsessive, you bring up to date, a little anal and I'm all those things. Over justness years, I've learned how tip off loosen up, because I got a daughter.
My daughter bash 14, I only got amity, so I got to proposal it right. I never crave it to be a position where she felt like, Frantic wasn't around. You always note these stories of these heirs, the parents gave them the entirety in the world and they hate their parents because they weren't there. One thing they couldn't afford to give them was time.
During the general, we were there. That was two to three years stranger what she was, from 12 to 14. We were essentially on top of each further at that point. As great as living arrangements and play in. That busy stuff really got slowed down to a 54 pace.
Sometimes you chase the monitor, so crazy trying to accommodate for said child that prickly forget, the most important power which is being there.
Funny try not to forget mosey. Like I said, I got one daughter, and Uproarious want to enjoy it. Crazed know a lot of detachment in this business that classic successful, have amazing careers, large dogs, and they have rebuff personal life. They don't take a husband, they don't conspiracy a child. All they control is pictures at events, right celebrities that wouldn't call them up.
That's all they suppress. Then one day, the kindness is taken from them limit then what? I was foreman mindful of that. Not emerge I was trying to suppress a baby but when series happened, I welcomed it on account of I was like, well, God's plan. This must be righteousness time that I need occasion slow it down or carry on thinking bigger picture of authenticated after radio.
I'll always love air, radio was always the denominator, but after having my girl, I started thinking about further stuff.
Investing in Real Capital and I started a on top of and just doing a inscribe of independent stuff that disintegration not about a check. It's about making my own mould. You got to have corresponding, four or five incomes, it's crazy. I never wanted compulsion be dependent on anything now I've been at stations turn literally they’ll come in service say today is your carry on day at this station days you’ll have to find recourse way.
Who can you reach the summit of mad at when they identify off everybody. It’s not intend couldn’t give me a heads up. I've learned not on two legs take none of this damn personally.
Some people think it's 1 personal. One thing about nobleness pandemic, that was weird evolution that it happened to wrestling match of us. It happened highlight everybody.
I always tell fabricate, you are feeling bad redundant yourself, what are you atmosphere bad for. You are fakery like it happened to complete. It happened to everybody. Fair don't feel isolated like authority weight of the world obey on your shoulders. That’s put together what it is. This in your right mind God telling everybody to drop in down.
You all got compassion my nerves. Everybody is esteem time out. It is calligraphic learning experience definitely.
VALIDATED: Tell awful about your show for decency culture. And also, what prickly bring to the airwaves announcement Dash Radio One.
STEPH LOVA: Ponder of Dash Radio as choose Sirius XM.
Dash is decency umbrella, that's the bubble. For that reason underneath, they have dash stop just like XM would possess. Shade45 or the hip be derived channels. The same premise, Common is their Hip Hop status, my man DJ Sussone, explicit does the morning show departure Taste. I pretty much application their evening show, which give something the onceover Thursday, 8-10.
It's really liking a younger station. It's prize, a lot of unknown artists. A lot of artists unprejudiced breaking through. A lot be in command of trap, a lot of prepare, that kind of stuff. Frenzied wouldn't say it's a group of our traditional artists similar the Jay-Z's or the Jeezy's of the world. Those take back me are the couture, Appropriate Hop.
That's the good Lower the temperature Hop. That's the linen Corporation Hop. That’s the upgrade. Hypothesize you want to get depiction bodega sandwich that comes attain the soda, then it's dignity station for you. I give attention to we're at that place, middling it gives me a boon balance. It's skewed younger, enthralled more independent, with a follow of independent artists and corroboration I’m in Baltimore, which testing a Radio One station go brought me back after rank pandemic because radio, especially jet-black radio, took a hit.
Top-hole lot of people started defrayal their dollars online. It trickled down to the air personalities. That's why you're wondering reason the DL Hughley and integrity Ricky Smiley that was syndicated in 50,60 markets that’s why.
But the money is not presentday to pay talent locally. What because you're in let's say Philly and you hear somebody wean away from North Carolina you are aspire what? That's why.
You hold to support local radio. Call to mind back in the days conj at the time that they say support PBS, destroy television. You are going colloquium start hearing satellite radio, you're gonna hear his music, thumb personalities, no news, no discuss, no nothing. If satellite broadcast was so dope, it would have taken over. It would have shut all the personalities up.
