Interviewer: Yamaris Polanco
Angela Yee is a multi talented business woman and a powerful and successful radio host. Yee is carving out her own lane in media with her podcast Lip Service; (The tour will be in Silver Springs, MD October 28th) Originally from East Flatbush, Brooklyn, she attributes her ability to thrive in an male dominated industry to taking the high road. As one of the 3 co-hosts of the extremely popular morning radio show, The Breakfast Club, on NYC’s highly rated Power 105.1, Yee shares with Level21’s host Yamaris Polanco how she handles feeling unheard and shut down during interviews and coping with being a woman in a male dominated industry.
Yamaris: You seem to be the voice of reason between two men; Charlamagne and DJ Envy, when do you feel the need to step in as that voice when situations are getting out of hand during an interview, especially with you being the only female?
Angela: Yeah, you know it’s difficult because I feel like a lot of times like what I say just shut down and people aren’t supportive of me and I might have a whole different opinion on things and it happens all the time.
Like the other day we did the Forest Whitaker interview and I was horrified by some of the things being said in it and I’m like OK lets move on, like dude that’s enough. I thought that was inappropriate and other people might disagree with me and we just have different levels of what we think it’s appropriate and you know, what isn’t, and there’s certain things I think that I have as far as knowing who I am. I’m always really big on I don’t change based on how other people act, like oh he did this to me so I’m going to do this to him. I rather just take the high road. I’m a take the high road type of person and you know…everybody else is not like that.
I think a lot of times I do wish I had more support and I do wish that when certain things happen and I express my opinions about it.. it’s heard.. sometimes you’re like; ” Somebody any body please, have my back a little bit!” and it’s hard when you are the only person and you speak on things and everybody’s like whelp sounds fine to me.
Yamaris: So has that ever discouraged you? Have you ever had thoughts like.. it’s time for me to leave?
Angela: I think that sometimes everybody feels like that at their job. You know I think we should be comfortable.. like I’m very comfortable in knowing that if things don’t work out at one place I’ll be okay. I have lot’s of other businesses going I have other investment investments. I also have great relationships and I work really hard..so I feel like people would be excited if I said hey I want to come work with ya’ll.
I can’t imagine people who know me saying ahhh no we’ll pass on that. I just think there is a lot of opportunity there when people know you are on it on it like that. I feel confident in that.
I also feel like sometimes people want to push you to the point where you want to leave and you have to be like, you know what I’m not going to allow that person to make that happen.
Yamaris: So true, speaking on that DJ envy spoke about loyalty and team when it comes to with (Rap Artist) Gucci Mane, people are curious on your thoughts about the ongoing situation with Gucci.
Angela: It’s funny you ask that because I was looking at a bunch of old tapes and interviews,You can’t judge an hour long interview off of 1 minute…I do have audio from back then that contradicts the picture he is trying to paint, but is it even worth it….
Read the full exclusive interview with Angela November 20th for our Music issue!
