Growing
up in a kosher household in the Washington, D.C. suburbs, Peter
Rosenberg became enamored with hip-hop listening to tapes by rapper Big
Daddy Kane and scratching records on the turntables he saved up to buy
at age 14. Today, Rosenberg is a co-host of one of the nation’s most
listened to morning shows, on the iconic New York City hip-hop station
Hot 97. The Forward’s Seth Berkman recently talked with Rosenberg about
the influence of his parents (his father, M.J. Rosenberg, is a
well-known critic of Israeli policy), the relationship between Jews and
blacks in hip-hop, and his die-hard fandom of professional wrestling.Seth Berkman: Your older brother got you into hip-hop?
Peter Rosenberg: I was already like 8. The first tape that I remember having was when my dad went to a store on his way home from work one day and asked someone what he should get for his son who likes hip-hop and he got me one by Super Lover Cee and Casanova Rud, “Girls I Got ‘Em Locked.” The first summer I went to sleep-away camp at age 9, I had like eight cassettes with me. I had “Long Live the Kane” [by Big Daddy Kane] and then they all got stolen at camp, Jewish camp mind you. Evidently there was a huge contingent of hip-hop fans there.
Were your parents supportive of your interest?
They were always really accepting. The only time I got any resistance was when I was 13 going on 14 and told them I wanted turntables — they weren’t against it until they found out how much they cost. But I got a job that summer and saved up. They were the same ones I got till this day, Technics 1200s.
They always knew that my interests were different from theirs. I have an incredibly privileged upbringing, not financially, although my parents were always upper-middle class, but I was completely privileged in that I utterly have had their support. They knew I was very committed in what I wanted to pursue and could tell that’s what I was suited for. I don’t think all parents would be that way.
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