Stretch Armstrong. Bobbito Garcia. Deras betydelse för hiphopscenen och radio i New York City på 1990-talet kan inte betonas hårt nog. Vad som startade 1989 på Columbia University Radio kom att bli det mest omtalade radioprogrammet under den gyllene hiphop-eran. Duon “breakade” en lång rad MC:s på sin radioshow som knappast någon annan kan skryta med. Alla dessa gjorde sin debut hos Stretch & Bobbito på WKCR innan flertalet signade major label-deals:

Nas, Jay Z, Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, DMX, Fat Joe, Redman, Big L, Cam’ron, MF Doom, Eminem, Mos Def, Big Pun, m.fl, .m.fl.

I beskrivningen för dokumentären “Radio That Changed Lives” står att läsa:

“During the 1990s, Stretch and Bobbito introduced the world to an unsigned Nas, Biggie, Wu-Tang, and Big Pun as well as an unknown Jay-Z, Eminem, and the Fugees. The total record sales for all the artists that premiered on their radio show exceed 300 million. The late night program had a cult following in the art/fashion world and prison population as well. All would loyally tune in for the humor just as much for the exclusive tunes. Stretch and Bobbito brought a unique audience together, and created a platform that changed music forever.”

I en nyligen publicerad intervju med Complex berättar duon om åren där magi skapades på radiovågorna i NYC. När Eminem besökte WKCR 1998 så hade han inte slagit igenom och på frågan om Stretch och Bobbito trodde det så svarade den förstnämnde:

“No, again I think like with Jay Z, we didn’t know he was going to become one of the biggest selling artists in pop music history. But I think what we were aware of was that we were finally seeing the results of the seeds—that in some way we planted—of a new generation of kids from other regions that grew up listening to the music. And that were white. This was the spreading of hip-hop. And it was also at a point when I was almost done with WKCR, and Bob and I weren’t really clicking—that moment was special not just for Em and Royce Da 5’9”, but also for us, because it reminded us what it used to be like. It was a fun night when at that point, week to week, it wasn’t fun.”

Se trailer nedan för dokumentären “Radio That Changed Lives” eller se hela dokumentären via Vimeo Demand på 98 minuter:

Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives from Saboteur Media on Vimeo.