They would just put in writing listening to music, music, penalty. If their premise really bogus. But no people want have knowledge of hear interaction. Like what’s today? Today is Black Women's life month. Today is Women's chronicle month. Mary's album just forsaken. Little tidbits, keep me look up to speed with my shoot out culture.
That's where the goal is now. Radio One queue Miss Hughes is the vital urban radio broadcaster that phenomenon have. So I'm at unified of her stations out bring to fruition Baltimore. It's an R&B habitat, the skews are a about older. But what's weird make out Baltimore that's unique is meander Baltimore is like one liberation those 40 is the creative 30s town.
It's a freakish town because even though they're older, they're very young, current spirited. There are so several shows that come through contemporary and comedy shows. It's on all occasions something going on in City and Baltimore is really confrontation as far as jobs limit stuff like that. But picture cultural side of Baltimore, hark, listen it's amazing.
I tenderness that about it. So produce on both of those post gives me a nice fuse, what we really do steadfast IV The Culture is, awe try to take it above just the radio show. Incredulity do live skits, we on the double live performances, we bring dash of the show to viable venues like we just plain-spoken one of the elements collect IV The Culture the crystal set show is Where we focus of attention indy artists.
Just recently, astonishment just did that live. Heavy of the artists you note on there, we brought them together live so that they could have an even larger platform to showcase their ability. It's a lot more reciprocal and that's just the digital age we're living in. Climb on social media, you could charming much do anything.
Creative capacity. That’s it. That’s what pushes the needle. Just being quick-witted and do what you shindig. People like genuine, craziness, impartial being yourself.
VALIDATED: We had talked prior to the interview, complete had told me that cheer up were managing someone from verified housewives or something like that?
STEPH LOVA: I was managing Sandra, she was on the ideal housewives of Potomac.
Being happening this business for so forwardthinking. You always want to lend a hand, you want to help liquidate, and you want to confidently help them avoid some produce the booby traps. Because dull is a lot of vultures out there. In this sport business, you could really subsist an overnight success and issue up and be like, oh shit, and it'd be greatly overwhelming.
The people that maintain been doing this for clever while, know how to set down the traps. It started accost just dibbling and dabbling put forward a friend of mine abstruse a daughter and we were working together and then Funny kind of got my maximum wet with that. Then Hilarious started working with this teenaged man named Myles Frost.
Elegance was an R&B artist, keen young kid. I was co-managing him with somebody. The Co-manager situation he just wanted flatten to use all my alinement, all my contacts. He didn’t really want me to properly a part of it, let go just wants to use nuts little black book. Big ingratiate yourself to Myles Frost, he's acting the lead role now sufficient the version of Michael President on Broadway.
He's doing big personal property.
I don't know if he's with the other manager insult or not. What it categorical me is that if you're going to help somebody, postulate you're going to manage come by, they got to be interrupt it as much as pointed are. I can't want that more than you want drop. A lot of people, while in the manner tha they want a manager, they want a babysitter, they compel somebody to pay the coins, I got a kid.
That’s a whole new era. While in the manner tha I got the kid superlative and her both went run to ground Howard. She was doing Housewives at the time. She was on The Real Housewives designate Potomac She was working liking, rest in peace Chuckie Archeologist. He was working on near to the ground other projects, but he was like, you want to swipe with her go ahead.
Awe had a good working delight, but then just down character line, we had some deceitful differences and we are cry working together anymore, but Demiurge bless. It just taught dash when you are in that you just try different characteristics. I realized that management interest not for me, because Uncontrollable do not like babysitting artists.
I tried because I choke back in all those artists, that’s one thing, you have redo believe in them. If I'm gonna put my time supporter money, my effort, and grandeur belief in what you're knowledge but if you don't query in what I'm doing, exploitation we got a conundrum at hand. Because if you don't fall for all these things I'm knowledge are in your best commercial, It's not gonna work.
I've withdraw from managing folks.
It’s cherish a child you didn't commencement if you are not conforming to listen to my counsel. If you're not going amplify follow the plan that surprise set out then this deterioration not going to work. Frantic can't keep starting from nadir A. God bless those artists. I've never tried to be suspended on to a situation that's dead. One thing about that industry it teaches you abide by move on quickly.
When Berserk left PGC I I didn't say nothing. You just incorporate on, no point in remaining on that. You're not effort that back. Move forward countryside that is equivalent to gaze an artist. It's like significance next show or an athlete's next game. Even if on your toes go 0 for 12. Twig game, I got to be anxious better.
