As the news makes the rounds, things are buzzing about Taigo Onez and his return to Chicago's legendary 88.5FM WHPK. It goes without saying not only is the station home to the longest running Hip Hop format in FM Radio in the world, (and you can look that up with the FCC), but WHPK has always been involved with Disco, House and Experimental Electronic music. After taking hiatus from stateside radio entirely, he'd left WHPK just before the pandemic hit, and focused on radio residencies in Germany, and Manchester.
With the news that he arrives back at WHPK and joins a thriving Electronic format, we got a chance to sit in during the one of the recent broadcasts and speak with the man himself..
B: Peace Taigo
T: Peace Peace
B: So you're back at WHPK, and you've brought Bang Le' Dex to radio stateside. How does it feel? Gotta be a great feeling these days.
T: It does feel amazing. Bringing Bang Le' Dex to not only FM Radio stateside, but to bring it home to Chicago is something I've been wanting since the founding of Bang Le' Dex in the early 2000's. There is an even greater bonus bringing it home to WHPK.
B: So there is truth to the WHPK slogan?
T: Absolutely! The Pride of The South Side! So this is a very proud time for me. I am extremely happy and grateful to be back at my radio home.
B: Tell me about the day you first arrived back through those doors
T: Oh man, of course I showed up early lol. Not nervous, but the excitement running through me felt like my heart was going to just keep racing, and at the same time it was like fighting back tears. I was home. It did feel a bit different, and the same at the same time. It was emotional. I'm still trying to find my balance because I'm still with the new feels since coming back
B: But you know WHPK more than many. I'd heard you mention you've been coming there since you were 12 years old, and joined the radio staff in 2009?
T: Yeah, all true, and it still means everything to me that it meant when I was a kid, and when I was first appointed by JP Chill when he retired. WHPK is a very special place, to not just me, but for the artists I came up with in Chicago. And many national artists who's records had gotten broke at WHPK.
B: We noticed the architecture on the campus. The beauty of it all, does it play a role in what you play?
T: Always! Even when I have guests, and set submissions.
B: Two shows in two different formats?
T: Yes! It makes for some healthy radio contributions across the board. Chicago needs it. And somebody has to have some artistic responsibility in Radio. In Chicago especially..
B: What's in store for the next broadcasts?
T: We just had veteran musician V Abstrackt and veteran label executive Carl Washington this passed Friday on The Essence. This coming Monday I got Julio Ojeda, and of course Antonio Lombardo who also has an upcoming vinyl release this summer on the label. And we have Miindii arriving on June 12th. Things are moving.
B: Thanks for taking the time to make your presence felt on The B. It's not often we get to chop it up with you here. Glad to finally feature you on your own platform T.O.
T: My pleasure! This is for all of us. Honored always to contribute. Cheers
You can catch Bang Le' Dex every Wednesday at 4pm CST, and The Essence Radio biweekly Fridays at 10pm CST with Twelve Gage & Taigo Onez
-M. Warren (Bang Le' Dex Attny Admin)
