Angie Martinez
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Angie Martinez
| For The Record... |
| Born in 1971 in Bronx, New York; children: Niko Ruffin. Intern and staffer at WPOW radio, Miami, FL; consultant, WLVE, Miami, FL; programmer and deejay at WQHT-FM, New York, NY, 1990-; released Up Close and Personal,2001, and Animal House,2002. Addresses: Office—WQHT-FM, 395 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014. Website—Angie Martinez Official Website: http://www.angiemartinezonline.com. |
Rap musician, disc jockey
Angie Martinez is a hip-hop artist and a deejay for the New York City radio station WQHT-FM. She has worked for the station since 1982 and has interviewed almost every major figure in hip-hop during that time. She has also released two albums, Up Close and Personal and Animal House. Her radio show has an estimated two million listeners.
Martinez, who was born in the Bronx and grew up in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Beach Haven, had a difficult childhood. Her father left the family when she was ten years old, and as she told Ramiro Burr in the Houston Chronicle, "I think that has made a lot of aspects of my life a little more difficult than they needed to be, but I’m doing all right." She still does not know where her father is.
Her mother, Shirley Maldonado, got a job as a radio station program director during a brief stay in Miami. Because she was a single parent and it was easier for her to take her daughter to work than to leave her alone at home, Martinez, then a teenager, often went with her, and worked at the station answering phones and driving the van. Maldonado told Brett Atwood in Billboard that Martinez "was an active listener of the format that I was programming at the time. So, from a business perspective, her ears were helpful. At age 16, she was living the music."
When Maldonado moved back to New York, Martinez went with her, and got a job assisting the general manager of WQHT-FM. This gave her a sense of strength and opportunity, as well as a positive feeling about herself and her abilities, and it helped turn her difficult life around.
Although she did not plan to work on the air, Martinez followed her mother’s advice, who told her it was important to learn how to do everything in radio. Accordingly, she made an audition tape, not expecting it to lead to anything. When another deejay called in sick, however, Martinez went on the air. She told Atwood, "I just threw on a pair of sweat pants and went out the door. I had no preparation or anything. I ran upstairs and told my mom that I was going to finally be on the radio, and she turned on every radio in the house." Although her first performance wasn’t polished, she was called again when the regular deejay was sick, and eventually earned a permanent spot on the air. She has been on the air ever since.
In addition to being inspired by her mother’s career, Martinez was also impressed by Latina musical stars, such as Lisa Lisa and Rosie Perez. Hearing them "made me feel like there’s a place for me out there somewhere," she told Burr. Although she loved working as a deejay, she told the New York Post that she also wanted to "try something new. I was getting a little bored, personally and creatively." In 1996 she appeared in a cameo on Lil’ Kim’s single, "Not Tonight."
The song went to number three and was nominated for a Grammy Award.
Martinez made her own recording debut with Up Close and Personal in 2001. Because she had interviewed many big-name artists on her radio show, she was able to feature them on the album. Guest artists included Jay-Z, Wyclef Jean, Snoop Dogg, and Mary J. Blige. Some reviewers felt she relied too heavily on these guests; Gala Pierce wrote in the Arlington Heights, Illinois, Daily Herald that because of the heavy collaboration, the album was "sidestepping its chance for a unique vision." Martinez said, however, that she learned a great deal from them. "I don’t know anybody who wouldn’t want to make a song with these incredible artists," she told Burr. And she told a New York Post reporter, "Every word by me on this album is about me."
Making the album was a transforming experience for Martinez, who told Burr, "I realized that if something was bothering me, and I could write about it and put it in a song, I could make it go away. That’s when I was like, ’I love this; I need to do it more.’" Animal House was released in 2002. It peaked at number eleven on the Billboard 200 chart. The album’s tracks contain songs about difficult relationships as well as successful ones.
In 2002 Martinez was offered a position as a judge on the television show American Idol, a talent contest for singers. In the show, judges listen to aspiring singers and offer frank (and sometimes brutal) assessments of their chances to make it in the music world. Martinez had never seen the show until after she took the job, and she was unaware of how cruel the judges were expected to be. After her first few auditions, she quit. She didn’t want to tell anyone to give up on their dreams of musical success, especially since many of the contestants were fans of hers. In that same year, Martinez, who still remembers her own troubled adolescence, opened a camp for young women to help motivate them to pursue their dreams.
In January of 2003 Martinez told listeners on her radio show that she was five months pregnant, confirming rumors that had begun circulating among her fans. Although she didn’t name the baby’s father, sources at the Elektra record label told Chuck "Jigsaw" Creekmur at BET.com that the child’s father was Nokio, a member of the Baltimore-based R&B quintet Dru Hill. Their child, a son named Niko Ruffin, was born on June 13, 2003. At the time, she was working to complete a new set for a 2003 release date.
