WLLD
Encyclopedia
WLLD is a Rhythmic Contemporary Hits-formatted radio station licensed
to Lakeland, Florida
that serves the Tampa Bay
area in Florida
, and is owned by CBS Radio
. Although the target audience of WiLD 94.1 is mainly people of ages 18–34, its main competitor is currently Clear Channel
-owned Mainstream Urban
, WBTP
, 95.7 the Beat. WLLD's transmitting facilities are in southeastern Hillsborough County
, near the "Four Corners". The station can be picked up as far as Cape Coral
, Leesburg
, Orlando
and Okeechobee
.
/Beautiful Music
format for almost three decades, changing its calls to WEZY in 1988. WEZY later evolved from pure Beautiful Music into Soft AC before changing to WSJT in 1995.
line is that the station was started by two friends, Josh and Brian, who had been drinking on Josh's father's boat claiming to have pirated radio waves. The duo bragged of their contraband and irregulated airwaves until they were bought and turned into what is now the station that is broadcast today. In reality, the station just had a very small budget to start with, often resulting in the same songs playing over and over again. Tone Lōc
's
"Wild Thing
" was the first song the station had played over the air. The fictional friends would claim to have allegiance toward the song during their drunken stupor and continued to play the song repeatedly over the course of days. For the first few days the station was on the air, the song continued to be played in an effort to spark word of mouth
attention.
At first, WLLD's musical direction included a balanced mix of hit-driven R&B/Hip-Hop and Dance tracks, mostly to counter rival WFLZ, a move that would pay off up until WBTP (WFLZ's sister station) debuted. Today, the station's playlist is atypical of most rhythmics as it consists of mostly hip-hop
and R&B hits, thus is considered to be a rhythmic crossover by "Billboard". It also has competition from Rhythmic-leaning Top 40/CHR upstart WPOI
, which debuted in July 2011.
WLLD was located on the 98.7 frequency until August 19, 2009 at 5:00 PM, when it swapped frequencies with smooth jazz station WSJT
. The first song played after the switch was Tone Loc's Wild Thing, the same first song that was played when WLLD was first launched in 1998.
(No particular order)
KpDaGhost- Add A Little Suga
Tone Loc - Wild Thing
Bone Thugs N Harmony - Ghetto Cowboy
Master P - Make em Say Ugh
Jay-Z - Can I Get A..
Aaliyah - Are You That Somebody
2 Live Crew - Me So Horny
Sylk E. Fine - Romeo and Juliet
Adam Sandler - Ode to My Car (Piece of Shit Car)
Notorious B.I.G. ft Puff Daddy & Mase - Mo Money Mo Problems
Mya - Take Me There
Mya - Movin' On
Militia - Burn
10am - 3pm Scantman
3pm - 7pm Alli that Girl
7pm - 12am The Nuthouse ( with Buckwheat, Melli Mel, and Stiffy )
put on by "WiLD 94.1" WLLD in the Tampa Bay Area. It is put on in late October or early November every year since 1999. The show got its title from being the "last damn show" before the world ended in Y2K. Hence, in continuation with the world remaining unscathed. Past performers include Eminem
, Lil Wayne
, Destiny's Child
, P. Diddy, Busta Rhymes
, Bubba Sparxxx
, Lil Jon and the Eastside Boyz, Trick Daddy
, Luke
, Ludacris
, Kanye West
, and Twista
among others. The concert was originally held at The St. Pete Times Forum
, but is held in other locations, such as Tropicana Field
. It has pulled in over 20,000 in attendance almost every year.
WiLDsplash is the annual concert
during spring break
out on by WiLD 94.1 WLLD in Clearwater Beach. It has been a Bay Area staple since 2001 and pulls crowds in excess of 15,000 fans consistently. Past performers Wiz Khalifa
, Snoop Dogg
, Busta Rhymes
, Bubba Sparxxx
, 50 Cent
, Sean Paul
, Buju Banton
, JoJo, 112
, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
, Ziggy Marley
, Young Jeezy
, Stephen
& Damien Marley among others.
years later since the debut of WLLD, which is due to Clear Channel owning KYLD/San Francisco
, who has used the "WiLD" branding since their launch in 1992.
