Black Enterprise
March 2003

She's Got To Be Free: How BET VJ Made It To 106 & Park

Fans of the immensely popular music video show 106 & Park feel they know Free; she's the cool older sister they wished they had. After all, Free--along with co-host AJ--has the opportunity to sit down and chat with some of today's hottest celebrities, like Eve and Alicia Keys. But hosting one of the most successful shows on television wasn't something Free ever imagined she would be doing as a career. In fact, after spending many years singing and rapping in her hometown of Boston, she had her sights set on becoming a recording artist.

"I used to intern at a radio station out in Roxbury, Massachusetts, and the senior vice president of the music program moved over to BET [Black Entertainment Television]. One night I saw him at a party and [he] told me that he wanted me to audition for 106 & Park. I was in complete shock when they told me I had the job."

As for aspiring video disc jockeys (VJs) who want to follow in Free's path to success in music television, she offers this advice: "I don't have any training in television. But I have a love of music and videos, and I think that's the most important thing for any career. You have to love what you're doing. You will find that success will naturally follow you from there."