Who

The self-proclaimed "Voice of New York"—and one of the most listened-to DJs in the city—Martinez works the afternoon shift at hip-hop station Hot 97.

Backstory

Martinez grew up in Brooklyn and caught a break at the age of 16 when she got a job answering hotlines at Hot 97. She quickly impressed the staff at the radio station, particularly DJ Funkmaster Flex, and was offered an overnight slot. In 1998, Martinez famously sparred with afternoon DJ Wendy Williams; after Williams disclosed on the air that Martinez was dating rapper Q-Tip, an enraged Martinez stormed into the studio and the two tangled live on the air. Consequently, Williams was given the boot and Martinez later took over her late afternoon slot.

Of note

Martinez has a big audience and a good deal of influence in New York's urban community, which explains why so many big names (Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Jennifer Lopez, Foxy Brown) regularly stop by for on-air interviews. She's also tried to use her fame as a platform to launch a music career. Rapper KRS-1 encouraged Martinez to give hip-hop a shot and she's since released two albums, Up Close and Personal and Animal House. She's also done some modeling on the side, and has appeared in campaigns for Marc Ecko's clothing line. And she's had small parts in a few movies, including Paper Soldiers, Brown Sugar, and State Property 2.

True story

Martinez had signed on to become the fourth judge on American Idol, beginning with the show's second season. After a few days screening contestants, she backed out, claiming she wasn't "comfortable" crushing dreams (even though just a week earlier, she said she'd be perfect for the job since "the truth is that the music business is mean and honest and brutal.") Rumor has it the real reason behind her departure was a behind-the-scenes clash with Paula Abdul.

Personal

Martinez's long-time boyfriend is Tamir Ruffin (aka Nokio) of the group Dru Hill. In 2003, they had a child, a boy named Niko. She lives on York Avenue on the Upper East Side.