by Howard Campbell
NEW JERSEY – Synonymous with New Jersey’s Caribbean lifestyle scene for over 30 years, Kacy “G City” Rankine has worn many hats as a representative of the region’s Diaspora in the Garden State.
After a seven-year break, the Jamaican returns to the airwaves on May 1 as head of RoadblockRadio.com. it will be broadcast as 101.1 FM HD3 on CBS.FM.
Rankine, who is originally from Kingston, operated the Reggaeroadblock FM Internet station for over 10 years. His latest venture is a traditional radio format under an agreement with Audacy, a company that provides free access to Internet and radio stations.
With the sale of influential broker station WVIP 93.5 FM last year, the West Indian community lost a vital source of commerce and information in the tri-state area. Rankine believes his entity will be a suitable successor.
“This is a big, big, big deal for reggae music, for soca music, and Caribbean music in the Diaspora,” he said. RoadblockRadio.com will have 20 Disc Jockeys who play music “straight across the board”, as well as experts who give advice on immigration, medical and educational issues.
Caribbean radio emerged in the tri-state area during the 1970s, a period of steady migration to that region from the Caribbean. West Indians depended on these stations for music and current affairs back home.
While he reached a broad audience with his Internet station, Rankine is confident even more West Indians will tune into his radio station.
“People can just turn on 101.1 FM and hear RoadblockRadio…it’s a privilege, it’s a beauty. Its having the visibility of radio which we grew up on back home,” he said.
Rankine migrated to the United States in his teens, shortly after graduating from Ardenne High School in Kingston. In addition to operating an Internet station, he was head of G City Promotions which staged live shows in New Jersey.
That company promoted events featuring marquee acts such as Beres Hammond, Capleton, Sean Paul, Tarrus Riley, Machel Montano and Alison Hinds.
