SOUTH FLORIDA – Most Disc Jockeys go for a niche in order to establish themselves in the competitive world of radio. For 35 years, Norman “Humble Lion” Lawrence’s mantra has been to keep things clean.
Since 2000, he has been a fixture on WAVS 1170 AM where he hosts an afternoon show three times a week. On WZOP 92.7 FM, he hosts the Midday Meditation show Mondays to Fridays.
Humble Lion made his radio debut in New York in 1988, one year after migrating to South Florida from Manchester parish in central Jamaica. He credits consistency for keeping him on the air for over three decades.
Norman “Humble Lion” Lawrence
“My programs have not necessarily changed throughout the years. I started in 1988 with the theme ‘uplifting humanity through positive communication’ and also ‘the message in the music show’ where I play all popular genres of music as it relates to the Caribbean,” he said. “From the start in 1988, I am also known for the phrase, ‘You are welcome! No matter your color, class or creed, your religion, denomination or even your political affiliation’. So that’s my mission from the start and that’s still the mission and purpose why I do what I do.”
On WAVS, his show is music-dominated. Whether he plays Bob Marley, Dennis Brown or the most hardcore dancehall artist, the policy is to give listeners positive music.
With Midday Meditation, it is a similar approach although Humble Lion also shares healthy servings of alternative methods to fight hypertension, diabetes and obesity.
“My average listener is and has always been people that desire to raise their awareness and consciousness while having fun. I diplomatically accomplish this by looking for and playing the most conscious or cleanest music from the average artist, even if that artist is known for slackness or gun talk, I deliberately play those artists cleanest songs mixed with the music from the most conscious artists,” he explained. “But a word of caution here is that there are some artists that are known for conscious music, but in their catalogue they may have a few hit songs describing their guns, or disrespecting women. I will not play those songs. For me, it’s all about the message in the music without casting judgement on any individual. And yes my fan base has grown tremendously. The response is overwhelming.”
A musical career always seemed on the cards for Humble Lion. His oldest brother Michael was a musician in the Mystic Generation band that backed artists like Garnet Silk and Everton Blender; another older brother, Charles, operated the Taurus International sound system.
His first radio gig was on WNWK 105.9 FM in New York City. That was followed by a stint at WPEB 88.1 FM in Philadelphia after which he settled in South Florida.
As he continues to roam the radio landscape, Humble Lion has no regrets about becoming a Disc Jockey.
“I never planned to get into broadcasting, and I am the kind of person that does not necessarily like the limelight. I got into broadcasting because I saw how powerfully influential the media is, and at that time back in 1988, I saw too much of what I considered to be a negative trend,” he said. “So I felt convicted, almost as if I got a calling to be the change I desire to see in the world. I pursued it, asked the universe to bless the mission, and I never looked back.”
