KBLX Playing Rap

[Street Novelist]

Forgive me, but hasn't 102.9 KBLX always been an r&b station? I was listening to it yesterday and I heard All Eyez On Me by Pac and Hypnotize by Biggie in the same hour. There's nothing r&b about either of those songs. When did they start playing rap? Also, is there a line they are toeing by playing some rap and not the real hardcore, gangsta stuff? Curious...

 

[408listener]

I remember when KBLX was exclusively a slow jams/smooth jazz "Quiet Storm" station. But it hasn't been the same since its former Bay Area owners declared bankruptcy in 2011 and the station got bought out by CBS and later Bonneville.

Its song history, as I type, includes rap songs by Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z, and E-40, newer R&B that sounds nothing like 90s/00s KBLX like Rihanna and The Weeknd, and of course more usual "urban contemporary" like Janet Jackson and Carl Thomas.

There's probably a reason why KBLX dropped "R&B" from its name. The Bay Area no longer has an exclusive "R&B" station. On Twitter, @KBLX bio says "The Best Throwbacks and R&B", so its current format is very comparable now to the old school R&B/rap of Entercom's Q102.1 (KRBQ).

A possible reason why KBLX has been adding rap is to grab listeners from 102.1 or 106.1 KMEL in order to be more attractive to advertisers. It seems that strategy is working. In the latest SF ratings, KBLX (3.1) beat both KMEL (2.6) and KRBQ (1.9).

 

[Street Novelist]

That's a shame. If I wanted to listen to old school rap, I would listen to Q102. I miss the days when KBLX would only play r&b and a little smooth jazz. I guess those days are over.

 

[max88]

The main reason for KBLX playing rap is that their audience is getting older, and many of them grew up listening to Rap music.

 

[408listener]

102.1's definition of "old school" dates back to the 1970s. Yesterday afternoon I heard "It's a Shame" by the Spinners. That song came out in 1970 - it's rare to hear pre-1975 music on corporate FM stations nowadays.

In contrast, 102.9 tries to appeal to a broad audience. In the past hour I heard songs from multiple different decades: "2 On" by Tinashe (2013), "All My Life" by K-Ci & JoJo (1997), "When I Think of You" by Janet Jackson (1986), "Ruff Ryders Anthem" by DMX (1998), and "U Got It Bad" by Usher (2001).

The only two songs of that bunch that would've fit in the "Quiet Storm" KBLX (1979-2012) are "All My Life" and "U Got It Bad". (Side note - back in 2003-04 in 7th grade I had a social studies teacher who would have us do reading/worksheets and then put KBLX or the old KKSF 103.7 in the background. As a 13 year old kid trying to "fit in" with the cool kids I preferred 94.9 and 106.1.)

In contrast to 102.1 playing some songs from the 1970s, I have never heard any 1970s songs on KBLX. Considering KBLX's brand dates back only to '79 I can somewhat understand why. Nowadays it seems that KBLX can be described more as "The Club" rather than "The Quiet Storm".

 

[RadioJunkieMike]

The main reason for KBLX playing rap is that their audience is getting older, and many of them grew up listening to Rap music.

Precisely. And it's a measure of how demos have changed. When Kiss added rap to their format in 2015, because rap-heavy Q102 had come along and was stealing their younger demos... Kiss's core (older) audience was not happy. They basically shot themselves in the foot and had to backtrack. And less than a year later they became The Breeze. Meanwhile, in 2019 Q102 tried to become similar to what Kiss had been and, while they didn't play rap at the start, they do now.

 

[408listener]

In its first hour back in August 2019, the "newer" Q102 played just one rap song, "Keep Ya Head Up" by Tupac. The rest of the hour was 70s-90s R&B and disco. The "newer" Q102 has always had rap, but the new format just emphasizes R&B and disco more.

 

[e-dawg]

I just heard Q102.1 played Someone Like You by Adele, Peaches by Justin Bieber, Say so by Doja Cat, Trip by Ella Mai, Save your Tears by The Weeknd. I'm not sure if Q102.1 should be classified as Rhythmic AC instead of Rhythmic Oldies?

 

[johndavis]

The main reason for KBLX playing rap is that their audience is getting older, and many of them grew up listening to Rap music.

Back in 1990, an AC/UAC station had to effectively promise not to play rap because the audience hated what their kids listened to.

Those kids are now make up today's AC/UAC audience. They're also more tolerant of today's music, so AC/UAC today is effectively hits with a bigger gold category instead of totally different currents + gold.

 

[only1moore]

I just heard Q102.1 played Someone Like You by Adele, Peaches by Justin Bieber, Say so by Doja Cat, Trip by Ella Mai, Save your Tears by The Weeknd. I'm not sure if Q102.1 should be classified as Rhythmic AC instead of Rhythmic Oldies?

One gets the feeling that they might be following in the footsteps of sister station WSTR-FM/Atlanta, which has seen a improvement in their ratings since they transitioned from Adult Top 40.

 

[sfradio]

The more shocking thing is how a Bonneville station is playing this much hip hop, even on 99.7 now as well during their mix shows.

 

[Born2Rely]

The more shocking thing is how a Bonneville station is playing this much hip hop, even on 99.7 now as well during their mix shows.

What time do you listen? Maybe, they are just playing in during that time. Wel, idk as I haven't listened for the past week.

 

[bringbackradio]

The main reason for KBLX playing rap is that their audience is getting older, and many of them grew up listening to Rap music.

Also the Black population in the Bay Area especially Oakland has declined throughout the 2010s, and the cost of living drove them (not exclusively though) to other affordable places outside of California. So this means it has gotten much harder for KBLX to be able to play newer music from artists exclusive to the UAC format now, and the Sunday gospel program got bumped to the HD2 channel. Example: If a new song from Charlie Wilson or Kem comes out, UAC outlets in Atlanta, Houston, Memphis or Chicago will play it, but as for here in the Bay Area, forget it. Not to mention Elroy Smith left months ago as PD.

 

[bringbackradio]

Back in 1990, an AC/UAC station had to effectively promise not to play rap because the audience hated what their kids listened to.

Those kids are now make up today's AC/UAC audience. They're also more tolerant of today's music, so AC/UAC today is effectively hits with a bigger gold category instead of totally different currents + gold.

WCFB Orlando, WAMJ Atlanta and KMJK in Kansas City come to mind as being UACs mixing in 90s & 00s hip hop and eliminating most 70s & 80s R&B and soul titles. But it's sad though.

 

[max88]

Check KBLX's latest ratings, apparently adding RAP is paying off.... big time!