Like KYLD, when WLLD was started, the first song played was Tone-Loc's Wild Thing, hence the station's branding basis.
City of license
A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator....
to Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 94,406...
that serves the Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and estuary along the Gulf of Mexico on the west central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay."Tampa Bay" is not the name of any municipality...
area in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, and is owned by CBS Radio
CBS Radio
CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
. Although the target audience of WiLD 94.1 is mainly people of ages 18–34, its main competitor is currently Clear Channel
Clear channel
A clear-channel station is an AM band Radio station in North America that has the highest protection from interference from other stations, particularly concerning night-time skywave propagation. Usually known as class A stations since 1982, they are occasionally still referred to by their former...
-owned Mainstream Urban
Mainstream Urban
Mainstream Urban is a term used to describe a radio format similar to an Urban Contemporary format. The format differentiates itself due to two factors: playlist composition and target demographic...
, WBTP
WBTP
WBTP is a Urban Contemporary radio station that serves the Tampa Bay area that plays hip-hop, R&B, and soul music that aims towards the African American community. Its target audience is African Americans between the ages of 18-34, but its main competitors are WLLD which has a very similar target...
, 95.7 the Beat. WLLD's transmitting facilities are in southeastern Hillsborough County
Hillsborough County, Florida
As of the census of 2000, there were 998,948 people, 391,357 households, and 255,164 families residing in the county. The population density was 951 people per square mile . There were 425,962 housing units at an average density of 405 per square mile...
, near the "Four Corners". The station can be picked up as far as Cape Coral
Cape Coral, Florida
Cape Coral is a municipality located in Lee County, Florida, United States, on the Gulf of Mexico. Founded in 1957 and developed as a master-planned, pre-platted community, the city grew to a population of 154,305 by the year 2010. With an area of , Cape Coral is the largest city between Tampa and...
, Leesburg
Leesburg, Florida
Leesburg is a city in Lake County, Florida, United States. The population was 15,956 at the 2000 census. As of 2005, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 19,086.. Leesburg is located in central Florida, between Lake Harris and Lake Griffin, at the head of the Oklawaha River system....
, Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
and Okeechobee
Okeechobee, Florida
Okeechobee is a city in Okeechobee County, Florida, United States. The population was 5,376 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 5,784. It is the county seat of Okeechobee County. The Speckled Perch Festival is held annually in honor of the most...
.
94.1
94.1 began broadcasting as WVFM in 1967 and aired an Easy ListeningEasy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
/Beautiful Music
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
format for almost three decades, changing its calls to WEZY in 1988. WEZY later evolved from pure Beautiful Music into Soft AC before changing to WSJT in 1995.
Format
The kayfabeKayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
line is that the station was started by two friends, Josh and Brian, who had been drinking on Josh's father's boat claiming to have pirated radio waves. The duo bragged of their contraband and irregulated airwaves until they were bought and turned into what is now the station that is broadcast today. In reality, the station just had a very small budget to start with, often resulting in the same songs playing over and over again. Tone Lōc
Tone Lōc
Anthony Terrell Smith , better known by his stage name Tone Lōc, is an American rapper and actor.-Early life and career:...
's
"Wild Thing
Wild Thing (Tone Lōc song)
"Wild Thing" is the name of rapper Tone Lōc's 1988 single from the album Lōc-ed After Dark. The title is a reference to the phrase "doin' the wild thing," a euphemism for sex, unlike The Troggs' hit song, "Wild Thing", in which the "wild thing" was a girl.Tone Lōc's song peaked at number two on...
