DJ Flexx has been celebrating 30 years at WPGC in Washington D.C., and was surprised by his daughter with a trip to see JAY-Z’s show in Paris celebrating the 30th anniversary of his debut album, 'Reasonable Doubt.'
When I look back at 30 years of working at WPGC 95.5, the first word that comes to mind is grateful.
I started at WPGC as a mixer, and over the years, I’ve been blessed to grow with the station, our listeners, and the music. This summer, we celebrated with the “Summer of Flexx.” It included concerts, community events, and opportunities for me to spend time with the listeners who have supported me throughout my career.
My daughter decided that she wanted to do something special to celebrate the milestone, too. On Father’s Day, she surprised me by telling me that she was planning a trip for the two of us to go to Paris and see JAY-Z’s concert celebrating the 30th anniversary of his debut album, Reasonable Doubt.
JAY-Z is my favorite rapper. To me, he is the greatest rapper of all time. His first album, Reasonable Doubt, came out in 1996, right around the beginning of my journey at WPGC. As I grew in radio, his music continued to grow with me. His records have been part of the soundtrack of my career, but they have also been part of the soundtrack of our listeners’ lives. We have played those records, mixed those records, talked about those records, and watched them become part of Hip-Hop history.
I originally wanted to see one of his anniversary shows in New York, but I couldn’t make it happen. My daughter knew I was disappointed, so she took it to a completely different level. Instead of New York, she planned our first trip to Paris.
DJ Flexx
We arrived on Labor Day, and almost immediately, Paris felt familiar to me. Once I got around the Eiffel Tower and started seeing the wide avenues, circles, monuments and architecture, parts of it reminded me of Washington, D.C. I later learned that there was a real reason for that connection. Washington’s original city plan was created by French born engineer Pierre Charles L’Enfant and was influenced by European city planning and places such as Versailles. Standing in Paris, I could actually see some of the French influence that helped shape the city I call home.
The food was incredible, and we had time to explore, shop, relax and just enjoy being together. It felt good to unplug for a little while and take everything in. Then it was time for the concert.
People had traveled to Paris from across the United States and other parts of the world to celebrate JAY-Z and his music. That showed me just how powerful music really is. It can bring thousands of people from different cities, countries, cultures, and backgrounds together in one place.
The show was already incredible, but we were also treated to surprise performances from Pharrell Williams and Justin Timberlake. We had no idea they were going to be there, so seeing them walk onto that stage made the night even more special. Then JAY-Z finally got to my favorite song, the one I’ll simply call “In Paris” for this article.
Everybody in that stadium had been waiting for that moment. The energy was so crazy that he started the song over three times. Each time it started again, the crowd got even louder. Standing there in Paris, listening to my favorite rapper perform my favorite song about being in Paris, was the perfect ending to the entire experience. It was the icing on the cake.
That moment also made me think about the real power of music and radio. Without the music, I probably would have never taken that trip. I had never been to Paris, and traveling there to see JAY-Z was never something I imagined would be on my scorecard. But music took me there.
That is what we get to be part of every day at WPGC. We don’t just play songs. We help give people’s lives a soundtrack. Those songs become connected to birthdays, relationships, celebrations, difficult times, victories, and memories. Years later, one song can take you right back to a particular moment in your life.
The trip was definitely a bucket list experience, but what made it priceless was sharing it with my daughter. The fact that she understood how much my career, JAY-Z’s music, and this anniversary meant to me made it even more special.
When I came back home, I couldn’t wait to get back on the radio and tell my listeners all about it. I talk to them every day, and after all these years, they are more than listeners. They are my friends. While I was away, I was making new memories with my daughter in Paris. Now I get to bring those memories home and share them with the DMV on WPGC 95.5, where I’m blessed to have worked for 30 years.
