About
Rikki Martinez, is a Southern California Native, born and raised in Glendale, Ca., who embodies the spirit, fight and hustle of her culture in her petite 5 foot frame.
Known as ‘the smallest giant’ to those who witness her work first hand, Rikki has hustled her way towards her radio dreams since the tender age of 8. It was then that she knew, with no “if’s” “and’s” or “but’s” about it, what she was going to be when she grew up, “on the radio”. Later finding out the term was “On Air Personality”, Rikki used her boom box as others would use textbooks, to study the craft of being an on air talent and was taught by listening to the best professors in the game, the Jocs of LA radio.
3 days after her 18th birthday, Rikki gave birth to her son, best friend, and biggest motivation for success, David. Being a young mother and pursuing a career in radio was a difficult task but seeing as to where she’s at now, it wasn’t impossible. Rikki attended LA Mission College (general courses), LA Valley College (radio broadcasting) and The Academy of Radio & TV Broadcasting (online radio program). She landed an internship at Latino 96.3fm while at Valley, interning for the midday joc Sandra Pena. She then worked as a board-op and street teamer there before, with the referral of mentor RaqC, she landed a spot on air weekends at U92.7fm in Palm Springs.
“Palm Springs really showed me that radio was my heart’s desire. I would commute from LA to Palm Springs every day of the week just for the love of it. Just to be there, learning, vibing and building. I wasn’t even making enough when I was on air to afford those trips but I made it happen, I couldn’t stay away.”
Then came POWER 106. Rikki met Jeff Garcia, the sports duuuuude, and programming coordinator at the station, who was looking for board-ops at the time. He brought her in to run boards overnights and weekends at Power and at first it was just that, until the PD of the station, and legend in the radio game, Jimmy Steal, heard of her on air talent.
Pleased with what he heard from Rikki, Jimmy put her on air overnights and weekends.
“To speak to the audience that I was a part of was the realest shit ever. To spread my energy to those listening like so many before me have to me when I tuned in, is such an incomparable feeling… amazing.”
One morning after her overnight shift, Rikki got the chance to really have a conversation with her radio idol, Big Boy. She had seen him many times before, but never got the chance to vibe with him until this day that ultimately changed her life. Big and Rikki hit it off so well that he asked her to give reporting the entertainment news segment on his show a shot. Magic.
Exuding her love for the station, the show and the music through her work ethic, personality and on air performance, Rikki went from temporary fill in to permanent counterpart to Big Boy inside Big Boy’s Neighborhood.
Many sacrifices have been made and much risk has been taken in Rikki’s pursuit of a career in radio. But as a true example of the determined mind and relentless fight a dreamer possesses, Rikki can now be heard weekday’s from 5a-10a on her favorite radio station, Power 106, with her favorite radio joc, Big Boy. All while raising her incredible son, David, and teaching him along with anyone else, to not just chase but capture whatever dream he has in him.
“Power and Big Boy’s Neighborhood were a part of me long before I was a part of either, and from here on out, I work to repay them both for the good they have brought to my life and can only hope that I do the same for those listening in every morning.”
Catch Rikki on Power TV at red carpets, concerts and premieres interviewing your favorite celebs and artists, and of course showing her love for her culture and hiphop every morning inside Big Boy’s Neighborhood!!
