KMOJ-89.9 FM “The People’s Station”
500 episodes listed below
Minneapolis voices, civic stakes, morning-radio warmth.
KMOJCast is a community-rooted feed of KMOJ conversations, led in these excerpts by Freddie Bell with civic, cultural, and education guests. The tone is warm but direct, moving from graduation rates and police leadership to Prince memories, financial literacy, and musical theater.
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KMOJCast is built from the station's community-facing conversations, and the recent run sounds like Minneapolis waking up in public. The format is simple and sturdy: a morning-show welcome, a named guest, and a focused discussion about work that affects local lives. Freddie Bell appears across the excerpts as the recurring interviewer, guiding guests through education, policing, economic power, arts, and music. The tone is relaxed, but the questions often land on serious ground. Christine Tucci Osorio talks through graduation results, dropout rates, special education timelines, English learners, and the long recovery from pandemic learning loss. Dr. Lisa Sayles-Adams discusses Minneapolis Public Schools after Operation Metro Surge, including the value of in-person learning and the traumatic impacts students have carried through COVID, the unrest from the murder of George Floyd, and newer disruptions. Brian O'Hara addresses public safety leadership, staffing concerns, recruitment, and the political pressure around city appointments. Those segments make the show useful for listeners who want local power structures explained in plain radio language. KMOJCast also keeps culture close to civic life. Emma Balázs describes The People's Museum for Prince as a way to collect personal stories about why Prince mattered. Debra Hurston and Aquilla Robinson frame financial literacy as something that should be digestible, communal, and connected to Black economic power. Wil Dorsey speaks about Looking for Czar through memory, grief, and the bond between people and their dogs. Clare Fuyuko Bierman and Erika Ji discuss new musical theater work that takes on race, family conversations, and sensitive subjects. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis bring the Minneapolis music lineage full circle, reflecting on playing their own catalog live after decades as musicians, songwriters, and producers. The result is not a polished policy podcast or a celebrity interview lane. It is a local radio archive with a living pulse: neighborhood institutions, public decisions, Black community life, school systems, and music history all sharing the same microphone.
Made for: KMOJCast is for Twin Cities listeners who follow local schools, public safety, Black economic power, arts, and music culture. It also fits anyone who prefers community radio conversation over detached policy analysis.
What sets it apart: The show puts civic leaders, cultural workers, and music figures in the same local-radio flow, so education numbers and Prince memories feel part of one community story. Its strength is access: practical questions, familiar cadence, and guests speaking directly to Minneapolis concerns.
Select programming from KMOJ's airwaves and community voices. Since first going “on the air” in 1976, KMOJ-89.9-FM continues its legacy as the community-oriented station located in Minneapolis, Minnesota airing a predominantly urban adult contemporary format. “KMOJ’s Community Viewpoint” is one way the station achieves its mission of engaging, supporting and empowering Communities of Color to elevate the way of life of the people of its community and to challenge social and economic disparities, and the persistent consequences of historic racism. The station call letters, “KMOJ” were inspired by the Swahili word “UMOJA” which means “Unity.” http://kmojfm.com/
Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A breezy morning interview with craft talk and a clear Minneapolis connection.
Desaun Frazier's morning visit with Freddie and Chantel stays easygoing and warm, with weather talk giving way to a quick look at how he moved from creator work into screen roles.
Cruelty, power, and the people who let it happen.
Annual BBC lectures where one thinker unpacks a theme, from Fiona Hill to Rutger Bregman.
Minneapolis-born actor Dasan Frazier tells Freddie Bell and Chantel Sings that an Issa Rae pilot centers on two best friends in Las Vegas boxing.
Malik Rucker says V3 creates a North Minneapolis "home court advantage" through wellness, education, and youth sports.
KMOJCast previews the third annual Miss Juneteenth Minnesota State Pageant, scheduled for June 6 at North Central University in Minneapolis.
James Burroughs connects his equity work to his 14-year-old daughter Teresa’s sickle cell disease and blood-donation needs.
This episode features an interview with Superintendent Christine Tucci Osorio discussing School District 622's strong graduation results and ongoing challenges impacting student success.
Emma Balázs discusses the founding of The People's Museum for Prince, a community-driven project that collects and shares personal stories about how Prince impacted people's lives.
Dr.
Debra Hurston and Aquilla Robinson from the Association for Black Economic Power discuss their upcoming Memorial Day weekend fundraiser and the organization's mission to promote financial literacy and empowerment in the Black community.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara says the department has 643 sworn members after losing about 500 since 2020.
Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis discuss their upcoming Las Vegas residency 'Nothing But The Hits' at the Voltaire, sharing why now is the right time to perform their full catalog live.
Author and artist Will Dorsey discusses his memoir 'Looking for Czar', which explores his deep emotional bond with his late dog Czar, inspired by a vivid dream about their connection.
Clare Fuyuko Bierman and Erika Ji discuss winning Theater Latté Da's Next Generation Commission, which supports underrepresented artists in creating bold, original musical theater works.
G.
A radio host interviews a Park Board supervisor about summer job opportunities for teens in Minneapolis parks.
Representative Esther Agbaje discusses key issues in Minnesota, including funding for Hennepin County Medical Center, the Blue Line extension's impact on small businesses, housing protections, and rebuilding community trust.
An interview with the Vice President of Volunteer Services for the American Red Cross about modernizing volunteerism to be more flexible and personalized.
A poet discusses her book 'Free Papers' inspired by a slave who gained freedom in Minnesota, with a reading event announcement.
A radio host interviews a student and a social engineer about the Post-Secondary Enrollment Option program and its political implications.
A morning show host interviews soul singer Leela James about her career, new EP, and upcoming concert in Minneapolis.
Brian O'Hara says Minneapolis now has 647 sworn officers, including 32 recruits newly eligible for state licensing.
An interview about the Vocal Essence Witness Symphony of Spirituals concert celebrating Black History Month through Negro spirituals performed by a large community choir and orchestra.
An interview with Tiffany Delaney, founder of UNBX TV, discussing her entrepreneurial journey and the member-owned streaming platform.
An interview with a school principal about implementing an Afrocentric program in a St.
An interview with historian Jeremiah Ellis about the overlooked contributions of Black women in the Twin Cities during World War II, challenging the white-centric image of Rosie the Riveter.
An interview with immigration attorney Flavia Santos discussing current immigration enforcement actions and legal challenges.
A community radio host interviews an AARP expert about imposter scams and how to avoid them.
Rod Adams and Paige Ingram from the New Justice Project discuss an upcoming black mass meeting to organize against federal government violence and build community solidarity.
A morning radio show on KMOJ featuring upbeat music and community engagement in the Twin Cities.
A morning radio show on KMOJ playing urban adult contemporary music and engaging with the community.
An interview with Jason Sola, a formerly incarcerated abolitionist and professor, discussing his recent pardon and its implications for criminal justice reform.
An interview with Rose McGee about a Martin Luther King event focused on community unity and civil rights.
A morning radio show on KMOJ featuring music, community banter, and local sports talk.
Dr.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty discusses the lack of transparency in the federal investigation of an ICE agent's use of deadly force.
Freddie and Chantel on KMOJ 89.9 introduce Desaun Frazier at 9:34 and frame him as a “very special guest” with “versatility on screen” and charisma off it.
An interview about an upcoming open mic night at Ashford & Simpson's Sugar Bar and plans to expand the concept nationwide.