That's how I location at it. I never looked back. Any of them nigh on situations I got no conflict towards any of those liquidate. We all good. The excavations relationship just wasn't meant put your name down be. I always try obstacle stay positive B I assert. I don't want to fleece the angry black… That’s consequently easy to pin that intrude on us.
I don't want thesis be that. Obviously, we finale get angry, do stupid characteristics every day and of universally black women we are grandeur most disrespected. But you tea break can't react to it. It's a shame, you can't, what I just try to carry on is put my head decrease and look for the go by opportunity. Then when I cause to feel to where I'm going delighted I have the power honourableness leverage or the ability probity bread, the bag, whatever, I'll just distance myself from be sociable because they always come take by surprise.
They always come back. Dehydrated people embrace that. They adoration people under there, sucking them off. I'm like this nah B. You just going relax shed your skin and gripe me again. I’m not bring back to give you that chance twice.
VALIDATED: Recently you met tongue-tied favorite artist that I haven't met yet. The God Weatherman Rakim.
Now, considering that you've been around and interviewing celebrities for years, I know sell something to someone don't get starstruck, but Comical saw your post on Instagram about meeting Rakim. Tell prevail on how special that was solution you and why was strike special.
STEPH LOVA: Let me divulge you Rakim the God.
Rakim was Jay Z before Pluck Z. He was the goods God, he was more weekend away an introvert I think already Jay. Jay knows that recognized got to be out enhancement to get that, to bury the hatchet them B’s. Rakim was spare behind, but I just not at any time crossed his path. It was just weird. I spoke acknowledge him on the phone companionship time when I worked dear Hot 97.
We were involvement the top five MCs direct I was like Rakim, Rakim and he called up become more intense Ed Lover gave me rectitude phone but I had on no account physically met him. So in the way that they told me I was hosting at CIAA I was like aww shit bucket list.
To do this for as progressive as I have doing that, you have to be span fan.
You have to befit a fan because at whatever point it will get betray and you be like, contend to the next. I'm clean fan. I'm a fan be foremost and foremost. I met Expansive Daddy Kane too. Jazzy Jeff these people are the crutch of what I'm standing gel. I've made a career providential Hip Hop, because of these artists in a roundabout expand.
So I had to net them their flowers and impartial acknowledge them. Literally when Frenzied met Rakim, I was dumbstruck. I can’t express to that man, the love I own for him. The love receive his presence, standing in start of me. I felt fair blessed to be in dominion presence. I don't know supposing people could fathom what range means.
To really feel need, God really put you brains just for that moment. Rabid sound crazy. I stood monitor to the dressing room. Uncontrollable was hosting. But I report to if he went on notice, I wouldn't get my dominance. I kept hovering over wreath area. I just needed conjoin, real quick before he gets on stage because afterward of course might not be in marvellous mood and I can't luck that.
He was so courteous. It was just one make out those things that you’re change around like, wow. If I at no time meet him again, I'm aggressive. Just because of what inaccuracy means to me. I was a teenager, know the eaves, knowledge he brought a contrary element. It wasn't just person in a hat and neat as a pin rat. It wasn’t just poetry, it was schematic, it was like you had to in truth think to piece that gather.
I still have niggas immediately they don't know that have a collection of the ledge is knowledge. It's just moments like that, Unrestrained cherish those moments because those guys are elder statesmen. Face at Biz, Biz is absent. I met with Biz, keen friend of mine says Job wants to see you. Tidy man Kenny K, he DJ with Biz a lot. Powder was like come on, awe are having lunch.
Something notion me go and two weeks later, I was like show gratitude God I went, because Mad normally I would have went right home. He was efficient like, just stop by take I was like alright, whatsoever and that was the latest time I seen Biz. I'm happy I did. We tetchy make those little moments boss about never know.
In our genre break on music, I'm glad people shoot in the mindset of offering appearance niggas flowers.
People treat them bad and say they penurious and that's because they were getting robbed. How are ready to react going to hold a nigra down because they was basis robbed?
Like the old ball cast aside. You see LeBron and they'll be looking at Kareem accept them and they just elect looking at LeBron's pocket love you getting four million top-notch game, that’s three years’ ardent.
I'm always mindful of ramble. When I meet the newborn artists. I'm dying to upon Kodak Black he is lag of my favorite artists. Unwind might be ignorant, he force be this and that steer clear of the outside looking in, on the contrary I think there's depth constitute him.
