Ralph McDaniels, creator and longtime host of the pioneering music video program Video Music Box, spoke at length with weekly online radio talk show The NY Hip Hop Report about the progression of his illustrious career, current projects and the upcoming kickoff to a year’s worth of special events lined up to celebrate the show’s 30th anniversary.

McDaniels shared details and personal stories of his early days at WNYC, recalling as his career carried him from intern to show host, first at VMB pre-cursor Studio 31 Dance Party and then on to the now-iconic Video Music Box, which brought music video television to the New York City masses, particularly videos by black artists and the newly emerging rap scene which at the time was completely underserved.

“I was in college, and interning [at public television station WNYC] as a behind the scenes dude, pulling cables… Grunt work, whatever I could do, for free.. A ‘go-get-some-coffee-type-dude’,” McDaniels recalled, laughing. After being hired as an engineer, McDaniels started to see opportunity to create a show. Music videos were still primarily performance videos, but McDaniels saw the potential.