Ralph McDaniels

Ralph McDaniels (born February 27, 1962) is an American music video director, DJ and VJ.[1] He co-created and co-hosts the music video program Video Music Box with Lionel C. Martin.[2]

Ralph McDaniels
McDaniels in 2018
Born (1962-02-27) February 27, 1962
New York City, US
Career
Station(s)Hot 97
Time slotSaturday afternoons
StyleHip-hop
CountryUnited States

Biography

McDaniels was born in Brooklyn, New York. His parents moved to Queens, New York when he was eleven. McDaniels studied communications at LaGuardia Community College. He later started the video production company Classic Concepts with Video Music Box producer Lionel Martin.[3]

In 1983 After interning at WNYC in New York City, and subsequently becoming a radio engineer, McDaniels created Studio 31 Dance Party, a television show revolving around recordings of music performances.[4] This show would transform into Video Music Box, which was created and hosted by McDaniels and Martin by.[4][5]

In 1994, McDaniels who became known as "Uncle Ralph", directed Rapper Nas first solo video, for his second single, It Ain't Hard To Tell. The video was aired on Video Music Box, which became the longest-running music video show in the world.[6]

On December 3, 2021, Showtime premiered the Documentary, "You're Watching Video Music Box", chronicling the longest-running music video show, "Video Music Box" with never before seen footage from the vault of McDaniels. The documentary is written by Steve Rivo and Andre Wilkins and directed by Rapper Nas who is also featured in the documentary along with McDaniels.[7][8]

He now works for the Queens Library for Outreach Services.[9]

References
  1. Stelloh, Tim (12 March 2012). "Telling the Story of New York's Hip-Hop Scene, Clip by Clip". City Room. New York Times. New York Times.
  2. Williams, Chris (April 3, 2011). "Lionel C. Martin: A pioneer in visual production". Soul Culture. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  3. J. Pablo (November 16, 2011). "Ralph McDaniels Keeps Hip-Hop Culture Moving Forward". The Village Voice. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  4. Steve Stoute, The Tanning of America: How Hip-Hop Created a Culture That Rewrote the Rules of the New Economy (New York: Gotham Books, 2012), pp 78–82.
  5. Manny Faces, "Ralph McDaniels interview: Speaks on 30 years of Video Music Box & upcoming celebrations on The NY Hip Hop Report", Birthplace Magazine website, 31 Jan 2013.
  6. Bowens, Dan (15 December 2021). "Ralph McDaniels of Video Music Box". FOX 5 NY. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
  7. Aderoju, Darlene (3 December 2021). "Ralph McDaniels Celebrates 'Real Deal' Iconic Show 'Video Music Box' in Nas-Directed Documentary". Billboard.
  8. "You're Watching Video Music Box | SHOWTIME". SHO.com. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
  9. Keyes, Cheryl (2004). Rap music and street consciousness. University of Illinois Press. p. 101. ISBN 9780252072017.


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