Retard riot radio

Retard Riot Radio first aired in 1997 on 91.3 FM WVKR in Poughkeepsie, NY.
It was started by Doctor Ninja the True SoulJah and co-host Blastmaster Chris the Crooked Eye Killah. The two friends were still in high school when they became volunteer community DJ's at the Vassar College radio station.

They had already formed the experimental mock punk rock band Punch People in 1995, using turntablism techniques, a sampler they created tape loops while Doctor Ninja improvised all vocals and the Crooked Eye Killah played guitar. They recorded unrehearsed tape music on a weekly basis. They would play the resulting absurdism on Retard Riot Radio, along with street punk, hardcore records, underground hip hop, classic funk, dancehall reggae, experimental music, sound collage tapes and tard-core music. In between songs Doctor Ninja and the Crooked Eye Killah would scream the name of the show, start signifying, insult an imaginary audience, freestyle rap, and act out unscripted nonsensical routines.

Retard Riot's unorthodox approach to radio broadcasting soon attracted the attention of WVKR's wide range of listeners and program began to receive many phone calls. They got calls not just from crazy fans and complaining old ladies but from the artists whose music they were playing. Doctor Ninja and the Crooked Eye Killah welcomed them all on the show.

Hip hop artist Cage, members of the hip-hop crew the Weathermen and Company Flow were known to drop in for lengthy open mic freestyle sessions. Bands from the ABC No Rio punk/hardcore scene contributed to show. Mykel Board once called in and stayed on the air for 3 hours telling stories of his Yippie days and his friendship with GG Allin while Doctor Ninja spun Artless records. Punk rock bands like the Casualties, Blanks 77, Distraught, and hip hop groups Wu-Tang Clan, Boot Camp Click, Non Phixion all recorded bits for the Retard Riot Radio show.

Retard Riot Radio’s anarchist on air antics, surprise guest appearances from rappers and punk rock icons, and dedicated marathon airtime earned the show a cult following similar to that of the Stretch and Bobbito show which aired on Columbia University college radio station WKCR and the dedicated supporters of freeform radio station WFMU.

Doctor Ninja always encouraged listeners to tape Retard Riot Radio. He also made cassette copies of the show that were distributed through the mail and dubbed by others involved in tape trading. So far, only a few episodes of Retard Riot Radio have been transferred to digital formats.

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