Z90's TRE
Interview by Burkley Hoang AKA Mr. Groove
Photos by SummerVisions.com
Today I'm gonna be interviewing Rex AKA Tre from Z90. He’s the on air personality from 6pm to 11pm. He's been on the radio for years now and you've heard him in the morning to late night, to the Friday and Saturday mix shows. So, we're gonna get a little dirty with this interview to see what Tre has going on these days, check it out!
How you doing?
Man...have you ever dropped the kids off in the "pool" and
then that one piece of turd made the water splash back up and touch your
ass? That kills me every time! Aside from that...life is good!
First off, can I get a free life pass to all of Z90 concerts?
That'll
be a first... I still have a hard time getting backstage to our own events, "Tre
huh? Ever seen you on TV. before?”… Go
figure that one.
How long have you been on the radio?
Going on a good six years.
How did you get your start?
Casting couch! I kept looking at her
neck, but that Adams apple looked suspect. That better had been a woman!
Ha-ha! Honestly got things going
with radio first at Cal State Northridge in L.A. around '97. You know
the cheesy college radio show stuff! That was the best thing to happen
cuz it eventually lead me to a college internship with the number one
hip-hop station in L.A. Power 106 fm! Those were some wild times!
How long
were you at power 106?
I was at power 106 for about a year interning
for Jeff Garcia (commercial production homeboy/ current host of the Sunday
night old school show)
and Nautica de la Cruz (100.3 The Beat) when she was doing mid-days at
power! Good friends until this day! I gained a lot of valuable knowledge
about the biz from both of them. I think they showed me how to goof off
more than mentor my ass! Hell, I ain't complaining! Best time was when
Jeff G. Asked me if I wanted to come in and kick it because Snoop Dog
was coming in and was getting ready to use power 106 as a platform to
launch his Snoop Dog syndicated radio show! Let's just say I learned
two things from that experience...at least I know why the up in smoke
tour was called the up in smoke tour! Secondly, I learned fast how one
can get the munchies when you're hanging out with those dudes! I'm just
kidding...or am I?
How did you get the gig on Z90?
Well, I knew my goal was to be on
the radio talking or talking %$#% for that matter, and while I was in
L.A. two roads came my way. Take
a position with the Power 106 Flava Unit street team and hopefully work
my way up the ranks to get an on-air gig, but that looked like it was
going to take forever and a day. I tried my luck, made some calls back
home to S.D. and see if there was any spots opening up with the station
I grew up listening to, and luckily there was. I give credit to former
Z90 personality Chino for looking out for me. He's the one that actually
pressed "play" on the tape deck when it came time for the big
dog in charge to hear my audition tape. The rest was history!
Tell me the truth, any differences between the two stations? Like
the
kinds of donuts that are in the break room or how big the bathrooms are?
This
is a tough one! Power had donuts around all the time when I was there.
Record labels come around with an artist...donuts. Secretary’s
day...donuts. Jeff Garcia, Snoop and the cloud of smoke...you knew there
was going to be donuts! But for real though, where Z90 is at now we’ve
got the better bathrooms bar none! We’ve got that Nordstrom’s
bathroom thing going on, and we’ve got showers...what you know
about that!
So tell me your duties working at the station?
I really
think the only "duty" I have, is to have fun.
I basically get paid to party. Did I ever tell you the story about Snoop
Dog, a cloud of smoke, and the munchies???????
I know Z90 was bought out not too long ago by Clear Channel
and you’re
still with the station after it was bought, how is it different from
before?
The biggest difference is just being part of a company that houses
many of the popular San Diego radio stations like 91X, Channel 933, Rock
105.3, Magic 92.5 , etc., all in one building! We're all sister stations.
It’s dope working with a group of talented radio DJs. Speaking
of DJs, Sean Sarille AKA 2reeeezy...what's going on with you boy!
I hear you got the 6pm-late night slot? Is that a lot different from
like an
early shift or an after-hours shift?
Yup, I'm doing nights/late nights from
6pm to midnight during the week. The major difference between my slot and
the rest of the shows
are the kids! They come out of the cracks like roaches yo! For real...how
many B2K fans are there in S.D. anyway? Hell, Michael Jackson or R. Kelly
would love my time slot! LOL, nah, the kids a dope!
Do you have any Tre groupies?
Tre groupies? The last time I checked the
fan club list, you were the only one on it.
You ever slip on the air and say a bad word hoping that a listener
didn't
catch it?
I said “shit” once on the air. DJ Seize one of my
other partners on the station caught it...he said that was punishable by
the
FCC with a fine of $10,000. Hell, I said it again. You might as well
go for big money you know! Seize, you're still a punk ass for telling
me that!
So where are you from?
Representing San Diego since day one!
Do you see yourself going deeper into the music bizness or are you
gonna venture out and try other things instead of the radio biz?
I'm riding this wave out for now in the radio biz. I think about
doing other things outside of radio down the road, but for now there
are too many good times to be had. Did I ever tell you the story of Snoop
Dog, a cloud of smoke and the munchies?
Who is one artist that you got to meet that you were really star
struck over?
Can't really say I ever got "star struck" when
I've met artists. It's just cool to see who's down to earth and who's
not. Let's
take Christina Aguilera for example...uh...ummm, and say you thought
she'd be cool, but she actually was a bleep. Next question please.
Tell us the truth, does DJ Rage really deejay with his shirt off
and with a
beanie on while on the station?
DJ Rage probably isn't wearing
any underwear when he's DJing. He's always got this happy face when he's
in the building. Kinda like, "Hey
how's your day...I really want to kill you though" happy face look.
The craziest thing you've seen from being on the radio?
The craziest
thing I've seen has to have been at a radio and records industry convention
in L.A. You've heard of that saying, "sex, drugs,
and rock and roll" right? Just remember it okay.
You ever fart in the studio and someone famous came in right after?
Yeah,
I farted and the famous DJ Rage came walking in. It kills me...he still
had that happy face look and probably didn't know I dropped a bomb!
I'd love to fart in the studio and then have Busta Rhymes come in. He's
one artist who I got a chance to interview. He's got that personality
where if he'd walk into a room to do an interview and it smelled bad...he'd
probably laugh it off before saying, “What the fuck?”
I know all the other stations that are owned by clear channel are
in the
same building as Z90, ever get into fights with the guys from the other
stations, like AJ from AJ's Playhouse on 933?
You would think there's this
bitter rivalry between Z90 and AJ’s
[Playhouse], but everyone is cool with everybody!
Any last words to all the Tre groupies before we end this?
Since you're
my only groupie...you buying food for this interview?
Last question, how does it feel to be cousins with someone who is
handsome and smart...me?
Sorry, I'm not into that alternative lifestyle
stuff...you're dumb dude!
