cathy hughes

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Source: TV One / TV One
Cathy Hughes is a G on all levels. The Urban One founder has been named one of the “50 Greatest Hip-Hop Executives of All Time” by Variety.

The latest acknowledgment should be no surprise to anyone familiar with the Black radio pioneer. Hughes is in some historic alongside the likes of Bad Boy Records founder and current Revolt CEO Sean “Diddy” Combs, Epic Records Chairperson Sylvia Rhone and rapper turned mogul Jay-Z, amongst others. Considering Hip-Hop’s 50-year legacy of hustle, including Hughes was a no-brainer.
Per Variety:

She may not be a household name, but Hughes is a trailblazer for both female music executives and hip-hop culture. As the first female VP and general manager at WHUR in Washington, D.C., she pioneered the “Quiet Storm” format. She then founded Urban One (originally known as Radio One) in 1980, which became the largest Black-owned and -operated radio and television broadcast company in the U.S., and in 1999 was the first Black female to head a company listed on NASDAQ; by 2007, the company owned 70 stations in 22 markets. She has been listed as the second-richest Black woman in the United States — after Oprah Winfrey.
Nothing but respect, Cathy Hughes. Learn a bit more about her incredible and inspiring career in this 2019 feature in the PBS special BOSS: The Black Experience in Business below:
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