29 Facts About Angie Martinez

Angela "Angie" Martinez was born on January 9,1971 and is an American radio personality, podcaster, singer, former rapper and actress.

Angie Martinez left the station in 2014 to join crosstown competitor Power 105.1.

Angie Martinez later released two albums, Up Close and Personal and Animal House, before retiring in 2003 to pursue her radio and entrepreneurial careers.

Angie Martinez was born on January 9,1971, in Brooklyn, a borough of New York City.

Angie Martinez's father is Puerto Rican and her mother is of Puerto Rican, Cuban and Dominican descent.

Angie Martinez was raised by her single mother in Brooklyn as well as Washington Heights.

Angie Martinez got her first break in FM broadcasting in 1986, at the age of 15, answering hotlines at the urban radio station WQHT, known publicly as Hot 97.

Angie Martinez hosted the Afternoon Drive segments, on weekdays, alongside fellow comrade DJ Enuff, where she interviewed some of the biggest names in music, such as Jay-Z, DMX, and Mariah Carey, among others.

Angie Martinez resigned from Hot 97 on June 18,2014, but confirmed that she was on good terms with former comrades Ebro Darden, Funkmaster Flex and Cipha Sounds.

In November 2014, Angie Martinez was signed to a management deal with Jay-Z's Roc Nation.

Angie Martinez won the National Association of Broadcasters Marconi Radio Award for "Major Market Personality of the Year" in 2018, and was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2020.

In 1996, Angie Martinez was encouraged to give rapping a shot by friend KRS-One.

Angie Martinez appeared on his track, "Heartbeat", from his 1997 album I Got Next.

Angie Martinez recorded interludes for mixtapes by Kid Capri, DJ Clue and DJ Kayslay.

Angie Martinez promoted the album with magazine posters, in-store signings, club appearances and television appearances with MTV and BET.

Angie Martinez recorded a verse for the remix to her artist Sacario's record "Live Big".

Angie Martinez later appeared in the music video for Ja Rule's single, "New York", a feature which was somewhat controversial due to the guest appearances of Fat Joe and Lox member Jadakiss in the midst of Ja Rule's feud with rapper 50 Cent.

Luckily, Angie Martinez was not named or considered guilty-by-association on the track.

Angie Martinez appeared in an album intro with La La Anthony for singer-songwriter Babyface's album, Girls Night Out, which was released in October 2022.

Angie Martinez provided voiceover of Hot 97 in the 2001 Xbox video game Project Gotham Racing.

In 2002, Angie Martinez was hired to be a judge on the second season of American Idol, but quit after a few days of auditions, citing discomfort with crushing the dreams of auditioners.

In May 2018, to further promote and support rapper J Cole's album, KOD, Martinez conducted an in-house interview with him in producer Salaam Remi's house in Miami.

In 2002, Angie Martinez appeared in a cameo on the Damon Dash-directed comedy, Paper Soldiers, which starred Kevin Hart.

Angie Martinez was noticed in an uncredited appearance as a drug dealer's car girl in the film, Paid in Full.

In 2005, Angie Martinez reunited with Dash for State Property 2, the sequel to the 2002 film, which starred rapper Beanie Sigel.

Angie Martinez appeared in Video Girl, with actress Meagan Good in 2011 and Generation Um.

Angie Martinez was one of the few Hot 97 personnel to appear on the VH1 reality docu-comedy television series, This Is Hot 97, which premiered in 2014, but was later cancelled after one season.

In 2014, Angie Martinez ran the 2014 New York City Marathon in support of CC Sabathia's charity, the PitCCh In Foundation.

Angie Martinez has a son, Niko Ruffin, born in a New York City hospital in June 2003.