Fresh Listen: L.A.’s Hip-Hop and R&B

A few recent headlines:

In the June PPM, longtime Adult R&B outlet KJLH Los Angeles was up 2.2-2.7. That was the Stevie Wonder-owned station’s best topline number ever, including the early-to-mid-’80s before KPWR (Power 106) finally (and briefly) brought the R&B hits to a full-market signal in 1986. 

In July, KJLH was off 2.7-2.3, but iHeart’s KRRL (Real 92.3) was up 3.4-3.6, tying it with CHR sister KIIS for eighth in the market. Real 92.3’s switch from Rhythmic AC in 2015 created a Hip-Hop war of attrition with Power 106, but with that station down 1.8-1.6 in July, there’s a particularly clear leader.

Audacy’s Adult R&B KTWV (The Wave) was the immediate beneficiary when KRRL launched. It held 4.3-4.3 in July and has been as high as a 4.9 in the last few months. Together with KJLH, there’s now nearly seven shares for Adult R&B in Los Angeles. If you count throwback KDAY in the Hip-Hop column with Real and Power, those three stations have a 6.5 share.

The strength of R&B radio — particularly Hip-Hop/R&B outlets — has been diluted in many markets since PPM and again in the time of COVID. Hip-Hop radio was second only to Alternative in showing the impact of its streaming rivals, even after the music rebounded. Fragmentation obscures Hip-Hop’s strength in some markets, but in the time before PPM, two Hip-Hop outlets (and two Adult R&B stations) could prosper in some markets.

In Los Angeles, proving that strength hasn’t been a smooth path over the years. KPWR showed the strength of the Urban format on a full-signal FM, then quickly evolved away. KKBT (The Beat) launched in the early ’90s; when the West Coast Hip-Hop explosion (and the loss of KDAY-AM) steered Power 106 back to Hip-Hop, it made for one of the great station rivalries of the decade. But the Beat went Urban AC in 2006 and it took nearly a decade for Real 92.3 to replace it.

It seemed like a good time for a Fresh Listen to all five outlets. All of L.A.’s R&B and Hip-Hop outlets have long had unique qualities, but also interesting points of overlap. Both Real and Power play some ’90s Hip-Hop — undeniable in Southern California — even though Power’s Meruelo Group sister KDAY is all-throwbacks. KRRL’s “Real 92.3” handle debuted at a time when Power was more pop-leaning than usual, but those songs are long gone from Power, while Real is now playing some Urbano crossovers.

With the Wave dominating gold-based Adult R&B, KJLH had settled into a unique groove as a mostly millennial outlet. It was also one of the first stations in the format to play adult-friendly Hip-Hop, not just from the ’90s, but appropriate current titles. The Wave plays primarily “timeless soul” that crossed over, but its 1-2 currents an hour might overlap with KJLH, even when it plays Adele. And since the arrival of new KJLH PD Chris Malone, there are a few more ’80s titles in regular programming on that station.

KJLH got my attention in the spring with its emphasis on new R&B, just as the format overall becomes more gold-based, and its messaging (“a good vibe in the street and a great voice in the community”). During Black Music Month, its stopsets often seemed like ads for one local event after another. Even now, the promo for the KJLH Men’s Empowerment expo (which also includes a music-industry panel) is followed by an ad for the Long Beach Uptown Jazz Festival. P.M. driver Tammi Mac’s opening break was not celebrity news, it was about visiting the Kinsey Collection of African-American Art.  Here’s KJLH on August 26, just before 3 p.m.:

• H.E.R., “Damage”
• Stephanie Mills, “Something in the Way You Make Me Feel”
• John Legend, “Honey”
• Ashanti, “Baby”
• Blxst, “About You”
• Rick James, “Give It to Me Baby”
• Beyoncé, “Break My Soul”
• Rae Sremmurd, “Denial”
• Tamia, “So Into You”
• Queen Naija & Big Sean, “Hate Our Love”
• Cheryl Lynn, “Got to Be Real”
• Mary Mary, “Walking”