In an online chat hosted by TeenPeople.com, Martinez advised teens who wanted to succeed in music: "Whatever you do, learn your craft and be prepared to work really hard," adding, "A lot of people will have opinions or expectations of you, and you have to be really clear on what’s going to make you happy in the big picture."
Selected discography
Up Close and Personal, Elektra, 2001.
Animal House, Elektra, 2002.
Sources
Periodicals
Billboard, November 19, 1994, p. 77.
Cincinnati Post, November 1, 2002, p. B 14.
Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL), May 18, 2001, p. 5.
Houston Chronicle, September 29, 2002, p. 7.
Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service, October 31, 2002, p. K6306.
Morning Call (Allentown, PA), April 28, 2001, p. A44; December 7, 2002, p. A56.
New York Post, April 29, 2001, p. 42; October 29, 2002, p. 95.
Record (Bergen County, NJ), January 9, 1998, p. Y3.
Online
"Angie Martinez and Nokio Have A Healthy Baby Boy," BET.com, http://www.bet.com/articles/0,,c3gb6586-7377,00.html (June 26, 2003).
"Angie Martinez Confirms Pregnancy, Nokio of Dru Hill is Father Says Label," BET.com, http://www.bet.com/articles/0,,c2sc25gb5066-5986,00.html (March 27, 2003).
"Angie Martinez," TeenPeople.com, http://www.teenpeople.com/teenpeople/chat/transcripts/0,8609,349952,00.html. (March 27, 2003).
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Angie Martinez
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Angie Martinez
- Genres: Rap
Biography
Part of the New York City hip-hop scene, Angie Martinez got her start working in radio. Raised in Brooklyn, Martinez was first introduced to music via her mother's diverse musical tastes (who was a program director for a jazz radio station). Eventually Martinez discovered hip-hop, and after a short stint at a Miami radio station working the phones, she moved back to N.Y.C. and began working at the popular dance station Hot 97. Rapper KRS-One encouraged Martinez to give hip-hop a shot herself, impressed by Martinez's improvisational rapping skills. This led to a successful collaboration with Redman, "Heart Beat," as well as working with Mary J. Blige and performing on the Grammy-nominated single "Ladies Night," alongside Missy Elliot, Lil' Kim, Left Eye, and Da Brat. Martinez was signed shortly thereafter to Elektra, issuing her debut album, Up Close and Personal, in 2001. ~ Greg Prato, RoviWikipedia on Answers.com:
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Angie Martinez
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This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (March 2011) |
| Angie Martinez
|
|
|---|---|
| Birth name | Angela Martinez |
| Also known as | The Voice of New York |
| Born | January 9, 1971 Brooklyn, New York, United States |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupations | Radio personality, rapper, actress |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Labels | Elektra Records |
| Website | TheAngieMartinezShow.com |
Angela "Angie" Martinez (born January 9, 1971, Brooklyn, New York) is an American radio personality, actress and rapper. Known as “The Voice of New York”, her afternoon radio show has consistently been ranked #1 with more young listeners than any other radio station in the country. Angie is a multi-media personality, having appeared in several movies, videos, television and on her own albums. Angie is best known for her celebrity interviews. Her laid back demeanor and popular style have been instrumental in securing exclusive interviews with the biggest names in music, film, comedy and politics.
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Contents
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Radio career
Angie Martinez got her first break in radio at the age of 16 answering hot lines at the urban radio station WQHT ("Hot 97"). There she met popular DJ Funkmaster Flex, and began working as his protégé. Martinez quickly picked up on the craft of running a successful radio program. Executives at the station decided to give her a chance, even though she lacked on-air experience.
Acting
She caught the attention of television producer Simon Fuller. Fuller thought that Martinez would become an excellent addition to American Idol. Martinez signed a contract to be the fourth judge alongside Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell for seasons 2, 3 and 4 of the Fox network's ratings giant. After only four days on the audition trial, Martinez admitted to being unable to crush the dreams of hopefuls. She said watching the aspiring singers leave in tears and breaking down with their families comforting them was too much for her to take. Martinez asked the Fox Network to remove her from the program. Throughout the remainder of that season, she was replaced with different guest judges such as Clive Davis, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Quentin Tarantino, Brandy, and Mark McGrath of rock band Sugar Ray. When HBO decided to branch from one channel into 8 sub channels that would concentrate on a certain demographic, scheduling conflicts while filming Stretch ensued. With the new taping schedule cutting into her time with her radio show and promotions, Martinez stepped back from the program at that point.