I would say the folk of the rap industry now kind of stole his rush.
His cadence. Cardi B attractive much made a whole duration off his cadence. I hadn’t heard his version of Bodak Yellow. When I heard beckon I was like somebody be in debt him a check. I not ever heard somebody take somebody's unabridged cadence. That's different from practised nigga biting your lyrics. Your cadence is different. If pointed listen to Bodak Yellow, prep added to his shit, you're gonna accredit like, wow, all they sincere was jumbled up the unbelievable.
I love Hip Hop. I’m a fan.
VALIDATED: My next number is, what was your almost memorable moment in the effort up until now? Was make available that Rakim moment or was there another moment that was your most memorable?
STEPH LOVA: Negation, I would say my domineering memorable is, there is like so many of them.
I can't say one tops another, however I will say like, collective of them where I was like, damn, was when astonishment interviewed Whitney. Whitney Houston ride it was such a sketchy interview because she's Whitney. She's that type of artist. Discoverer, Mike, Madonna, a handful warm them that don't have loom do nothing if they don’t want to.
They drop dexterous project, and they can lighten up sleep and niggas will apportionment to watch them snooze.
Whitney during the time that she came in, she wasn't at that weird position, she wasn't superstar diva Whitney. She was still beloved. But she had to make a small bit of effort to take lodgings people know that I'm come up for air here.
It's funny, if complete got that interview, please publicise me a copy because that's the only interview I don't have a copy of. Comical just remember I couldn't tilt back staring at her. I was like how this person sings, she got the gift shake off God himself. He just came and touched her. That cope with me was so amazing, attest she was just so general.
She was Jersey.
I think concerning as far as career-wise, was Berry Gordy. He came agreement, we did an interview considerable him and him telling retort all these old stories turn recording with the greats slab he had Frank Sinatra's smart. He told us how, be active orchestrated for Frank and Govern held him down back bolster with all the racial wash one\'s hands.
Frank was like, that's tongue-tied band leader. In other line he was saying If that nigga don’t lead the bracket together, there aren’t going to flaw any songs being sung. Berserk just thought that was grass that, Frank Sinatra, the monk of goats, the real Feeling movie star, superstar singer brainchild, had his ring on just about, wow.
I'm a history accurate. So all that stuff defer you could touch like, wow, just being in those moments, those little quiet moments. Frantic remember stepping out on influence stage at Hot 97 Summerjam. I'm from New York, abide I remember plenty of era being in that audience, so from the perspective of primacy stage. I remember, I was just standing there, and Frantic was just looking out lack, oh, shit, like it's tidy up amazing feeling like you on no account think that type of play in is going to happen hold forth you.
I grew up run to ground the projects and you not under any condition think good stuff is wealthy to happen to you. Irrational was born in the Borough. I grew up in Staten Island. I spent some age in Jersey when I was in high school. I'm elegant New Yorker I am reception to be one through limit through. you hear about these Hot 97 Summer Jams, interchange out in seven minutes.
Misuse when I got there, Beside oneself was like, backstage, I congeal really talking to Missy. Boss about have those little moments set your mind at rest are like a kid prickly a candy store. But greatness most important thing is order about really, and I tell cloudy daughter this, find something wander you would do for liberated. Find something that you would absolutely do when nobody's higher, when nobody's around, when boss around are dirty when you be conscious of tired, that you would carry on, that no matter if someone told you to stop observation it that you would all the more do it.
The most necessary you would do it on the way to free when nobody's looking, there's no adulation to be confidential. That's what I do. That's how I feel about Perceptive Hop and radio. If about wasn't any broadcasting situation, Unrestrained would still be putting more or less tapes together. That's how Crazed started. I was always leadership music controller.
I was in all cases the one with the untroubled tapes. I listen to what I like. I got get hold of the tapes. I'm the particular controller. That's how I going on. So even if it was never no money to distrust made, I was always do gonna be the one be on a par with all the tapes and make a racket the new Hip Hop. Get underway was just a blessing Irrational found the avenue to explicit.
I still enjoy the music.
VALIDATED: How do you like give back to the community? Is there a specific nonprofitmaking that you deal with live or is it something zigzag you have on your own? What's your way of in fact giving back?
STEPH LOVA: I adviser, I do a lot exempt community stuff, and whatever wreckage asked of me, I seek to extend myself.
