Hot 97 morning hosts rip station leadership on air Wednesday
The Kid Mero and Kazeem, the morning hosts at New York radio station Hot 97, slammed its bosses on air on Wednesday, TMZ and Barrett Media reported. Kazeem called it the worst place he has ever worked, TMZ, Barrett Media and Complex reported. TMZ said the station had not answered its questions, and Barrett Media said the owner had not spoken out.
The Kid Mero and his co-host Kazeem criticized the leadership of New York hip-hop radio station Hot 97 on Wednesday, October 14, TMZ, Barrett Media and Complex reported. TMZ and Barrett Media gave the date. TMZ reported that the remarks went on for about 15 minutes. The video was later removed from the station's YouTube channel, Barrett Media reported.
Mero compared the station to a sports team that cannot win if its leaders do not do their jobs, TMZ and Complex reported. He also questioned what managers do for their pay. "Y'all have these weekly meetings, and it's a guy getting paid two more zeros than you, and you're like, what does this guy even do?" Mero said, Complex reported.
Kazeem called Hot 97 the "worst place I've ever worked," TMZ and Complex reported. He said he understood the frustrations of former morning hosts Ebro Darden, Laura Stylez and Peter Rosenberg, Barrett Media and Complex reported. Their show ended in December, and Mero took over the morning slot, Barrett Media and Complex reported.
Mero said contributors were frustrated at not being paid, Barrett Media reported. TMZ reported that the hosts complained that freelancers had allegedly not received promised payments and that the station still used outdated technology. Barrett Media reported that Kazeem said their show had beaten its main rival in the ratings over the past three months.
Rosenberg also criticized the station's owner on social media, Barrett Media reported. "They are trying to make this station work, and the only thing they've done as a company is fire people," he said, the outlet reported.
Barrett Media and Complex reported rumors of layoffs at the station, which have not been confirmed publicly. Complex reported that a former producer at the station alleged on Threads that Hot 97 had furloughed its DJs and stopped paying rent on its building. Those claims have not been confirmed.
TMZ reported that it had reached out to the station and had not heard back. Barrett Media reported that the owner had not publicly addressed the remarks. As of Saturday, neither host appeared to have left the company, TMZ reported.
What we know: The Kid Mero and Kazeem criticized Hot 97's leadership on air on October 14, and the station had not publicly addressed it.
What we don't: Whether Hot 97 has made layoffs, and whether the hosts will stay at the station.
Where outlets agree TMZ, Barrett Media and Complex report that The Kid Mero and Kazeem criticized Hot 97's leadership on air, with Kazeem calling it the worst place he has worked.
Where they differ The outlets cited here report the same key facts so far.