Radio personality Angie Ange, host of Quick & Angie Show on WKYS 93.9, is only 26-years old, but she's already making moves to motivate D.C. youth. The business-minded radio host said to make it big in the biz as a woman, you can't be a sidekick or a gossip-monger. Niteside caught up with the maven of the airwaves to get the dish on the key to her success.
How did you get your start in radio? People would tell me all throughout high school that I had the perfect voice for radio, but it never occurred to me until later in life that I would be doing it for a living. When I graduated from Howard University (in 2006), I interned with Flex and Rain on WPGC 95.5. I learned so much working with them and I was blessed to be able to fill in for Rain when she was on maternity leave. That time period allowed me to do so much: produce, work late shifts, co-host. It was great for me.
What is a day like in the life of a radio host? I show prep all day by using social media like Twitter and Facebook. I always want to make sure I’m providing relatable content to my listeners. Everyday at the end of my show I make sure that I’ve entertained, informed and educated my audience on some level. However, despite the show prep, no day is the same. I could be at a school inspiring students during the day and relaxing with my grandparents the next. It varies.
Who is your inspiration? I’d definitely have to say Oprah. Cliché? Yes. But she’s my inspiration. She reminds me that it’s important that you don’t want to just host a hot show, but you want to own it. She walks into a studio everyday that she owns. The cameras that are filming her she owns. She even bought a network, and she’s heard all over the world. I aspire to greatness like that.
You've been helping high school kids all over D.C. prepare for college. How did you get started with that? I knew that radio gave me a voice, and high school kids are very impressionable. When I’m shouting my alma mater out over the air, it’s not just to show the school love, but it’s to inform the kids, that, 'Hey, college may be cool.' I started my non-profit College is Cool four years ago and haven’t looked back since.
What exactly does College is Cool do? We motivate youth to go to college by exposing them to the college lifestyle. We prepare them for everything from classes to roommates. It’s rewarding to see them learn and be excited about the college experience.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned in this business? That you have to know how to play the game in this business, and I don’t mean that in a negative way. I mean playing the game in that you shouldn’t take stuff personal -- this is a business. And to stay positive and always believe that at the end of the day you’re doing exactly what you should be doing. Stay confident!
The radio business is still male dominated. How do you think women can change that? I think women can change that by really trying not to get in the stereotypical role. When you think about it, most women on radio are gossip girls, very sexual or just sidekicks. We have to make sure that we constantly have more depth on air. There are young girls listening and looking up to us. It’s so important to have depth. If all you can be is a gossip queen that doesn’t do much for upcoming generation.
Where would you like to be in the next 10 years? I’ve realized not to put myself on a time limit. If you told me at 22-years old that I would be hosting a successful radio show, I would have laughed. I realize that I’ve just reached a very small piece of my ultimate goal. The sky is really the limit. There’s no telling what’s next, but I'm sure it's success.