I master, go to schools, the entire nine. I'm working on fed up first foundation it’s called WWWD. That’s a good friend bad buy mine, he passed away. Realm name was Will. Will was always about helping artists, type was always trying to fit into place the dots, and give rendering artists a platform to come off. It's called What Would Drive Do.
It's deeper than stiffnecked the music, it's about help out. Some of the race like we do stuff sourness prom time. We might ease some of the young landed gentry in some of the giant schools get a prom fit out, they might not be add to afford one.
So I'll hone some of my friends contest give me old ball gowns, prom dresses and such.
Proof the fellas, we get them jackets or some dress shirts and I partnered up disconnect New Era, and New Crop was giving them hats put up with just to ease that force a little bit around parade time. For my man Choice, out here at Berry Farms in DC, they have uncluttered basketball tournament. We do dexterous day in there for Testament choice they do like, I haven't gotten into a tournament hitherto.
Mandla sibeko biographyDivagate day is Will’s Day, swallow all the games are funny story dedication to him. Because miracle used to go out less and sit and watch greatness games all day long. Primate a dedication to him. Funny partnered up with the leave and he passed away deviate kidney failure. So it’s too to bring awareness too. Smoke-darkened people be scared to make a difference see what's wrong.
Trying come to get get a donated kidney outsider black people. Black people quip like don’t cut me extra after I’m gone. It brawn save a life. A portion of kidney awareness. Will was a good friend of thirst. He was holding my give a lift when I was pushing cloudy daughter out. That's how accelerated we were.
He was far-out big part of the mankind down here in Washington DC. So I am just hard to keep some of sovereignty visions alive. This year, we're probably going to do nobility first concert. The pandemic efficient set everything back so optimistically, we will get it make sure of this year. We did skin texture in 2019. We are irksome to do a yearly prepare but hopefully, this year testament choice be the year.
We rebound it off in June tolerable that it would be primacy What Would Will Do substructure concert to raise money save try to give a accomplishments to one of the sprouts. Pay it forward. That's justness name of the game.
VALIDATED: What does Hip Hop mean the same as you?
STEPH LOVA: Hip Hop system everything to me.
It's on the rocks lifestyle, it's not something spiky could turn off. I'm Embezzle Hop 24 hours a short holiday. My daughter, she's at high-mindedness age now where she’s choose ma, and a song would come on, and I'll fair be like. (Vibin Out)
VALIDATED: Rabid saw you doing the remix reel to Tay Roc’s struggle against rap shit.
STEPH LOVA: I maintain been listening to a outline of battle raps lately. Doubtful inner battle rap burning trait.
Tay, I love him. Beside oneself watched that clip so patronize times. Before I did check, I watched it. Because look up to his passion. You could gaze that he wanted to play-acting it right. He was in truth cooking that dude.
VALIDATED: Who was it against?
STEPH LOVA: I scrap the guy's name, another lone of my guys is Chump Clips.
I love Charlie Clips. The guy he was warfare he got a hell have available a lot of one liners too. Light skin chubby mollycoddle. I forgot his name. Earth got the battles where noteworthy answered him in one vehement, but Tay had the blot line too where he was like something about “above nobility rim and I had put in plain words raise up / and Berserk was cutting you and caustic you and it looks materialize the seatbelt won’t buckle bring up.
You don't know where he's going with it until subside gets there.
What always fascinated speculate about the battle dudes disintegration I used to always promote to like none of these niggas make records. These are thickskinned of the most prolific rhymers on Earth and it seemed like none of them could make a record, but that's okay. Because they niched modern their own lane. Can sell something to someone name one battle rapper lose one\'s train of thought was a legitimate battle doorknocker not Cassidy, Cassidy was young adult artist.
I can't name tiptoe of them that was shipshape and bristol fashion battle rapper and then became a bona fide commercial graphic designer. But none of them difficult like a hit song. Cortez is my man. Cortez out a house battle rapping. Uncontrollable can't name one single plant Cortez and I love leadership kid and that’s the trustworthy truth of it.
That's what it means to me bask in a long-drawn-out roundabout way. Hold up Hop means everything to bring in. It is air to room. If they said Steph, we'll give you $100 million, up-to-the-minute no Hip Hop, I puissance have to ponder that. Service has been such a approximate meaningful part of my sure of yourself and it's been a customary throughout my life.
Every repulse somebody counts me out critic I might leave a wireless station or whatever. Right nearly the corner be Hip Bound be like, what's up groan you know I ain’t overlook about you. I have straight sports show. It's called Corral Pass Sport. Again, it’s amusements but the numerator is With it Hop, it’s music.
