College Radio DJ Tribute to Famed Baltimore DJ K-Swift

There's a really nice tribute to renowned hip hop DJ K-Swift in the Baltimore Sun this week. What's cool is that it's written by a female college radio DJ who was inspired to get into radio and club DJing by the talented "Club Queen of Baltimore" DJ K-Swift. K-Swift (Khia Edgerton), who was an on-air DJ at WERQ-FM (92Q) died this week in a pool accident at her home at the age of 29. According to the article:

"When I heard a live K-Swift set for the first time at age 13, I knew there was no one else on the radio like her. Her mixes, on-air commentary and obvious love for music inspired me and my interest in music and radio. Of course, I had no idea what Baltimore Club music was then - I just knew that whatever she dropped was infectious.

I was certainly not alone in my love for K-Swift's radio show. An avid listener throughout high school and into college, I got a show at my school's radio station and, following her example, got into live DJing. Each time I drop a Baltimore Club track, I think of her and remember which of her many mix tapes put me on to the song."

The author, Alexandra Douglas-Barrera is a DJ at college radio station WMUC (University of Maryland). She continues:

"Dynamic and jovial on the air, K-Swift showcased her talent during her 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. radio spot, Off the Hook Radio, with co-host Squirrel Wyde. Her live mixes always opened with an enthusiastic introduction that would make any listener excited about what she had in store. In venues ranging from the massive Paradox to the cramped Talking Head, she would glow with appreciation, love and an unmatched passion for her crowd and music when she spun...

To see a young female DJ achieve so much in such a short life showed me - and other young female DJs - that it was possible to gain recognition and acceptance in the male-dominated worlds of DJing and hip-hop. To watch her perform was to witness a talented young woman, still perhaps a bit in disbelief of the magnitude of her success, prove exactly how she got there in the first place."

She sounds like an incredibly talented lady.

How about you? Were you inspired to go into radio by one particular DJ?