K. and A., friends from Baltimore's Northern High School, Class of 2003, have quickly made a big impression on Blog Talk Radio with their show No Rubber. Their first episode "Wanna Be Starin' Somethin'" aired just over two months ago on July 14th, and they have already evoked some strong reactions. Their podcast has received two 5-star ratings on iTunes. On the other hand, they have also stirred up a lot of controversy. During their second episode, which explored the divide between Africans and African Americans, Co-host A., conjured up passionate disagreements from both callers and his No Rubber main host, K. (who is of Nigerian descent) . Moreover, No Rubber engaged in a radio battle with fellow Blog Talk program, Hood To Hood, after one of their contributors called in during a No Rubber episode about religion and controversial statements were exchanged.
Kay and Adrian have created their radio broadcast with little more than their laptops and cellular phones. They each conduct the show from their homes, utilizing a switchboard program. As the show's main host, K. usually operates the program, while A. co-hosts by phone; however, they recently traded places for their episode "What's Beef", in which Adrian hosted, as he addressed their Blog Talk adversary Hood To Hood.
"No Rubber was based off of our conversations that we have, they're always raw; and we decided that we needed a show to allow people to hear it because its funny, and its about topics that people talk about all the time," A. stated.
Thus far, No Rubber has discussed topics ranging from relationships, to success, to cultural identity. K. shared that one of his favorite episodes has been "Back in the Day", when they reminisced on childhood memories from the 1980s and 90s, then contrasted their nostalgia with commentary on present-day society.
During their seventh episode, entitled "If Heaven Was a Mile Away", they were discussing religion with their guest-host Pam, when she was profanely interrupted by a caller who was accidently put through to air too early. The caller, Big Mo from Hood To Hood, criticized the Christian beliefs that were expressed earlier in the program by Pam and other callers. Then when A asked Big Mo what he believed in, he answered saying "Nothing. I'm into metaphysics." K. and A. each thanked Big Mo for contributing to the show, but A later made fun of his comments. After Big Mo hung up, A. said, "I think we just had one of those 'when keeping it real goes wrong' moments (a reference to a Chapelle's Show skit). Then referred to him as an "Angry Black Man on an Elevator" (a reference to a Rhymefest song), which Big Mo took particular offense to.
"I wasn't angry about nothing", he said. Offended that A. made the debate racial, he questioned "Why did he have to say 'angry black man on an elevator'?"
However, A was not the only one who found Mo's comments to be aggressive.
"The whole point was 'why are you calling in and being disrespectful?' when the whole idea of the show was about practicing tolerance for other people, and becoming a more respectful society, more respectful of people's beliefs," Pam commented. "So for [Big Mo] to come on the show as hostile as [he] did was just really uncalled for. Even his tone was just ridiculous."
Ladee Dase, hostess of Hood To Hood radio saw it differently. They responded to the No Rubber episode with a "battle" episode, on which they criticized No Rubber, for what they percieved to be disrespect. Since this, representatives from each of the respective shows have called in to the other, and criticisms have been sent back and forth.
"We ran with it on an educated form. We didn't run with it on a corny form", Ladee Dase said regarding A's "What's Beef" episode. "...they actually came back with nothing, and it was mad ignorant, but I feel like we squashed it and it's over."
Pam and Ladee Dase disagree about who started the beef, but they both agree that A took it too far.
"I think that its a situation that definitely could've been avoided. I think Adrian pumped it up a little too much. It's an internet radio station.", Pam added.
K. also showed disapproval of A's comments, but for different reasoning. He thought A was giving Hood To Hood too much credit.
"He was making the whole show about them, but I felt like it would have been an informative show without his call," he shared.
A. believes that everyone else has taken the situation too seriously.
"Yeah, I started it, and I finished it too. You know why I started it? Because its entertainment."
Despite the rawness indicated by the shows title, thus far, No Rubber has only had one episode that was officially deemed "explicit" on iTunes, which has left some llisteners disappointed, or at least confused.
"If they're going to be called No Rubber Nation, they need to decide what exactly they mean; if they're going to be controversial, or say the things that people are afraid to say, and I don't know if they've lived up to that yet"
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