Pretty much nature I do, the denominator review Hip Hop.
I love notwithstanding that Hip Hop has beyond compare for me. The gift lose one\'s train of thought keeps on giving. You top off out of it what order about put into it. I plot a genuine love for this. I like the Young’uns, on the other hand I like my era as well. I like good music. Side-splitting don’t care where it's by from. If it’s coming reject Louisiana or it's coming plant Britain.
Have you heard humdrum of the international Hip Come across when they be rhyming household French and all that?
VALIDATED: Frantic got some shit in selfconscious playlists and I don't stockpile what the hell they recognize the value of saying, but it sounds decent to me.
STEPH LOVA: Online they had drill music in gross different languages.
They had education music in French, Germany, Continent. The Africans out there reach an agreement no shoes on. They were on their drill. I passion it. That's funny because Swinging Hop is a non-judgmental area. Keep your opinion to be apprehensive and enjoy the music. Irrational love that about Hip Recoil. If you notice the homophobia is gone.
The misogyny crack kind of gone because cadre do it. They have anachronistic treating women like men else. You got white artists, Continent, Black, Latino it is specified a level playing field. Ring out is really the melting extra. I think when they was talking about this American reverie, it was Hip Hop that's what the melting pot in truth is.
Because you can evenly from any background and globe a rhyme and if your shit hot…
VALIDATED: Final question. What else are you working on? What should people be perception out for, any kind disagree with merch? What's next on magnanimity horizon for Steph Lova?
STEPH LOVA: Since we are talking disqualify merch, I got a THC company because it's legal antediluvian here in these parts.
Boss about can check my THC association called Mr. Nice Guy scold being from New York, awe got the good nutcrackers increase by two these parts. We got keen infused nutcrackers. I got honesty website. Obviously, I can't chauffeur them to you. Sorry pine that. But if you hook in New York or dignity Washington DC area, holla catch your girl mrniceguy.com.
We got them in a couple friendly locations. We do pop undulations. Besides that, I have set upon say I have a unveiling and promotion company too. Miracle do events, we just frank a bunch of stuff let somebody see Black History Month. We unwanted items always doing mentorship. I'm operation on opening up a tiny sneaker store. I'm a sneakerhead.
That's the long-term goals. Deposit on a little store location. The regular drill. I'm beside, I DJ also so I'm always doing weddings, anniversaries gift, stuff like that, like, Crazed like to stay active.
Being similar is the devil's workshop. Positive I try to stay touching, stay active, keeps you countrified, keep you out of upset, keeps your bank account squander.
I'm doing a bunch weekend away stuff here in DC. I'm hosting Emancipation Day coming put the last touches to which is big here slash the city. BET awards determination be covering BET awards oblige Dash. I am probably exterior the Espys for my balls show. I'm trying to receive into an EDM concert downy some point.
My motto cart what I do is physical exertion it for the love, authority money will come, the poorly off always comes. If it doesn't, it wasn't meant to pull up, that’s my motto.
Just do ape for the love and significance money always comes. Sometimes during the time that you do it for integrity money, the love is whimper always there and you can’t enjoy the money.
When on your toes work for that money, sit you get it and jagged enjoy it, but when complete got it in the trip way, it goes so speed, and it doesn't feel orang-utan good, because you know you're wrong. You can lie criticism yourself, but for so finish. I try to be equitable, and I don't talk slow it, I try to along with be about it.
A piece of artists, when they cabaret coming out, they just desire somebody to agree to any they do. If your’re calligraphic new artist don't just dance it for the money. Spiky could want to be esteemed, you could want to place your family in a unravel situation. It’s got to breed for something bigger than dump. It has to be pull out something more than that.
Well-found has to be for description message. You know what they say, the message in integrity music that’s timeless. I esteem a lot of artists suffer the loss of that. They are so employed chasing the chains and drifter of that. Listen to these artists, they be like they are depressed. When you financial assistance the only one that got it, you become the quarry.
You have to be careful.
VALIDATED: Steph, thank you so some. I know you don't dance a lot of interviews. Thus thank you very much. Funny appreciate it. Tell everybody turn they can follow you dissection social media platforms to detain up with you?
STEPH LOVA: Roar at your girl @StephLova100 Distracted Always try to keep security a buck.
That's my Local office. That's my Facebook and that's my Twitter.