In October I wrote about the hip-hop morning show duo Star and Buc Wild, pointing out that Star is a fan of Ayn Rand’s writings.
Today I received a phone call from Star, from which I gleaned several things:
1. The biographical material that I cited in my original posting is not actually written by Star. (This was what prompted his call.) Rather, it was written by someone else who adapted publicly available material into a fake first-person account of Star’s past. When I told Star I hadn’t been very impressed by what I’d read, he said, “I wouldn’t be, either.”
2. A more accurate picture of Star and his ideas can be gathered from an interview with him on the Star and Buc Wild web site. (Click on “Exclusive Star Interview” after you get into the site.) The importance of Ayn Rand’s philosophy is emphasized throughout the interview. Philosophical purists, however, will not be happy.
3. Today the NY Daily News published a new profile of Star. From the article:
Star returned to New York radio yesterday with his tongue sharpened, vowing on the Power-105 morning show that he would take out Howard Stern, crush rival Hot-97 and “bring the truth to New York radio.”
He also tossed around the N-word, told the city to “bend over” and warned those who are not his friends they could be the target of an aggressive sexual act.
Welcome back to the Star and Buc Wild package, last heard on WQHT (97.1 FM) in May 2003 and now inked for four years at WWPR (105.1 FM).
“Somebody said you were looking for me,” he said as he signed on at 6 a.m. yesterday.
Clear Channel, WWPR’s parent, expects Star to push Power past Hot-97 and become the city’s top rap station. But Star made it clear his own vision extends to the national vacancy that will be created when Stern skips to satellite next year.
“Hip-hop wars, don’t waste my time,” Star said. “I came for the long-haired [homosexual] down the dial, Howard Stern.”
Apparently Star hopes to fill the void left on national morning talk radio when Stern moves to XM next year.
My take? During our call, Star sounded pleasant and intelligent (not incoherent, the way the All Hip Hop fake bio made him sound, or belligerant, as he sounds in the quotes from his radio show).
He uses the word “hater” often, and sometimes in a positive context. Star seems to view hate as a kind of natural energy (perhaps like the Freudian id) that can be channeled for constructive purposes. In his view, an “Objective hater” is potentially a person of great purpose and passion.
Personally, I’d be happy if his interest in Rand’s work helps introduce more blacks like himself (or “man of color,” as he prefers, for its individualistic connotations) to Ayn Rand’s ideas.