WTF.....Theo from 92.3 The Beat was never offered a contract? What do they mean?

[R-Tistic]

Taken from an article....

"For example, in 1994, DJ Theo, a Japanese American on-air personality 92.3 The Beat in Los Angeles, seems to suggest that the Asian Americans cannot pass as “Black.”  His deep baritone voice constantly garnered support and phone calls from his female listeners and despite his show’s high ratings, DJ Theo was still not offered a contract for his position at 92.3 The Beat.[19] He states, “It’s because I’m not Black.  It’s an urban station, and there’s a lot of pressure from the NAACP.  The afternoon drive (his shift), you have to understand is an extremely high profile, important position...it’s a money making slot for the station.  There’s been a lot of pressure to hire a Black air personality.”[20] One caller was even quoted as asking, “All these women think Theo has a sexy voice, but I heard he was Chinese or something.”[21] Theo’s comment on the hiring practices of urban radio stations suggest that his “Blackened” voice validates his inclusion on the Hip-hop radio station, but that his racial identity cannot be intersected with his on-air identity since it causes a sense of unfamiliarity, discomfort, and confusion. "

http://www.evilmonito.com/011/hiphopasiaamerica/hiphopasia2.htm

So....does that mean that he was working the entire time for free, or just that they paid him regularly without being under an actual contract? I do remember when he left, and most people were confused and didn't know why he did.

[~Lucien~]

good question. man theo was the shit!

[CaliKorleone]

That's wack.  I know a lot a Japanese people who are heavy into Hip Hop.

[Juronimo]

The beat did Theo wrong and Julio G.

The Theo thing made no sense at all. The listeners loved him and he had respect from west coast hip hop artists like Snoop, DPG and DJ Quik who always stopped by his show. He was popular with pretty much everyone, especially the women. It made no sense and I wouldn't be surprised if him being Asian led to him getting fired and it would be a shame if that's actually the case.

Julio G got done wrong by them too. I can't think of any on air personality more respected on LA radio. All hip hop artists that would come into town would go on his show. He gave love to the west coast, to the underground, the south, New York, everyone. He gave a platform for artists that couldn't get their music heard on mainstream radio with the 9:00 bomb and Westside radio. Then he was unceremoniously dumped for some strange reason.

Does anyone still check for the beat anymore? Management really made a lot of bad decisions over there.

[js83]

fuck the beat.

and man...i miss the good ol days of radio...theo was julio g was my fav as well.

[We Fly High]

yeah the bveat is on some adult contemporary R&B now, theyh dont play hip hop anymore.. change in programming. but anyways both Theo and Julio G are back on KDAY.
An interesting tidbit one of my coworkers told me, like back in the day he had attended some powerhouse.summerjam type show and Theo was hosting it, but most listeners just assumed Theo was black, but when they saw him and realized he was some Japanese guy, they were all like WTF.

[Halu Sination]

Does anyone still check for the beat anymore? Management really made a lot of bad decisions over there.

yea the beat ended up makin a lot of changes after julio g and theo left. the beat moved to 100.3 like 7 years ago, and then they ended up completely dropping the hip-hop platform (around the time kday returned) and switched to contemporary r & b like We Fly High stated.

[R-Tistic]

Does anyone still check for the beat anymore? Management really made a lot of bad decisions over there.

yea the beat ended up makin a lot of changes after julio g and theo left. the beat moved to 100.3 like 7 years ago, and then they ended up completely dropping the hip-hop platform (around the time kday returned) and switched to contemporary r & b like We Fly High stated.

Yeah....they are essentially the same exact station as 102.3 now. I guess they figured KDay would take the crown from them, well at least the second place crown since Power has been better since like 1999. The Beat did have Steve Harvey, but even he shook for KDay!

I remember growin up, I could barely even tell the difference between the programming of The Beat and Power...I just knew it was different DJs. Both stations used to play a lot of West Coast, commercial and the unknown artists, until The Beat changed to 100.3 and went hella commercial. Even before they turned to 100% R&B, they weren't playin as much rap.

Bad thing is....since The Beat changed, KDay has changed it's format too just to take their old demographic. They would play a lil bit of commercial rap that everybody around the nation knows...but they used to play a majority of old school rap (west and east), unknown or recently signed rappers, and established west coast vets. Now, you will hear a lil of those last few, but the majority of the time, they are playin the commercialized shit.

[Eddie G.]

Yeah, radio is sad nowadays.  I wish the LA radio stations came in better in San Diego, but sitll, even KDay isn't that good anymore.  I remember when it first came back, I turned it on and heard Suga Free "If U Stay Ready" and I was like, DAMN.

[Tha G In Deee]

Yeah, radio is sad nowadays.  I wish the LA radio stations came in better in San Diego, but sitll, even KDay isn't that good anymore.  I remember when it first came back, I turned it on and heard Suga Free "If U Stay Ready" and I was like, DAMN.

Yeah, I only listen to KDAY in the morning & then in the afternoon to hear Steve Harvey, Yo-Yo & Julio G's shows...but it's a shame, 10 yrs ago the radio wasn't that bad at all, now it's completely worse...Power 106 is cool but only for New @ 2 and the morning show with Big Boy...& 100.3 is cool but only if you wanna hear R&B, now it's like Hot 92 but more oldies...

[Sikotic™]

I miss listening to Theo every afternoon.

[da flayboyant 2]

they might mean renewal

[GangstaBoogy]

I wish I could listen to L.A. radio 

[AxleF]

You guys are missing something here.. the timing of it all kinda played a part as well.  He got fucked because of more then his race.  Kinda indirectly.  Check..

My guess is that Theo never got a conract because all of this was happening at a time when their, then owner "Evergreen Media" was secretly negotiating the stations sale.  The Beat has completely switched ownership so its in no way even connected to the 1994, 92.3 The Beat that were talking about.  He may have had some racial issues but in reality, (I think) he was trying to get on at a time when the station was quietly negitiating a sale.  Thats why they ended up on 100.3.
 

[Juronimo]

You guys are missing something here.. the timing of it all kinda played a part as well.  He got fucked because of more then his race.  Kinda indirectly.  Check..

My guess is that Theo never got a conract because all of this was happening at a time when their, then owner "Evergreen Media" was secretly negotiating the stations sale.  The Beat has completely switched ownership so its in no way even connected to the 1994, 92.3 The Beat that were talking about.  He may have had some racial issues but in reality, (I think) he was trying to get on at a time when the station was quietly negitiating a sale.  Thats why they ended up on 100.3.
 

I remember that, I think they were sold to radio 1 if I recall. Right after that sale was when Theo, and then later on, Julio G got the ax and they moved to 100.3.