From WJPZ to Rihanna, Fall Out Boy and Lizzo - Adam Eisenberg '95

From WJPZ to Rihanna, Fall Out Boy and Lizzo - Adam Eisenberg '95

Author: WJPZ June 12, 2023 Duration: 32:16

We've had podcast guests in the radio, news, and sports arenas, but today's episode features an alumnus who has spent most of his career working with artists in the record label world.     Adam Eisenberg always knew he had a passion for music.  And when he came to WJPZ his junior year, he quickly became friends with Dion Summers, Kafele Khalfani, Marvin Nugent, and so many  of the great class of 1995.He was heavily involved in the radio station, both on air and as assistant program director.

Following graduation, Rocco Macri helped him get in the door at Hot 97 in New York, where he realized he had a passion for aritst relations, moreso than being on the air.   Following a stint in Baltimore living with his Cuse roommate Dion, Adam headed to LA for a record label job.

In over two decades, Adam's worked with Toni Braxton to Rihanna, Fall Out Boy, Lizzo, and Jack Harlow, just to name a few.  He tells a great Toni Braxton story, but he really went viral by being on Rihanna's now infamous 777 - when she did 7 concerts in 7 countries in 7 days.   Bringing a bunch of press and contest winners along seemed like a good idea at the time....

From on the label side and the artist management side, Adam credits his success to the lessons he learned at WJPZ, as you'll hear throughout this podcast.   And we pick back up on an issue raised by Adam's close friend and roommate Dion Summers in this episode - where he describes the pushback that he received as program director.  What was that like from Adam's perspective?

But we can't end on such a serious note - we close with the story of Adam, Nicki Minaj, and a picture that went viral of NIcki signing the chest of a previous WJPZ at 50 podcast guest.

The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.

Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50

Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag:  jag@jagindetroit.com.

Want to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events?  Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/

Want to be on the show? Email JAG at jag@jagpodcastproductions.com

Connect with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.


For fifty years, the student-run airwaves of Syracuse University's WJPZ at 50 have been more than a radio station; they've been a launchpad. This oral history project captures that legacy not through dry facts, but through the voices that built it. Each episode is a conversation with a different alumnus, from the pioneers of the 1970s to recent graduates, tracing how their hands-on experience in what's called the "world's greatest media classroom" shaped careers in broadcasting and far beyond. You'll hear personal stories of late-night broadcasts, technical mishaps turned into triumphs, and the forging of lifelong bonds that created a unique professional family spanning generations. This podcast digs into the real, often messy, work of learning by doing, revealing how a campus station became an enduring institution. Tune in for a collection of fifty interviews that together form a living archive, celebrating the people, not just the programming, behind five decades of student-led radio.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

WJPZ at 50
Podcast Episodes
Ben Green '85 On Keeping WJPZ's Teaching Legacy Alive [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:33
Today's guest is the always passsionate Ben Green, aka Ben G, aka Mr. R&B, from the Class of 1985. He takes us from humble beginnings at Syracuse (including changing majors when he couldn't afford to rent equipment and b…
NFL Senior Coordinating Producer Mike Konner, Class of 1995 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:23
(Disclaimer: this was recorded Tuesday after Banquet, before Jag's voice was back to full capacity.)The Super Bowl, The NFL Draft, The Combine, even The Pro Bowl. If it's an NFL "tentpole" event, today's guest is directl…
Ryan McNaughton '96 - from small town Ohio to SU Alum Grand Poobah [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:42
Today we are joined by our first elected official - Ryan McNaughton from the Class of 1996 has been both President of the Syracuse University Alumni Association, as well as a councilman at large in his current home of Ni…
Kat Brady, Class of 2018, On Continuing the Teaching Legacy of WJPZ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:45
Today's guest is Kat Brady, one of many in a long line of great station leaders in the 2010's. This Long Island native wanted no part of going to school in her home state - she wanted to go elsewhere. But at every turn,…
Brent Axe - From 89.1 The Pulse To Jim Boeheim Getting Him Fired [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:20
Today's podcast is in two parts. In the first half hour, you'll hear Brent Axe's journey from 89.1 The Pulse summer staffer to the premiere voice in Syracuse sports coverage. After we recorded that chat, Brent was fired…
USA Today's Ralphie Aversa, Class of 2007 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:31
Ralphie Aversa has done a little bit of everything in this business. His voice has been on radio stations in Syracuse, Scranton, Providence, and New York. He's warmed up the crowd at the Billboard Music Awards, and you'l…
Beth (Russell) Gorab, Class of 1993 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:52
Beth (Russell) Gorab from the Class of 1993 was a key part of the leadership team that helped Z89 make huge waves in the Syracuse market during the "flamethrower era." She joins us today to talk about her time at WJPZ an…
A Friday Night Party Reunion 20 Years in the Making [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:05
The Friday Night Party was a long time staple of WJPZ, allowing mixers to come in and strut their stuff. Today we revisit the 1999-2001 version of the show with three guests who've gone on to very successful careers in t…
Beth (Berlin) Cohen and Jana Fiorello, Class of 2002 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:04
Today's episode reunites three members of the WJPZ Class of 2002, as Jag is joined by Jana Fiorello and Beth (Berlin) Cohen. You'll hear themes of lifelong friendship here that are likely reflected in your own class.Beth…