Sounds Visual Radio
Sounds Visual Radio
Episode 105: A (Brief) History of Rap & Hip-Hop Radio & Culture, Part II of II (Los Angeles) w/ Greg Mack
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Radio host Greg Mack is famous for his role as music director at the Los Angeles-based radio station 1580 KDAY-AM, which became the first radio station to play hip-hop 24 hours a day back when it began in late 1983. 

Mack was born on June 22, 1959 in Emory, Texas. He was raised in Van Alstyne, Texas, and started in radio in 1975 as an intern with KTSA in San Antonio, Texas, while still in high school. Mack continued to work for KTSA after graduating from Van Alstyne High School in 1977. While working at KTSA, Mack was hired part-time as the weekend DJ at KEYS/KZFM in Corpus Christi, Texas. Soon afterwards, he was given a full-time show. When a post at Majic 102 (KMJQ-FM) in Houston, Texas opened up in 1980, Mack was hired to host the six-to-ten shift. In 1983, Mack was named music director at KDAY in Los Angeles, California, where he changed the direction of the station by incorporating rap music. 

From his position at KDAY, Mack promoted records by what would become some of the most well-known artists of the mid-1980s and early-1990s, such as Dr. Dre and the World Class Wreckin’ Cru, N.W.A, Ice T, and many others. Eventually, KDAY’s popularity was eclipsed by more powerful FM stations, and Mack moved on to Stevie Wonder-owned KJLH in 1990. After his time at KDAY and KJLH, Mack purchased several radio stations, and acted as a radio station consultant. He signed a contract with MCA Records and released a CD entitled The Mixmasters. He then signed with Motown, and in 1989, released a compilation album of hits played at KDAY titled What Does It All Mean? He also released a three-CD compilation named KDAY “Mack Attack,” highlighting his mixing crew the MixMasters, and featuring mix shows, jingles, and show outtakes in 1997. He joined 94.7 the WAVE in 2013 as the Saturday night DJ.

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