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Opinion
Ebro’s Show Gets Axed
It’s not lost on me that we’re living in a strange and heavy moment. After a successful 13-year run, Ebro in the Morningis being canceled. And according to Ebro’s own speculation, the decision wasn’t about ratings. He believes it had more to do with his progressive views and his willingness to criticize the current administration.
I’m from the Bronx. I know what Hot 97 means to that city. What it means to hip-hop. What it means to the culture. I grew up on Hot 97. The station is synonymous with hip-hop itself. Hot 97 was the first major radio station in the U.S. to dedicate its format entirely to hip-hop and R&B. That’s why this cancellation hits so hard. We’re talking about a nationally syndicated show that offered commentary on culture, politics, and life in a way New Yorkers could understand and engage with.
This feels wrong. It feels targeted. And it feels sad.
Ebro has his critics. Drake dropped an axe emoji on Instagram. DJ Akademiks did what he always does and trolled the situation. But the difference between that strange Drake–Akademiks alliance and the team of Ebro, Laura Stylez, and Peter Rosenberg is simple: Ebro and his team actually care about what’s happening in this country and how it affects hip-hop and Black culture. I’ve seen them tackle hard topics. I’ve seen Laura tear up talking about immigrants being detained and disappeared. I’ve seen them push conversations that matter.
Meanwhile, Drake and Akademiks treat all of this like it’s background noise. They don’t speak to the reality people are living in. They certainly don’t act like it affects them.
Ebro’s team cares. Maybe it’s because they see themselves as journalists, or maybe it’s just maturity. Either way, it matters.
And it’s not lost on me that we’re living in a time where caring isn’t cool. Trying isn’t cool. And it’s definitely not rewarded. Decisions like this only reinforce that. Corporations and political actors want to operate without pushback. They don’t want to be challenged, questioned, or held accountable. Why fight for votes when you can gerrymander a map? Why negotiate fairly when you can leverage a casino development project against a radio station to secure access, influence, or capital? (To be clear: there’s no public evidence confirming this about Hot 97, but the broader pattern of political pressure on media is very real.)
All we have left is people and their ability to vote. The trouble is young people don’t vote. Not because they don’t care about anything, but because they feel powerless. They don’t feel like this society includes them. A Substack piece recently went viral arguing that a livable U.S. minimum wage for a family of four would need to be close to $140,000 per yearwhen you factor in inflation and living costs. And honestly? The math isn’t wild. People are exhausted. They’re broke. They don’t have time or energy to fight the good fight, and the result is a system where powerful institutions act with impunity.
When voices like Ebro’s disappear from mainstream platforms, we lose more than a show. We lose a place for critical thought, for commentary, for organizing and mobilizing. Borrowing from Orwell, it feels like certain ideas are becoming thought crimes.
This is why the work we’re doing with Pedestal matters. This is why I push through the burnout as a father and a founder trying to build something meaningful in a time where building anything feels like a luxury. I’d love to work with Ebro one day. And if he or his team ever come across this, I hope they know their job isn’t done. We expect to see them back on their own platform soon, but until then, our doors are open.
