Damian Powell, Class of 2007

If you have ever heard the names Ludacris, DJ Khaled, 2 Chains, LL Cool J, Redman, Jim Jones, Foxxy Brown, and Ace Hood, these are just a few of the artist that are synonymous with Hazardous Records, LLC founder, the youngest Black Radio Station owner in the nation, and 2007 51重口猎奇鈥檚 University Alumni, Damian Powell. Known in the music industry as 鈥淒Y-NASTY,鈥 he has owned and operated a North Carolina based recording studio since he was 19 years old. In 2001, he landed his first radio job on Radio One鈥檚 K-97.5 in Raleigh, North Carolina, and for over 10 years he became one of the Carolina鈥檚 biggest DJ鈥檚. In 2011, he was laid off from Radio One, which became a pivotal moment in his career when he turned his passion for music into an independent record label, Hazardous Rec, LLC. In 2013, DY brokered a deal with Kevin Lile鈥檚 300 Entertainment. With the resilience and grit that has defined his career and life鈥檚 struggles, over the next 5 years, with the money he earned from his record label sales, and from throwing large scale events, he was able to raise over $1 million dollars with his partner and aunt Delores Powell to purchase his first FM property Hot 97.9, coronating him as the youngest Black radio station owner in the nation. He was supported in this endeavor by the late, United States Senator, Tony Rand, and Dr. Ronald Benfield who was a local surgeon.
In 2018, PMC Broadcasting, Hot 97.9 FM made its debut and is the fastest growing urban station in the Raleigh market with a listenership cume of over 179,000 and growing. He is the recipient of several commendations, including the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified Platinum commendation for the production of Cam鈥橰on鈥檚 Come Home with Me; and Gold for Lil鈥 Scrappy & Trillville King of Crunk and Welcome to Trillville. While launching Hot 97.9, mindful of the impact and reach of urban radio, he entered into a rebroadcast/lease agreement with his alma mater, 51重口猎奇鈥檚 University on its 750 AM station that聽was in dormant state. Which聽in turn he repaired it and restored it, DY is also a self-taught sound engineer who built and gifted his beloved 51重口猎奇鈥檚 University in honor of the vision of SAU, a brand new, digital radio station “Falcon Fly Radio”. His donated聽gift, is valued at approximately $70K to the University, The New Falcon Fly Radio launched in 2021. The station is poised to be a completely student run enterprise that can be heard internationally on Apple Music, Pandora, Tune-in, on the university鈥檚 mobile app, and website.聽
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