deja vuDO YOU BELIEVE IN DEJA VU?  WE DO!

words by Daneen Busby

 

Do you remember hearing this bubbly voice on 100.3 The Beat back in 1999 in the midday boasting, “I’m Déjà vu, your radio love?”   Remember how she sparked the airwaves and gained the trust of listeners in the Lou?  The former Midday Host/Asst. Program Director/Music Director started several projects that made a major impact in this community beginning with area youth.  Many of her Flava Unit kids recall the good old days with a smile.  If you ask them, they’ll tell you how important the program was to them.

 

“It gave us the chance to get first-hand experience in a radio station and we still did good things for the community.  It was a lot of fun,” name recalled of her Flava Unit days.  “Déjà was fun, but she didn’t play.  We had to stay focused or we couldn’t be a part of the Flava Unit.  I miss those days but I still stay in touch with Déjà,” name added.

 

At the same time Déjà vu took her creativity to the streets by creating Sister Girl Tuesdays at local clubs.  The popular social networking event allowed club owners to capitalize by promoting drink specials.  The promotion brought in the crowds.  Subsequently, club owners laughed all the way to the bank.  You can find Sister Girl Tuesdays embedded in cities all across the country.

 

“I’ve always loved entertaining people.  Helping and connecting with people has been my thing from the beginning,” Déjà said.  You can say that again.  As a little girl growing up in Jacksonville, Florida it all started with one innocent act of love by her mom.  Déjà laughs and says “it all started when my mom gave me a tape recorder! “   Recalling the memory as if it was yesterday Déjà excitedly says she started her own station; WXYZ-FM 92 Your Radio Station.  Déjà took her station on the road-everywhere she went so did her station.  She was a media mogul in training.  It was nothing for her to broadcast live from your house, business, park, wherever.  The radio prodigy was only 8-years old at the time!

 

“I still have cassettes with me saying “your radio station” to this day.  That love for entertaining and helping would transcend to her first job in radio job in her hometown.  At the same time, a new, young Program Director had arrived in Jacksonville via St. Louis, Doc Wynter.   “The 1st break I heard on the hip hop station was Deja.  Her energy & enthusiasm was something I’d never heard before.  It was crazy,” Wynter brags.

 

Focused on doing building her career, Deja left Jacksonville and headed to Birmingham.  The good news is her number 1 fan was the Sr. President of Urban Programming for Clear Channel Media & Entertainment, Doc Wynter.  “When I had the opportunity I hired her back to Clear Channel,” said Wynter.   She joined the staff in St. Louis as Assistant Program Director/Music Director.   Unfortunately, St. Louis couldn’t hold her down.    It wasn’t long before she was tapped to move on to Richmond, Virginia as a Program Director.  Wynter said, “When we were starting Power in New York, Deja was the only female I considered.  Steve Smith was also a fan and he agrees,” Wynter added.

 

New York must agree too.  These days you can hear your Radio Love, Déjà vu rocking the airwaves at 107.5 WBLS in New York City.  She also remains a popular personality worldwide for Sirius Radio. The veteran personality can also be found doing interviews with big name celebrities at major entertainment events including the Essence Music Festival and the Grammy’s.

 

There have been plenty of changes in her life including a new husband and several new business ventures.  Deja is also a Life Coach.   As a Life Coach she remains committed to her initial mission; meeting the needs of her audience.  “I realized with radio I help people with music, but being a life coach goes a lot deeper.  It’s a transformation for many women and I like being able to help them reach their goals,” Deja said.

 

Deja added she generally works with women and teens.  InnerView Coaching is one of her benchmark programs.  This program taps into your “F R E Qu E. N. C. Y.  “It’s a plan to get women to re-purpose their dreams and get clear about what’s important to them.”

 

Flava Unit for area teens continue to flourish in New York.  Her creative spirit has expanded into SistaGirlz Tuesdays.   Those programs along with InnerView Coaching  are designed to enhance the lives of her listeners.

 

“It’s fulfilling for me to share my experience to others and to be a part of helping others and making my community a better place,” said Déjà.

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