Mid West Clubber said:
Id like to see them stay old school, but more dance intensive with Freestyle and miami bass like MIA 93.9 in Miami.. thats prob my fac rhythmic ac next to KTU, and I only like KTU for the current dance...
This is Atlanta. The word "freestyle" is kind of foreign in the A, due to the fact there was no real history of it being played there. The closest I believe Atlanta has gotten to freestyle was "Summertime Summertime" by Corina, which could also very easily pass as booty bass in many ways. The freestyle community would cut my head off if I dare say "Ghosttown Dj's had a freestyle hit!!.." so I'll leave that on the bass side. The Beat and Q100 did used to mix some late 90's Bay Area (electro) style freestyle during the club broadcasts and Saturday Night Q, but most of those mixes were filled with house. I also believe during Cardio Radio they tried introducing some Stevie B and Planet Soul for the first time in early to mid 00's, and maybe some Jocelyn Enriquez here and there, but I thought it was silly since there was no history of it. I don't remember well enough to know if Power 99 played much freestyle, but if they did I bet they stuck to the basic Debbie Deb, Lisa Lisa, Planet Rock, Egyptian Lover type stuff, and maybe some Shannon and Pretty Poison. Half of Lisa Lisa's hits were not even freestyle. Not sure if any Cover Girls, Expose, or Nocera was played, and I'm sure no Lisette Melendez, TKA, George Lamond... besides, during those days, they were still calling it Latin Hip Hop or break dancing. I do, however, remember someone playing "I'll be loving you" by Collage AFTER Power 99 died, but BEFORE I discovered Star*94, so I can only wonder who was playing that. I don't know why I think it was V-103.... hmmm..... But other than that, I'm sure many people are confusing "freestyle" with "freestyle rapping". Do they even have freestyle concerts in the A? And if so, which station promotes?
Anyway, yes, the freestyle dance sound never took off in Atlanta as it did in Miami, and I think the lack of many past hits making it in Atl is what's causing many of the problems for Groove today. I said it before, but I'll mention it once again. I don't understand how you go from no Rhythmic or Rhythmic Top 40 for so many years then suddenly decide to pop in with a Rhythmic AC. It's quite comedic to me because if no one was there to play half or one third of that old school rhythmic playlist, then how are you going to get (local) people who can relate to a "proper" rhythmic ac format? I do notice how they are doing quite fine with the current music, but it's almost like they are somewhat lost with which direction to go with the back in the day stuff. When they first signed on, some of their back in their day selection was quite shocking to me, but I understood that this is what Star was playing, therefore it made sense for that market. I just don't know what made them think of a rhythmic ac out of..... well, I think "all" would be the next appropriate word to use after "of". I'm sure everyone already knows what I'm REALLY thinking anyway... ... and why AC???? Actually, if they stick around as an Ac for about a decade, things will start to work out for them as current hits get old! For now, some "boom like an 808" remixes and a couple of Inoj and Ginuwine "pony" remix type stuff might do..
