The New York radio panorama has been the speak of the city over the previous few days. DJ Funkmaster Flex (Flex), born Aston Taylor Jr., certainly one of New York Metropolis and hip-hop’s loudest and most influential DJs, teased that he was ending his 7 p.m. slot on Hot97, giving the impression that his time on the station was coming to an finish. Because it seems, the station is “realigning” its reveals, extending some reveals for an additional hour and altering timeslots for others. Flex isn’t leaving; as an alternative of dropping bombs and yelling throughout data beginning at 7 p.m., Flex shall be doing that earlier, now from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. New York can breathe a sigh of reduction.
Sadly, as many realignments go, someone often will get let go and on this case it was veteran, legendary DJ, DJ Enuff (born Ephrem Lopez), who had been with Hot97 for 27 years. Enuff leaving the station is drama sufficient, nevertheless it’s what he mentioned after that had all people speaking. On Friday, August 29 TMZ caught up with DJ Enuff, seemingly outdoors or close to the station in New York Metropolis, and requested him about his departure. When the interviewer requested him what occurred and shared the rumor that Flex had one thing to do with it, DJ Enuff didn’t maintain again.
“All I do know is, I’m off the air. It’s time for a brand new chapter. I don’t suppose he’s going wherever. Flex is staying. He’s simply going to a brand new shift. It’s time for me to go. I’ve been right here for a very long time. And I simply suppose perhaps the path they wish to go is just not befitting for me,” he began. When requested if he felt like Flex acquired him fired, he was blunt.
“Possibly,” Enuff responded. “I believe so, perhaps. I can’t show it. Okay. However in my coronary heart, that’s what I really feel occurred. I don’t deserve that from him. Particularly, , him being a creator on this radio station. He gave loads of us, , the chance to do what we acquired to do, particularly in hip-hop, in New York hip-hop. So it wasn’t supposed to return from him. Anyone else perhaps, however not from him? He’s alleged to be my peer, my boy. We constructed this constructing, and this legacy collectively.”
Nicely, Flex isn’t one to take any criticism or allegations quietly. On his first Monday evening slot, Flex offered his facet of the story, utilizing almost 20 minutes to provide listeners a historical past of he and Enuff’s relationship, the ups and downs, and in the end share why he’d by no means try this to his “brother,” and additional locations the blame on the folks round Enuff who have been, in response to Flex, gunning for his time slots.
“New York Metropolis, Jersey, Connecticut, I might by no means have something to do with, not simply my brother- I might don’t have anything to do with anybody being fired or not right here. You recognize why? I’m too scorching. New York Metropolis, I acquired to be trustworthy, there ain’t been an individual that got here on the opposite station that been in a position to beat me. Why would I be fearful about anyone in right here? Why would I really feel that anyone shouldn’t be right here? I don’t imagine in that,” mentioned Flex, letting it’s identified together with his signature cockiness that he doesn’t have to get anyone fired as a result of he’s not in bother of shedding his job.
However talking extra immediately about his relationship with Enuff and the way vital he seems like Enuff has been to the DJ recreation and New York Metropolis, he continued, “You recognize that you’re my man for all times. I really like you. I’d by no means do something like that to you. I believe deep down, that. I’m not blaming it on anybody else. ‘Trigger let me let you know one thing in New York about DJ Enuff. He’s the originator of placing the road at these Spanish golf equipment across the block. There could be no Spanish hip hop events with out DJ Enuff. He’s the originator of it. He’s the originator of doing two or three bookings an evening, shifting round, doing his factor.
Lastly, to convey a degree house that he’d been making about Enuff’s crew being those making an attempt to push him out of a job, Flex made it very clear: “You, all people, , makes use of the phrase snake, no matter you wish to do, you should use all these phrases…my brother, I really like you, the individuals who snaked you, man, was in that video in your goodbye. The individuals who snaked you have been standing outdoors whenever you was with TMZ. They have been standing with you, my brother.”
Funk Flex’s facet of the story was hotly debated throughout the airwaves, particularly this morning on Sizzling 97’s Ebro In The Morning present. In an alternate with Peter Rosenberg, Ebro Darden pointed to the bigger strain that radio skills discover themselves beneath in a contracting media market.
“Who’s taking part in the sport and bringing within the cash?” Ebro requested. “DJ Enuff was liked by whom? Y’all or the individuals who personal the radio station? Get up! You don’t personal this. It’s not yours. It’s not your Instagram or Fb. It’s not your microphone. Cease!”
Ebro, talking to the politically and culturally unfiltered convos on his personal present with Peter Rosenberg and Laura Stylez broke down the truth of staying afloat in company media on this period: “The one motive we get away with what we get away with is as a result of now we have scores. We will not be right here tomorrow!”
Hopefully Enuff and Flex have had the required conversations privately to maneuver on because the brothers they each have claimed to be, in any other case, New York radio has possible not heard the final of this saga.
