Photo by Tom Jenz
Ben Jammin and Noni Juice
Ben Jammin and Noni Juice
101.7 The Truth Black Talk Radio features a format of talk shows geared mainly to Black listeners focused on local and national politics, community happenings, and everyday urban life—all with doses of idiomatic humor.
The newest addition to the lineup is “Jammin with Juice” airing in the 7 to 9 a.m. drive time slot. Hosted by young millennials, Ben Jammin and Noni Juice, the morning program embodies the rhythm and color of Black talk and the humor and audacity of Black rap. Their on-air style rides on teasing, sarcasm, arguing, reflection, and with a premium on laughter, all in the culture of urban Black life. To add spice, Ben and Noni spar with each other and sometimes with their callers.
Not long ago, I met the talented twosome at a Downtown coffee shop for a conversation. Jammin is bigger than life. Juice is small, smart, and funny.
Tell me about your morning talk radio show, “Jammin with Juice.” How would you describe the format?
Jammin: We center around pop culture aspects and happenings around the city. We care about humanity, bringing everyone together and overcoming divisiveness. We try to avoid racism. Milwaukee has a lot of ethnic groups.
I was listening to your show this morning, and you discussed a controversial topic—that the middle and upper middle-class Blacks are kind of envious of the inner-city culture, the Hood, the fashion, the music and the lifestyle.
Jammin: That comes from something Noni read about—being impoverished is kind of like celebrating the Black community. Where does that come from?
Juice: Have we Blacks glorified our struggles and pains from poverty and turned that into something nice in the culture? People who are not from the urban community may think we appreciate this lifestyle.
I think the hip hop culture is kind of based on Black urban ghetto culture—lifestyle, fashion, slang, rap, living conditions. The hip hop culture has been adopted all over the world.
Juice: Yeah, it’s taken our Black culture to new heights, accenting money, women, liquor, and hip-hop songs, but I do think it’s time we highlight other things in our culture. On our show, we also talk about anything that interests Ben and me even if it’s not trending.
Jammin: Today, we even talked about hysterectomies, that too many women are having that procedure. I’ve had women tell me they regret doing that.
I’ve read that you discuss “the juiciest news from the last 24 hours.” What are examples of the juiciest news?
Juice: Something juicy usually comes in the second segment of our shows where we pick apart recent stories we think would interest the public. Local news, current events, sports, pop culture. Recently, we discussed how to age gracefully and talked about NBA star Steph Curry and his wife Ayesha lookin’ good. They are in their mid-30s.
You are both young Black millennials. Who is your listening audience, generally?
Jammin: I think about who we are speaking to on our show. Me, I’m speaking to the dreamers who are aspirational about reaching their goals. So there are no age demographics I am directly talking to.
Juice: We don’t cater to a specific age range. I am speaking to listeners who want to do something with their lives and are motivational.
Noni, you once told me, “You don’t hear a lot of young voices on a big media platform like ours. We do have older listeners, but we want to pay attention to younger listeners and get them involved.” In your opinion, what are the values of millennials and what are their interests and important concerns?
Juice: Millennial values currently would be transparency and authenticity. We the millennials are in the middle of the older and younger generations. I think we are searching for answers to figure out how we can live good lives and help the world. I think we are more accepting of people of different races. We are more willing to try new things.
Ben, you told me, “We try to talk from the vantage point of how the Black community is feeling.” What do you think the Milwaukee Black Community is currently feeling?
Interesting question, Tom. Since the change of administrations in Washington, I think Blacks are trying to figure out how to bring the Black community together. In Milwaukee, Blacks are trying to better themselves including financial freedom, and how to get off government welfare, for example, food cards. They want to bring back the concept of neighborhoods and communities looking out for one another.
Juice: The kids need to be addressed. The Black community is worried about the future of our kids. Are we creating the best environment for them to grow up and thrive? I feel for the kids today.
What is the Rabbit Hole portion of your show? I think it’s about discussing anything Ben Jammin finds interesting on social media, right?
Jammin: That is about right. The Rabbit Hole is a deep dive into any particular topic. That could mean something in real life or something I find on the internet. I might have a conversation in a bar and relate that, for instance, the 30-year old woman who was telling me she had a hysterectomy. Then, Noni and I get into that controversy with our listeners. Last week, we talked about men getting bald, and I removed my do-rag, revealed my slightly balding head (laughing). But we’ve also talked about the controversy of abortion.
Juice: I like the Rabbit Hole segment Ben did on “Stranger Danger,” talking about how parents should keep an eye on their kids and not let them talk to strangers who try to pick up kids. Our take was for parents to teach their children what to do in front of strangers. Also, at what age should your child be to be left alone, for example, babysit their siblings?
