Frank Ski
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Frank Ski | |
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| Born | Frank Rodriguez May 9, 1964 Harlem, New York |
| Known for | "Frank and Wanda in the Morning"; Frank Ski Kids Foundation; Civil Rights Walk of Fame |
| Spouse | Ex- Wife Tanya Rodriguez |
| Children | Harrison Rodriguez, Franklin Rodriguez, Blake Rodriguez, Jarrett Rodriguez |
| Career | |
| Station | WVEE (V-103) Atlanta |
| Country | United States |
| Website | Frank Ski.com |
Frank Rodriguez,[1] professionally known as Frank Ski (born May 9, 1964), is an American DJ, journalist, philanthropist, radio personality and public forums host. He also was a house music artist who recorded as Doo Doo Brown in the 1990s. From 1998 to 2012 he was the host of the Frank and Wanda Morning Show alongside co-host Wanda Smith on the Atlanta urban contemporary radio station WVEE.
Biography
Career highlights
In 2002, the Honorable Reverend Jesse Jackson awarded Ski the title of "Journalist of the Year" by the Rainbow Push Coalition.[2]
After Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, Ski spearheaded a fundraising movement to help the victims.[2] He raised $500,000 to support the causes of the Hosea Williams Feed the Hungry and Homeless and Metro Atlanta Respite & Development Services.[3]
Ski hosts the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame.[4] The Walk is a partnership between the Trumpet Awards Foundation and the National Park Service and was created in 2004 to give recognition to civil rights leaders who promote justice and equality.[5]
In 2009, he finished second (to Neal Boortz) in an unscientific ajc.com poll for the most obnoxious Atlanta radio personality. Radio & TV Talk with Rodney Ho's poll on whether V-103 should keep Frank Ski (during the time of his contract re-negotiations) was 59% "No". He has recently been criticized for his support of Bishop Eddie Long during his sex scandal, though now attends another Atlanta church.
Ski had a lengthy career as a radio personality and record producer in the Baltimore radio market and he was one of the pioneers of Baltimore club music at V-103-Baltimore(1988-1996) and at WERQ Baltimore(1996-1998) before moving to Atlanta in 1998. His 1992 track "Whores in this House" gave rise to a local genre that was later sampled by and referenced in hip-hop albums.[6][7] He also recorded songs with "Miss Tony," a club-track vocalist who performed as a gay man at hip-hop parties. The first song Ski and Miss Tony recorded together, "Tony's Bitch Track," helped to popularize gay culture and the complexities that exist between gender binaries.[8][9]
Awards and recognition
- Rainbow Push Coalition, Reverend Jesse Jackson (2002)[2]
- Georgia March of Dimes, Achievement in Radio Award (A.I.R.)[10]
- National Urban League, Atlanta Chapter; Distinguished Community Service Award (2007)
- Ludacris Foundation, Community Service Award, 2008[11]
- 11 Alive Community Service Award (2009)[citation needed]
- Mentioned by Uganda Musician Ritah Kigozi in her song "Twandibadewo" (3:23-3:25)
Personal life
Frank Ski has 4 sons. Jarrett Rodriguez, Franklin Rodriguez, Harrison Rodriguez and Blake Rodriguez
Frank Ski Kids
The Frank Ski Kids Foundation is an Atlanta area organization created by Ski in 2000. Its mission statement is "exposing kids to their future through science, technology, athletics, and the arts".[12]
The foundation hosts a yearly Youth Bowl football competition.[13] It gives young people the opportunity to travel abroad on excursions that support the foundation's science, technology and art programs and organizes a yearly trip to the NASA Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.[14] There have also been excursions to the Galapagos Islands (2007), the Amazon rainforest (2008) and an international artistic enrichment trip to Florence, Italy (2009).
References
- ^ Local Radio Personalities Open Up, MyFoxAtlanta.com Archived April 20, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c Frank Ski, article from Georgia Perimeter College
- ^ The Latin American Association, Website Archived September 25, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Radio Co-Host Is "Open", Atlanta Woman's Magazine Archived July 19, 2012, at archive.today
- ^ National Park Service, Official Website Archived November 21, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/10/12/club-kid
- ^ http://www.spin.com/2014/09/50-best-brodance-songs-all-time/1cp1014gb5jh2cmk88868ggc4e6k/
- ^ http://www.citypaper.com/news/features/bcp-cms-1-1701090-migrated-story-cp-2014-06-11-fea-20140610-story.html
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp7REpywVBQ
- ^ March of Dimes A.I.R. Award for "Best Original Music or Jingle" Archived October 31, 2014(Timestamp length), at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Word of Mouf", Ludacris Foundation newsletter, Page 8
- ^ Frank Ski Kids: About Us Archived June 20, 2009, at WebCite
- ^ City Newsbytes Archived September 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, The Franklin Commitments for the City of Atlanta
- ^ 12/11: Frank Ski’s wine auction Archived February 24, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Atlanta Journal Constitution's "Access Atlanta" section
External links
- USA Today, Frank Ski: 2009 CSA Recipient (video)
- TV 11 Alive (video)
- Atlanta Woman Magazine, Fan Male Honorees 2009
- Frank Ski Biography, The HistoryMakers
Frank Ski Kids videos
- Frank Ski Kid Foundation Go to the Amazons! (2008)
- Frank Ski Youth Foundation, Science Excursion (2007)
- Interview with Program Founder Frank Ski, The History Makers; Media Makers, February 26, 2008
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