" was the first song the station had played over the air. The fictional friends would claim to have allegiance toward the song during their drunken stupor and continued to play the song repeatedly over the course of days. For the first few days the station was on the air, the song continued to be played in an effort to spark word of mouth
Word of mouth
Word of mouth, or viva voce, is the passing of information from person to person by oral communication. Storytelling is the oldest form of word-of-mouth communication where one person tells others of something, whether a real event or something made up. Oral tradition is cultural material and...
attention.
At first, WLLD's musical direction included a balanced mix of hit-driven R&B/Hip-Hop and Dance tracks, mostly to counter rival WFLZ, a move that would pay off up until WBTP (WFLZ's sister station) debuted. Today, the station's playlist is atypical of most rhythmics as it consists of mostly hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
and R&B hits, thus is considered to be a rhythmic crossover by "Billboard". It also has competition from Rhythmic-leaning Top 40/CHR upstart WPOI
WPOI
WPOI, "Hot 101.5", is an FM radio station in Tampa, Florida broadcasting a CHR format.The station's HD-2 channel is known as "Star 101.5" and airs a Modern AC format.The station's main rivals are WFLZ, WSJT, and, to a lesser extent, WMTX and WLLD....
, which debuted in July 2011.
WLLD was located on the 98.7 frequency until August 19, 2009 at 5:00 PM, when it swapped frequencies with smooth jazz station WSJT
WSJT
WSJT is a Tampa Bay area radio station that broadcasts Hot AC, more specifically, Adult CHR on 98.7 FM. The station, owned by CBS Radio, is licensed in Holmes Beach, Florida, with studios in St. Petersburg and transmitting facilities in Seminole...
. The first song played after the switch was Tone Loc's Wild Thing, the same first song that was played when WLLD was first launched in 1998.
The "Original 12"
These songs were part of the original line up at WLLD. As previously mentioned, the budgetary restrictions on the station limited the songs that were played on the air. The following legendary line up was the result.(No particular order)
KpDaGhost- Add A Little Suga
Tone Loc - Wild Thing
Bone Thugs N Harmony - Ghetto Cowboy
Master P - Make em Say Ugh
Jay-Z - Can I Get A..
Aaliyah - Are You That Somebody
2 Live Crew - Me So Horny
Sylk E. Fine - Romeo and Juliet
Adam Sandler - Ode to My Car (Piece of Shit Car)
Notorious B.I.G. ft Puff Daddy & Mase - Mo Money Mo Problems
Mya - Take Me There
Mya - Movin' On
Militia - Burn
Line Up
6am - 10am Orlando and the Freakshow ( with Orlando, Gordie, Nahvaho, and Special Ed )10am - 3pm Scantman
3pm - 7pm Alli that Girl
7pm - 12am The Nuthouse ( with Buckwheat, Melli Mel, and Stiffy )
The Last Damn Show and WiLDsplash
The Last Damn Show is an annual concertConcert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
put on by "WiLD 94.1" WLLD in the Tampa Bay Area. It is put on in late October or early November every year since 1999. The show got its title from being the "last damn show" before the world ended in Y2K. Hence, in continuation with the world remaining unscathed. Past performers include Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
, Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. , better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included...
, Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
, P. Diddy, Busta Rhymes
Busta Rhymes
Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes ,Smith is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes...
, Bubba Sparxxx
Bubba Sparxxx
Warren Anderson Mathis , known by his stage name Bubba Sparxxx, is an American Southern rapper. His biggest hit is "Ms. New Booty" featuring The Ying Yang Twins which peaked at #7 in the United States...
, Lil Jon and the Eastside Boyz, Trick Daddy
Trick Daddy
Maurice Young , better known by his stage name Trick Daddy, is a certified platinum American rapper and producer from Miami, Florida.-Music career:...
, Luke
Luther Campbell
Luther R. Campbell , also known as Luke Skyywalker, Uncle Luke or Luke, is a record label owner, rap performer , and actor...