Here’s The Wave, “The Soul of Southern California” on August 22, just before 3 p.m.:

• Des’ree, “You Gotta Be”
• Prince, “I Wanna Be Your Lover”
• Michael Jackson, “Human Nature”
• Adele, “Oh My God”
• [Smokey Robinson & the] Miracles, “You Really Got a Hold on Me”
• Mariah Carey, “Fantasy”
• Mark Ronson f/Bruno Mars, “Uptown Funk”
• Lionel Richie, “Stuck on You”
• Toni Braxton, “Breathe Again”
• Cee-Lo Green, “Forget You”
• System, “Don’t Disturb This Groove”
• En Vogue, “My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It)”
• Temptations, “My Girl”
• Whispers, “Rock Steady”
• John Legend, “Honey”

“Hip-Hop Back in the Day” KDAY p.m. driver P.J. Butta was giving away both Universal Studios and tickets to a Salt-N-Pepa/Bell Biv Devoe/Ginuwine show. Here’s KDAY on August 29, just before 3 p.m.

• 69 Boyz, “Toostie Roll”
• Scarface, “Smile”
• Snoop Dogg f/Xzibit, “B-Please”
• Lauryn Hill, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You”
• Lil Flip, “Sunshine”
• Eastsidaz, “I Love It”
• 2pac f/K-Ci & Jojo, “How Do U Want It”
• Ice Cube & George Clinton, “Bop Gun (One Nation)”
• Dr. Dre f/Xzibit & Eminem, “What’s the Difference”
• Eve f/Gwen Stefani, “Let Me Blow Ya Mind”
• Notorious B.I.G., “Hypnotize”
• Ruff Endz, “No More”
• Nelly, “Air Force Ones”

Real 92.3 was giving away Disney tickets for morning host Big Boy’s Morning Takeover at Avengers Campus, as well as promoting its Big Boy’s Bankroll promotion. The hour’s topic was the VMA Awards, a few nights earlier, including Bad Bunny’s acceptance speech. Here’s Real 92.3 during The Cruz Show, just before 3 p.m. on August 29.

• Latto, “Big Energy”
• 50 Cent, “P.I.M.P.”
• Drake f/Travis Scott, “Fair Trade”
• Cardi B f/Ye & Lil Durk, “Hot Ish”
• T-Pain f/Yung Joc, “Buy U a Drank”
• Bad Bunny, “Moscow Mule”
• Drake f/21 Savage, “Jimmy Cooks”
• Rihanna, “Rude Boy”
• Dr. Dre, “Still D-R-E”
• Lil Uzi Vert, “XO Tour Llif3”
• Travis Scott, “Highest in the Room”
• Burna Boy, “Last Last”
• Ne-Yo, “Miss Independent”
• Drake f/Lil Baby, “Girls Want Girls”
• YG f/Jeezy & RichHomieQuan, “My Hitta”
• 2pac & Dr. Dre, “California Love”

Power 106 p.m. driver Felli-Fel played Nicki Minaj’s VMA acceptance speech. The station was giving away Kendrick Lamar tickets. Power’s previous hour had been the all-artist-blocks “three-play at 3.” Here’s the station on August 29, at 4 p.m.:

• Drake f/21 Savage, “Jimmy Cooks”
• Game f/50 Cent, “How We Do”
• Beyoncé, “Break My Soul”
• Fetty Wap f/Remy Boyz, “679”
• Bad Bunny, “Moscow Mule”
• G-Eazy f/A$AP Rocky & Cardi B, “No Limit”
• Ckay, “Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah)
• Drake f/Travis Scott, “Fair Trade”
• Cam’ron, “Hey Ma”
• Post Malone f/Doja Cat, “I Like You”
• Drake, “No Friends in the Industry”
• Fabolous f/The-Dream, “Throw It in the Bag”
• Lil Baby, “In a Minute”
• Future f/Drake, “Wait For U”
• Offset & Metro Boomin, “Ric Flair Drip”