The Bobbito & Stretch Armstrong Show aired on WKCR 89.9 FM from Columbia University, New York, from 1990 through 1998. It was an absolute integral part of New York Hip Hop in the most important era of Hip Hop, the 1990s. Below is each of their bios. I upload one show from my personal cassette collection. Many a late night did I fight sleep to make sure I would catch when the tape would pop so I could turn it over. I hope you enjoy. I will definitely be posting more of Bobbito & Stretch shows not to mention some of my own shows I have while I was at WHCJ 90.3 FM from Savannah State University in Savannah Georgia ofcourse. But for now just peep this joint. Enjoy.
November 2, 1995 Part 1
November 2, 1995 Part 2
A hip-hop fixture since the dawn of the '90s, DJ Stretch Armstrong (born Adrian Bartos) has been instrumental in presenting up-and-coming MCs through his media barrage of radio programs, mixtapes, and even video games. The New York native's first notoriety came as one-half of the Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show, which quickly became one of the premier forums for the city's emerging hip-hop talent to be heard. Several of the '90s' biggest names in rap received early notice on the Columbia University radio program, including the debut of the Notorious B.I.G., or just Biggie Smalls as he was known in 1991. His appearance on the show was widely circulated, as were many of the show's legendary freestyle sessions, and led to Biggie's mention in a magazine column, which led to his introduction to Sean "Puffy" Combs. Biggie wasn't the only artist to freestyle on the show and subsequently blow up: Nas, Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, and countless others all appeared on the show. By 1998, the show had run its course, but not before the Village Voice declared the Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show "the best hip-hop show in New York" and Source magazine voted it "the best hip-hop show of all time." The demise of the show was not the end of Armstrong's radio career, however, and it was on Hot 97 -- the only commercial radio station in New York dedicated to hip-hop at the time -- that he continued with XL Radio. The mid-'90s also saw the first of Armstrong's forays into record production with Dolo, which released singles from MF Grimm, the Korp, Dutchmin, and Powerule. Dolo was also the outlet for Stretch's Lesson mixtapes that always featured exclusive tracks and freestyles. Dolo was retired at the end of the '90s while Armstrong worked briefly with Game Records. The short association lasted long enough for the busy DJ to make it into over seven million homes as one of the radio personalities on Game Radio, one of the fictitious stations featured in the popular Grand Theft Auto III video game. Spit Inc., a new label helmed by the enterprising DJ, appeared in 2001 with a compilation featuring 50 Cent and Royce da 5'9". For the next few years, Stretch took a break from hip-hop and making records, though he still continued to play for live audiences. In 2006, he joined forces with musician and label-owner Dominique Keegan at his Plant Music (named after NYC's Plant Bar he had run before it was shut down in 2003) and worked on releases from artists like Kap10Kurt and Kasper Bjorke. ~ Wade Kergan, All Music Guide.
Bobbito aka DJ Cumberslice is (we are pretty sure) could be the No.1. The quintessential all round B-Boy. His enthusiasm for every aspect of Hip-Hop culture sets him apart from so many other in this game. An accomplished DJ, writer, dancer, editor, presenter & ball player he is the kinda guy you'd love to hate if he wasn't so damn down to earth & friendly!He is the Editor In Chief of Bounce: From the Playground b-ball magazine, an accomplished Vibe magazine music columnist, and the critically acclaimed author of “Where’d You Get Those? NYC’s Sneaker Culture 1960-1987” (Testify Books).DJing is what he is known for and his passion for the music he plays is so infectious that he is bound to have the place rocking all night wherever he plays. His musical knowledge and selection on the decks are equally influenced by his years representing underground Hip-Hop as it is his membership of New York's Rock Steady crew.When he plays you can always expect to hear the underground bangers, the kind he represented through his legendary radio show (voted the best radio show ever by Source magazine) where he introduced the world to the like of Wu Tang, Nas, Fat Joe and so many more at the time unsigned artists, alongside funk & soul classics all of which are guaranteed to get ya booty shaking. Excerpt from britishhiphop.co.uk
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