, Ludacris
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
, Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
, and Twista
Twista
Carl Terrell Mitchell , better known by his stage name Twista, is an American rapper. He is known for once holding the title of fastest rapper in the world according to Guinness World Records in 1992, being able to pronounce 598 syllables in 55 seconds...
among others. The concert was originally held at The St. Pete Times Forum
St. Pete Times Forum
The St. Pete Times Forum is an arena in Tampa, Florida, that has been used for ice hockey, basketball, and arena football games, as well as concerts....
, but is held in other locations, such as Tropicana Field
Tropicana Field
Tropicana Field is a domed stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida, which has been the home of Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays since the team's inaugural season in 1998, when they were the Devil Rays. It has also served as the host stadium for the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl, an NCAA-sanctioned college...
. It has pulled in over 20,000 in attendance almost every year.
WiLDsplash is the annual concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
during spring break
Spring break
Spring break – also known as March break, Study week or Reading week in the United Kingdom and some parts of Canada – is a recess in early spring at universities and schools in the United States, Canada, mainland China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the United...
out on by WiLD 94.1 WLLD in Clearwater Beach. It has been a Bay Area staple since 2001 and pulls crowds in excess of 15,000 fans consistently. Past performers Wiz Khalifa
Wiz Khalifa
Cameron Jibril Thomaz , better known by the stage name Wiz Khalifa , is an American rapper. He released his debut album, Show and Prove, in 2006, and signed to Warner Bros. Records in 2007...
, Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, Busta Rhymes
Busta Rhymes
Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes ,Smith is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes...
, Bubba Sparxxx
Bubba Sparxxx
Warren Anderson Mathis , known by his stage name Bubba Sparxxx, is an American Southern rapper. His biggest hit is "Ms. New Booty" featuring The Ying Yang Twins which peaked at #7 in the United States...
, 50 Cent
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
, Sean Paul
Sean Paul
Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques , who performs under stage name Sean Paul, is a Jamaican pop rap and reggae singer.-1973–1996: Early life:...
, Buju Banton
Buju Banton
Buju Banton is a Jamaican dancehall, ragga, and reggae musician.Banton has recorded pop and dance songs, as well as songs dealing with sociopolitical topics....
, JoJo, 112
112 (band)
112 is an American R&B quartet from Atlanta, Georgia. Formerly artists on Diddy's Bad Boy Records, the group signed to the Def Soul roster in 2002. They had great success in the late 1990s and early 2000s with hits such as "Only You", "Anywhere" and "Peaches & Cream"...
, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is an American Hip-Hop/R'n'B band from Cleveland, Ohio formed in 1991. It originally consisted of rappers Layzie Bone, Flesh-n-Bone, Bizzy Bone, Krayzie Bone, and Wish Bone. Rapper Eazy-E of the group N.W.A signed Bone Thugs-N-Harmony to Ruthless Records in 1994, when Bone...
, Ziggy Marley
Ziggy Marley
David "Ziggy" Marley is a Jamaican musician and leader of the band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. He is the oldest son of famed reggae musician Bob Marley...
, Young Jeezy
Young Jeezy
Jay Wayne Jenkins , better known by his stage name Young Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is the member of the hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America and a former member of BMF...
, Stephen
Stephen Marley (musician)
Stephen Robert Nesta "Raggamuffin" Marley is a Jamaican American musician and the son of reggae legend Bob Marley and his wife Rita Marley. He is a five-time Grammy award winner as an artist, producer, and member of Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers.-Life and career:Marley was born in Wilmington,...
& Damien Marley among others.
The 'WILD' branding
WLLD uses the "WiLD" branding in Tampa. The crazy and irreverent presentation and interaction with the audience is in the truest since "WiLD". The brand has since been trademarked by Clear Channel CommunicationsClear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
years later since the debut of WLLD, which is due to Clear Channel owning KYLD/San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, who has used the "WiLD" branding since their launch in 1992.
Like KYLD, when WLLD was started, the first song played was Tone-Loc's Wild Thing, hence the station's branding basis.
Station management
- Program Director Orlando Davis
- Music Director Christine Peters