RESPECT. Review: Angie Martinez’s ‘My Voice’

Manifested and crowned as “The Voice of NY,” Angie Martinez shook the hip-hop game up when she announced her devastating leave from Hot 97 after two decades. Listeners, fans, and many celebrity friends reached out in sadness, one in particular Jay-Z sent a text, “Snoop makes a decision and doesn’t even consult Dre?” That is what they called one in another during the private listening sessions they had every time Jay wrapped up an album. It was ritual that Angie was his first stop and opinion since they became friends.

Since Angie left her legacy at Hot 97 to new doors like Power 105.1 (the competition), the radio personality and actress also penned her first ever memoir, My Voice. She credits the day she left to the start of the beginning. Now all this time later, the memoir finally arrived and dropped May 17th after much anticipation on the rap radio wars, exclusive interviews like with Tupac before he was shot, and the many hip-hop stars discussed inside. As a monumental mover and shaker in the culture, Angie sets the tone for the entire story through the prologue; which is also available on Tidal. She talks how the day she left was sad, but yet exciting for what would come next and much more.

With a poetic forward from J. Cole, The Voice– which was sold out on Amazon release day and limited in Barnes and Noble locations days after– covers subjects like, the radio fist war with Wendy Williams, dating Q-Tip, her accidental experience with crack,and how Nas never apologized after a beef with the station and then involving Angie. But she still quotes, “I love Nas. He’s one of the greats.”

Although, it is not the first time the well-respected personality, Martinez has shared parts of her life, she is normally a very private individual. The former rapper released Up Close and Personal in 2001, which Angie dropped bars that spoke song after song on her start-up and journey, but not as candidly as her well-written memoir. Angie Martinez discusses so much in The Voice, but after all the beefs and after the decision to make the power move from station to station, she is a mother of two sons. There are so many lessons we can learn from The Voice, but most importantly there are stories for everyone in this collection of many. No matter what your background or influences, The Voice is relatable and on time. Just like Angie Martinez is to hip-hop and radio, The Voice is to the culture.