Miss Info
Encyclopedia
Minya Oh, known by the stage name Miss Info, is a radio presenter.
Formerly a writer and reporter for BET
, Miss Info is currently an on-air radio personality at the New York hip hop
and R&B station Hot 97. She is also a journalist who has worked for the notable hip hop
industry publication The Source
. Oh was a Music Lifestyles editor at Vibe
Magazine (where she presently pens the monthly advice column "Ask Miss Info"), Rolling Stone
, and a former Managing Editor for XXL
. She has appeared as a popular culture
pundit on the weekly VH1
program, Best Week Ever
.
Miss Info first did her Hot 97 "Celebrity Gossip" reports back in 2003 after becoming an on-air member of the morning crew. She joined MTV
host and anchor, Sway Calloway
, who temporarily took over spot vacated by the recently departed Star & Buc Wild. In addition to giving her reports, Oh opines on current issues and events in the hip hop community.
A native of the south side of Chicago
, Miss Info currently resides in East Harlem. She is a daughter of Korean immigrants. Oh is also a graduate of Columbia University
.
”, on the Hot 97's morning show, Miss Info was among those absent from the air. The station's management later acknowledged she was not suspended or reprimanded like the rest of the crew.
Miss Info's prospects with Hot 97 were uncertain when she was conspicuously absent at the morning crew’s return from their two-week “hiatus” (suspension) on February 11. By her own words and through her attorney, Kenneth Thompson, she had expressed her unease with resuming work with Miss Jones
, since the two had tense on-air verbal exchanges at the on-set of the first broadcast of the “tsunami song” on January 18. Oh’s distancing of herself from the song made her the object of on-air attacks, with Miss Jones leading the offense.
According to reports, an obstacle to Oh’s return was her desire to discuss the controversy with her listeners, while Emmis Communications
(WQHT's owners) wanted no mention of the events. Similar reports cited Oh as saying the station threatened to fire her if she didn't return to work. Other accounts suggested that she was actually terminated from the station and she threatened to file a lawsuit in response.
As a result of the ensuing of public backlash against HOT97, Miss Info became the defacto symbol of many Asian American
groups concerned about the negative depiction of Asians in the American media.
's show. In all cases, she characteristically includes her opinions and wit during these entertainment reports.
In August 2005, Miss Info's book centering on hip-hop fashion was published. The title Bling Bling: Hip Hop's Crown Jewels (ISBN 1-932958-02-9), featured interviews with artists who gave their take on the importance of "bling" (diamonds/jewelry) to their craft.
She now also plays a role on the Tim Westwood
hip hop show in the UK doing her celebrity gossip every day on the drivetime show on the digital-only station BBC Radio 1Xtra
, and twice on the 3 hour show on Saturdays, on the national radio station, BBC Radio 1
.
She now has a short radio program on Hot 97 called Celebrtiy Gossip at the beginning of every hour.
Establishing herself as a needed voice for Asian-Americans, Miss Info also hosts many Asian centered events and concerts. She has also made a notable appearance in Asian American rapper Snacky Chan's music video 'Lonely Road.' Miss Info has also made a cameo on hip hop group Tanya Morgan
's 2009 album "Brooklynati
" on the interlude at the end of the song "Just Arrived (Now What?)".
Formerly a writer and reporter for BET
Bet
Bet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
, Miss Info is currently an on-air radio personality at the New York hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
and R&B station Hot 97. She is also a journalist who has worked for the notable hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
industry publication The Source
The Source (magazine)
The Source is a United States-based, monthly full-color magazine covering hip-hop music, politics, and culture, founded in 1988. It is the world's second longest running rap periodical, behind United Kingdom-based publication Hip Hop Connection. The Source was founded as a newsletter in 1988...
. Oh was a Music Lifestyles editor at Vibe
VIBE
Vibe is a music and entertainment magazine founded by producer Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip-hop music artists, actors and other entertainers...
Magazine (where she presently pens the monthly advice column "Ask Miss Info"), Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, and a former Managing Editor for XXL
XXL (magazine)
XXL is a Hip-Hop magazine, published by Harris Publications.In 1997, XXL was founded by former Source staffers as well as other Harris Publication employees, who wanted to create their own magazine about the hip-hop music and culture using the model developed by the founders of The Source...
. She has appeared as a popular culture
Popular culture
Popular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the...
pundit on the weekly VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
program, Best Week Ever
Best Week Ever
Best Week Ever is a weekly television program on the United States cable/satellite network VH1. It started airing in 2004 and was put on hiatus in the summer of 2009...
.
Miss Info first did her Hot 97 "Celebrity Gossip" reports back in 2003 after becoming an on-air member of the morning crew. She joined MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
host and anchor, Sway Calloway
Sway Calloway
Sway Calloway, usually credited as Sway, born August 23rd, 1976, is a reporter and executive producer for MTV News. He is also the co-host of the nationally syndicated radio show The Wake Up Show...
, who temporarily took over spot vacated by the recently departed Star & Buc Wild. In addition to giving her reports, Oh opines on current issues and events in the hip hop community.
