BET’s ‘106 & Park’ Turns 20: Where Are the Hosts Now?
It’s a shame that music video countdown shows have gone by the wayside. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, shows like MTV‘s Total Request Live dominated the airwaves every afternoon, and it became a rite of passage for an artist to give a live performance. 106 & Park premiered on BET on September 11, 2000, and in the two decades since it first went on the air, the show remains beloved by the countless fans who watched it.
Throughout its 14-year run, 106 & Park had a frequently rotating cast of hosts. Some were popular entertainment correspondents at the time; others were artists themselves. Now, 20 years after 106 & Park premiered, let’s take a look at what the former hosts are up to today.
Rocsi Diaz
After leaving 106 & Park in 2012, Rocsi Diaz had a brief stint as a correspondent on Entertainment Tonight, and went on to host VH1 reality show Dating Naked a few years later. Diaz currently co-hosts Cannonball on the USA Network alongside WWE star Mike “The Miz” Mizanin.
Terrence J
Terrence J departed 106 & Park at the same time as Rocsi, and moved on to another hosting gig: he was the co-anchor of E! News from 2012 to 2015. He hosted the Fox reality show Coupled as well as various one-off gigs including Miss USA pageants and MTV’s Are You the One? He also has been able to flex his acting chops, appearing on shows such as Star and Scream.
Marie “Free” Wright
Free Marie has been laying low for the most part since her time as a 106 & Park host. She lives in her hometown of Boston, Massachusetts, and is still friendly with Rocsi Diaz today, shouting her out on Instagram from time to time.
Shad “Bow Wow” Moss
When Bow Wow was recruited as a host for 106 & Park, he had already built a respectable career as both a rapper and an actor. Once the show was over, Bow Wow went back to acting, landing a series regular role on CSI: Cyber. He’s been a part of Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta since 2017, and recently finished in third place on the latest season of The Masked Singer. You can also catch him in F9 next year.
Julissa Bermudez
A good friend of Adrienne Bailon, Julissa Bermudez starred alongside The Real co-host in their reality show Empire Girls: Julissa & Adrienne. Bermudez can be seen today in Amazon Prime Video’s hit series Hunters.
Big Tigger
Darian “Big Tigger” Morgan has been working constantly since his brief time on 106 & Park. As a big radio personality, Big Tigger had his own shows like The Big Tigger Morning Show and Live in Tha Den with Big Tigger. Since then, he’s been a regular fixture on WVEE in Atlanta.
A.J. Calloway
One of 106 & Park‘s origin hosts, A.J. Calloway went on to be a longtime fixture on NBC’s Extra starting in 2005. Last year, Calloway was let go from the show after multiple women came forward with sexual assault allegations against him.
Jordan “Shorty da Prince” Johnson
Shorty da Prince — along with newcomers Paigion and Miss Mykie — was one of three hosts who were quickly and quietly let go from 106 & Park after a brief co-host stint in 2013. He now goes by On Air Jordan and has been a radio host since 2014, most recently as a part of the popular syndicated morning show The Morning Hustle.
Kimberly “Paigion” Walker
Like Shorty da Prince, Paigion also came from a radio background prior to her time on 106 & Park. Paigion recently appeared on Black Hollywood Live to discuss where she’s been since then. She was a host for the short-lived MTV 2 show Worldstar TV, and has gained tremendous insight into the entertainment industry as a whole.
Mykel “Miss Mykie” Gray
Despite her career beginnings in entertainment, Miss Mykie has made a serious pivot in the years since 106 & Park. She’s now a proud mom and hardworking realtor in the Houston, Texas area.
Keshia Chanté
Drake’s first girlfriend and a former opening act for Destiny’s Child, Keshia Chanté was an accomplished singer prior to joining 106 & Park in 2013. After the show ended, Chanté made various appearances on BET as a host as well as focus on music and acting. She appeared as a panelist on the talent competition show The World’s Best last year.
