Radio Legends Stretch & Bobbito Inducted Into NAB Hall Of Fame

Legendary New York City radio personalities Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito García were inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Broadcasting Hall of Fame in Las Vegas last week. The duo is credited with breaking the careers of several Hip-Hop legends, including JAY-Z, Nas, Wu-Tang Clan, Biggie and Eminem.

The award was presented to the duo by CEO of Townsquare Media and NAB Radio Board Chair Bill Wilson who said, “The 2023 Hall of Fame inductees for radio are true radio legends. Their lasting impact on music and culture in the 1990s is still felt today.”

The ceremony included a video presentation that traced Stretch & Bobbito’s career trajectory—from their origins at Columbia University’s student radio station 89.9 WKCR-FM to their current post at Apple Music.

García, who couldn’t be there in person, uploaded his acceptance speech to Instagram. He credited former Tommy Boy Records A&R Dante Ross, MC Serch and Pete Nice of 3rd Bass and David Gossett for ultimately leading him to Armstrong.

“@stretcharmstrong and I were inducted into the NAB Hall of Fame,” he wrote in the caption. “Here’s my acceptance speech (since I couldn’t be on stage with my boy at the ceremony in Las Vegas today). Toooo many people to thank who I didn’t mention here because they only gave me two minutes on mic, but forever grateful to @danteross for inspiring me to enter the music industry, @emceeserch @rushtown298 @davidjgossett for getting me my first job at @defjam, which was where I met Stretch.

“So without these four people, I would have never eventually gotten on air. And eternal LOVE to Adrian Bartos for giving me a career in broadcasting. Literally. 1990 on forward, big up @wkcr for the platform, every artist who ever blessed our mics, and equal stats to every listener worldwide who ever tuned in. Without our community, me and Stretch would have been making dope tapes for ourselves to listen to, but no impact beyond. Appreciate @wearebroadcasters for the shine, too. Mad more heads to thank, but I’ll pause there. Thanks yo!”

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The Stretch & Bobbito Radio show first aired on Apple Music in October 2020 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their first radio broadcast in 1990. Guests have included Method Man, Pharoahe Monch and Redman, while special tribute episodes have been dedicated to MF DOOM and—more recently—Trugoy the Dove. Find Season 1 and 2 episodes here.