A native of the south side of Chicago
South Side (Chicago)
The South Side is a major part of the City of Chicago, which is located in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Much of it has evolved from the city's incorporation of independent townships, such as Hyde Park Township which voted along with several other townships to be annexed in the June 29,...
, Miss Info currently resides in East Harlem. She is a daughter of Korean immigrants. Oh is also a graduate of Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.
The Tsunami Song Controversy
In January 2005, following the suspensions after the public backlash to the airings of the controversial tsunami parody song, “USA for IndonesiaUSA for Indonesia
"USA for Indonesia" is a parody sung to the 1985 tune "We Are the World," which was performed by USA for Africa. A parody of charity supergroup songs, it mocks the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake disaster and its victims. "USA for Indonesia" was aired on WQHT-FM , a New York City radio station,...
”, on the Hot 97's morning show, Miss Info was among those absent from the air. The station's management later acknowledged she was not suspended or reprimanded like the rest of the crew.
Miss Info's prospects with Hot 97 were uncertain when she was conspicuously absent at the morning crew’s return from their two-week “hiatus” (suspension) on February 11. By her own words and through her attorney, Kenneth Thompson, she had expressed her unease with resuming work with Miss Jones
Miss Jones
Tarsha Jones, better known as Miss Jones, is a former R&B artist and radio personality. Miss Jones is currently the host of the Power 99 morning show "Jonesy In The Morning" after previously working for Hot 97 until 2008.-Early life:...
, since the two had tense on-air verbal exchanges at the on-set of the first broadcast of the “tsunami song” on January 18. Oh’s distancing of herself from the song made her the object of on-air attacks, with Miss Jones leading the offense.
According to reports, an obstacle to Oh’s return was her desire to discuss the controversy with her listeners, while Emmis Communications
Emmis Communications
Emmis Communications is a media conglomerate based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company owns radio stations and magazines in the United States, Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria.-History:...
(WQHT's owners) wanted no mention of the events. Similar reports cited Oh as saying the station threatened to fire her if she didn't return to work. Other accounts suggested that she was actually terminated from the station and she threatened to file a lawsuit in response.
As a result of the ensuing of public backlash against HOT97, Miss Info became the defacto symbol of many Asian American
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
groups concerned about the negative depiction of Asians in the American media.
Miss Info's return
Miss Info eventually returned to the airwaves on April 30, 2005. Meanwhile, from Monday to Thursday nights between 7 and 9 pm, she does three segments of her "Celebrity Gossip" reports during Funkmaster FlexFunkmaster Flex
Aston George Taylor, Jr. better known as Funkmaster Flex is an American hip hop DJ, rapper, musician and producer on New York City's Hot 97 radio station and host of the hit MTV show Funk Flex Full Throttle....
's show. In all cases, she characteristically includes her opinions and wit during these entertainment reports.
In August 2005, Miss Info's book centering on hip-hop fashion was published. The title Bling Bling: Hip Hop's Crown Jewels (ISBN 1-932958-02-9), featured interviews with artists who gave their take on the importance of "bling" (diamonds/jewelry) to their craft.
She now also plays a role on the Tim Westwood
Tim Westwood
Timothy Westwood is an English DJ and presenter of radio and television. He also presents the UK version of the MTV show Pimp My Ride...
hip hop show in the UK doing her celebrity gossip every day on the drivetime show on the digital-only station BBC Radio 1Xtra
BBC Radio 1Xtra
BBC Radio 1Xtra is a digital radio station in the United Kingdom from the BBC specialising in new black music, sometimes referred to as urban music. Launched at 18:00 on 16 August 2002, it had been codenamed Network X during the consulation period and is the sister station to BBC Radio 1...
, and twice on the 3 hour show on Saturdays, on the national radio station, BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
.
She now has a short radio program on Hot 97 called Celebrtiy Gossip at the beginning of every hour.
Establishing herself as a needed voice for Asian-Americans, Miss Info also hosts many Asian centered events and concerts. She has also made a notable appearance in Asian American rapper Snacky Chan's music video 'Lonely Road.' Miss Info has also made a cameo on hip hop group Tanya Morgan
Tanya Morgan
Tanya Morgan is an American hip hop group from which consists of MCs Donwill and Ilyas, and MC/producer Von Pea. Both Donwill and Ilyas are from Cincinnati, Ohio, while Von Pea is from Brooklyn, New York. Their debut album, Moonlighting, was acclaimed upon its release in 2006 .-History:Tanya Morgan...
's 2009 album "Brooklynati
Brooklynati
Brooklynati is the third release from rap group Tanya Morgan, released by Interdependent Media/iM Culture. The album is based on the creation of a fictitious city combining elements from both Cincinnati, Ohio and Brooklyn, New York...
" on the interlude at the end of the song "Just Arrived (Now What?)".
External links
- http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1597115/
- Miss Info's own Website/Blog
- hot97.com Miss Info's profile on Hot 97's web site.
- http://missinfo.blip.tv/ Miss Info's: Public Displays of Affection