As an actress, Angie received small roles in independent hip hop films such as Blood is Thicker Than Water and Paper Soldiers. She then appeared in Brown Sugar starring Taye Diggs, Queen Latifah and Sanaa Lathan.
Music career
In 1996, Martinez was encouraged to give rapping a shot by friend KRS-One. She appeared on his track "Heartbeat" from his 1997 album I Got Next. After the song gained a strong fan following, another friend, Lil' Kim, offered her a spot on her song "Ladies' Night" for the Nothing to Lose soundtrack. Along with Missy Elliott, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes and Da Brat, the ladies enjoyed one of the most successful singles of 1997. It peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at #2, and reached #1 on the Hip-Hop / R&B charts and the Rap charts respectively. The single sold over 1,000,000 copies and was certified Platinum. The ladies were nominated for two Grammy Awards that year, and were also invited to perform the song live on The MTV Video Music Awards. A major label battle began to sign Martinez to a recording contract. Her appearance on other rapper's material was in high demand. She recorded songs with Mary J. Blige ("Christmas in the City"), Terror Squad ("Freak Out"), N.O.R.E. ("Oh No Remix"), Beenie Man ("Tell Me Remix") and Funkmaster Flex & Big Kap's compilation album The Tunnel ("Wow"). She also recorded interludes for mixtapes by Kid Capri, DJ Clue and DJ Kayslay. In 2001, she appeared in the music video for Jay-Z and R. Kelly's "Guilty Until Proven Innocent".
On April 17, 2001, she finally issued her oft-delayed debut album, Up Close and Personal. The album included production by DJ Clue, Salaam Remi, Knobody and RocWilder among others, and featured guest appearances by Jay-Z, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Wyclef Jean, Busta Rhymes and Kool G. Rap. The first single, "Dem Thangzzz" was produced by The Neptunes, and also featured background vocals by Pharrell Williams and Q-Tip. The track failed to make a strong impression at radio, but the album enjoyed strong first week sales[clarification needed]. It debuted at #32 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, and #10 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Charts selling 69,000 its first week. The second single, "Coast 2 Coast" (Suavamente) featuring rapper Wyclef Jean re-sparked interest in the album[citation needed]. She promoted the album with magazine posters, in-store signings, club appearances and television appearances with MTV and BET. The record received mixed reviews from critics, but like Martinez herself, was strongly accepted in the hip hop community. The album sold a low 325,000 units.
Following her first album's release, Angie began work on a second record Animal House. In order to build anticipation for the record, she appeared on BET's Rap City and began a nation-wide radio tour. She recorded a verse for the remix to her Artist Sacario record "Live Big". It became the number one record in the tri-state area and coincidentally coincided with the release of Martinez's first single from her second album, "If I Could Go" which also featured Sacario and singer Lil' Mo. "If I Could Go" became a huge crossover hit on pop radio, climbing into the top 10 on The Billboard Hot 100 Chart. It became the #1 played on urban radio in 2002. The album, Animal House (named after Martinez's own production company and recording posse), was released on August 21, 2002. It entered the Billboard Hot 200 Albums Chart at #11, and the Billboard Hot Hip-Hop / R&B Charts selling 92,000 units in its first week. The follow-up single, "Take You Home" featuring R&B singer Kelis didn't receive as much attention, but it did become a minor hit that winter. The album was more strongly received by critics and fans. Following the release of the album, she was featured on a remix for labelmate Lil' Mo's track "Gangster", and Nina Sky's hype single "Time to Go". Following this she announced she was retiring from the recording industry to concentrate on her other projects.
Personal life
She has a son Niko Ruffin (born June 12, 2003)[1] with Tamir "Nokio" Ruffin[2][3] of Dru Hill.
Awards and nominations
- BET Awards
- 2002, Best Female Hip-Hop Artist (Nominated)
- Grammy Awards
- 1998, Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group "Not Tonight" (Nominated)
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | U.S. R&B | ||
| 2001 | Up Close and Personal
|
32 | 7 |
| 2002 | Animal House
|
11 | 6 |
Singles
| Year | Song | Peak chart positions[4][5] | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | U.S. R&B | U.S. Rap | |||
| 2000 | "Mi Amor" (featuring Jay-Z) | — | 51 | — | Up Close and Personal |
| 2001 | "Dem Thangs" | — | 80 | 24 | |
| "Coast 2 Coast" | — | — | — | ||
| 2002 | "If I Could Go" (featuring Lil' Mo & Sacario) | 15 | 26 | 11 | Animal House |
| 2003 | "Take You Home" (featuring Kelis) | 85 | 62 | — | |
| "—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory. | |||||
References
External links
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