Exclusive interview with '106 & Park' host, Shorty Da Prince

At just 22 years old, Shorty (who used to be Shorty Da Prince) was host to a highly-rated night show on Detroit's Hot 102.7. He may be young, but he's no amateur. This radio talent has been surfing the airwaves since age 12. But not only is the St. Louis-born personality privy to radio, he's known to rock the mic, too. After being discovered by Kevin Liles at age 15, Shorty signed to Atlantic/Warner Bros. Records and released the dance-driven track "Wah Wah Wow" in 2008. He has also worked with Trey Songz, Maino and B.o.B. In 2012, he took on his most exciting career milestone as co-host of BET's 106 & Park.

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): Using three adjectives how would describe the moment you were selected as one of the host of 106 N’ Park?

Shorty Da Prince: “Excited, Relieved, and Ready.”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): What was some of the advice people gave you before you took on the gig?

Shorty Da Prince: “Always keep it G, always keep it real. If I was to get the job don’t forget where I come from and always look out for myself.”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): Any other advice as far as being a host on the show?

Shorty Da Prince: “A couple of the prior hosts, like Big Tigga took us out, sat down with us and he gave us a lot of jewels, dropped a lot of jewels on us. Terrence is cool and basically let us know don’t burn no bridges, make sure you become real acquainted with everybody because with a business like this the janitor can become the boss the next day and vice versa.”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): What did you enjoy most as a viewer watching 106 & Park?

Shorty Da Prince: “I don’t know, I probably enjoyed it the most during the AJ and Free era, that’s probably when it used to be crazy because whoever was poppin at the time was on it was more like the heartthrobs .. All the aspects like the Freestyle Fridays was always dope, and it’s crazy that I’m hosting with Bow Wow now, but like Bow Wow, and them heartthrobs would come on and it would be always be crazy, and 106 was that place for the new videos. It’s just like the commercial, you come home, drop your book bag, and you watch it. I just enjoyed the show in general. It’s fly. It’s a stamp in the African American community; it was just a part of your schedule, watching 106.”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): Why do you think 106 & Park has been able to stay on the air for so long?

Shorty Da Prince: “Like I said I feel like it stayed on air so long, because it’s a stamp. There is no other show on TV right now like 106 & Park. You might have other countdown shows; you might have shows where artist stop through, but the no place where you can come where it’s a live audience of kids or teens or whatever. You can come and perform, you can come premier your videos. It’s no other show like that, that’s on for that long and I feel like that’s been its been around for so long because it’s other ones that have fell off but 106 & Park is one of a kind.”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): How does this compare to your radio work back in Detroit?

Shorty Da Prince: “[jokingly] Oh this is way better! Oh my Gad I love this way better than radio! You get to connect with people; the one thing about radio that I probably like the most is connecting with callers, and stuff. It’s different. In TV you’ve got to read prompters, and radio is more freestyle. I had been doing radio for so long, so it got to the point where I would just need to know what I was talking about and then I would just hit the points. You’re still reaching people; but you’re reaching way more people now. It’s like radio on steroids. TV is way better, plus they get to see you, because I’m not like a bad looking guy, on the radio you can hear my voice but now you can see me.”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): With that said, do you ever see yourself getting back involved in radio?

Shorty Da Prince: “Well I never want to say never. Life is about progression, and I spent 10 years in radio. If I wasn’t to do it again I wouldn’t be upset, but you never know. I still keep those connections. Lord forbid if something was to happen that’s something I would want to keep open because I love entertainment, I love being around music. That’s not necessarily a goal of mine to be back on, but I don’t rule it out.”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): We know that you started off in music as an actual artist, so can your fans expect new music from you?

Shorty Da Prince: “Of course, or course, but that’s not really the focal point right now. One thing I’ve learned being in the industry is that you can’t throw too much on people. Even though I was doing music before I moved to Detroit, and radio, I still took a break before putting out music in Detroit because I wanted people to know me first before that. So same way it goes with this 106 thing. I’ve signed some loyalty to BET, and of course I owe it to the 106 viewers to let them get to know me before I come on and say “Hey, I’m the new guy, its four of us now, I’m the new host and I do music, and I write.” I just feel like it’s too much...because people nowadays with music, and I’ve learned that just from doing music so long is you don’t want to be just a record. Anybody can make a catchy record nowadays, but people gravitate more when they know you. Suppose I came on the first day saying, “What’s up ya’ll I’m the new host, check out my song, they’ll be like why is the host rapping? If they know my personality, they know me, that’s like oh this is Shorty’s record, oh ok, let’s check it out, oh this is Jordan’s new record, whatever.”

Continue to watch Shorty on Bet’s 106 & Park every Monday – Friday, 6 – 8 pm (ET/PT) on BET as he counts down the hottest videos in the game right now!