Jammin: In the Rabbit Hole segment, we try to make even the most serious topics entertaining. We give the audience medicine with a little sugar on top.
Recently, you two discussed marginalized Black voices in America. What are those marginalized voices?
Jammin: Marginalized voices are Black people who can’t get their voices heard. At “Jammin with Juice,” we are always rooting for the people. For example, I’m speaking for the marginalized Black people from my hood on the south side of Racine.
I am thinking of the volunteers and activists who work for nothing to help make their communities better. They don’t get heard much.
Juice: I’m afraid that only negative stuff sells on the news.
Jammin with Juice has been highly promoted on YouTube. Do you think the future of talk shows will also include video?
Juice: Hundred percent. We don’t just do a radio show, but we have the show video-podcasted on YouTube. If you watch us live, we can be entertaining and theatrical. Facial expressions, dramatic pauses. We look at our program as kind of a TV show besides a radio show. We had a nerf gun fight last week on air (laughing). We had so much fun. I pulled a nerf gun from under my pants and shot it at Ben (who is laughing).
How do you plan your show each morning?
Jammin: Each day from 6-7 a.m., we plan our two-hour show that goes on at 7AM. In other words, we have to get our energy up high early.
Juice: We do some planning and discuss topics, but we also do a lot of improv on the air.
Jammin: All day long, we send each other topics and ideas through texting and our station’s group thread.
For laughs and entertainment, you seem to like interrupting one another. Is that part of your chemistry?
Juice: Nobody else could do our show because we have that kind of rapport. I’m like the annoying, agitating little sister to Ben’s big brother.
Jammin: Yeah, it’s all improv, that kind of comedy. All natural. All relatable.
It’s a good approach. I find your fun arguments very human, very natural. You tend to use street language from the hood. Is that intentional?
Jammin: Yes, it is. We do use urban vernacular, but it is kind of natural to who we are.
Juice: Our on-air personalities are extroverted versions of ourselves. And the street language is relatable to our Black community.
Jammin: Relatable to the culture that burped us. Black people are born bi-lingual.
Give me a short take on topics I’ve heard you talk about on your show. Let’s start with the dating habits of young men and women—men’s fear of courting women as opposed to women wanting to be courted.
Jammin: Yeah, we did that topic for Valentine’s Day. In the older generations, it was normal for the man to ask the woman on a date. In the younger generations, it is not. Men between 20 and 30 rarely have asked a woman out on a date. I like the traditional, men asking women on dates. A man needs some game, some confidence, style. Young men are afraid of being vulnerable, but I see vulnerability as strength.
How about you, Noni, would you ask a guy on a date in a bar?
Juice: No, I would not do that at all. Let men chase you a little bit.
Ahh, yes. Men versus women controversies.
Juice: Ben always says that women should be more accountable.
Jammin: That’s true. One day, me and my girl are on a date, and I’m driving. She cracks open a Miller Lite. As we are driving, it starts to spill, and she blames it on me ‘cause of my driving. She should not have opened that beer can is how I look at it.
Juice: Well, I think men should understand women’s emotions better, what we are feeling and why. We have our battle of the sexes on our show.
Another topic you have covered: What is fast fashion?
Juice: Yeah, we were taking about fast fashion, how clothes made with cheap fabrics like polyester aren’t good for our bodies. Cotton or wool is better, or you can shop second hand and get good material in your clothes.
Another topic. Healthy food vs temptation of processed or fast foods.
Juice: I battle with this all the time because I am a gym girly, and I try to eat right, but it’s hard with the temptations in the grocery store or the fast-food places.
Is TikTok the go-to media site for young people?
Juice: Gen Z and even young teens love TikTok, also SnapChat. Millennials are more into Instagram and YouTube.
Jammin: I read a report that said the biggest audience on TikTok are millennials, and ages between 20 and 40. Actually, I’m recently on TikTok a lot. I think Black people are getting heard on TikTok.
Juice: Really, Ben? Tom, we did a whole show about TikTok, and Ben said, “I don’t care about no TikTok,” and he deleted it off his phone. And he was giving me crap because I was on TikTok (laughing).
Is the gossipy TMZ app the show biz news source for millennials?
Juice: A lot of people still look at TMZ, but for Black people, The Shade Room on Instagram is where most of them go for gossip and celebrity news.
“Jammin with Juice,” hosted by Noni Juice and Ben Jammin, is on the air every weekday from 7-9 a.m. on 101.7 The Truth Black Talk Radio and also as a YouTube podcast.
