Playback FM

"It's the reason you put that subwoofer in your car!
— Shit, I can't see the mirror!
Old school hip hop, only on Playback FM."

— Playback FM

"The mouthiest man in hip-hop, Forth Right MC, brings real hip-hop to the left coast. East Coast sensibilities and Forth Right's unique brand of conspiracy theory lead you in a history lesson."

— GTA San Andreas Website

Playback FM is a radio station featured in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. It plays east-coast old school hip hop and golden age hip hop. It is hosted by Forth Right MC (voiced by Chuck D.).

Description

Playback's playlist leans more towards '80s rap music made exclusively by East Coast artists, in contrast to Radio Los Santos that has a playlist that leans more towards early '90s rap made exclusively by West Coast acts.

Playback assumes a more retro, nostalgic nature (even though not that many years have passed between the songs in its playlist and the events of GTA San Andreas). Its idents scold listeners because while they were going on with the '80s pop style, these rappers were inventing hip hop. They also tell that if they want to be learned on the history of hip hop, they must listen to this radio. Playback also makes nostalgic comments such as that this kind of music "was the reason [its listeners] put that subwoofer in the car", and so the station could also be meant to be Rockstar's homage to the early hip hop era.

Its DJ, Fort Right MC is "a man with an opinion on everything" as the idents boast; he is a very opinionated guy who rants about politics, TV shows, women, science fiction, nerd stuff and aliens. He thinks East Coast rap is superior to its West Coast counterpart, and thus he sees himself like a sort of enlightener or missionary divulging the right music in the West Coast. He also hates the people living in the West Coast and says he wants another earthquake to hit San Andreas. He isn't very popular, as listeners call to the radio to criticize him for his eccentric ramblings, and urge him to just play the records. Radio Los Santos host Julio G agrees with this view, as he says that the songs in Playback are great but that "its DJ is wack".

Playback FM is also the Varrios Los Aztecas' favorite radio station.

The soundtrack to this station was released together with Radio Los Santos in the 8-CD Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas: Official Soundtrack Box Set.

Playlist

* - This song is missing from the re-released versions of the game.

• Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - "Road to the Riches" (1989)
• Big Daddy Kane - "Warm It Up, Kane" (1989)
• Spoonie Gee - "The Godfather" (1987)
• Masta Ace - "Me and the Biz" (1990)
• Slick Rick - "Children's Story" (1988)
• Public Enemy - "Rebel Without a Pause" (1987)
• Eric B. & Rakim - "I Know You Got Soul" (1987)
• Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock - "It Takes Two" (1988)
• Gang Starr - "B.Y.S." (1992)
• Biz Markie - "The Vapors" (1988)
• Brand Nubian - "Brand Nubian" (1989)
• Ultramagnetic MCs - "Critical Beatdown" (1988) *

Gallery

Alternate "PLAYKCAB" logo used in the game menu.

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Video

Trivia

• Playback FM plays mostly late '80s east-coast hip hop, a clear contrast with Radio Los Santos that plays mostly early '90s west-coast hip hop.
• The radio station's host, Forth Right MC is voiced by the rapper Chuck D. The song "Rebel Without A Pause" by Public Enemy the group which Chuck D is part of, appears on the station.
• The songs "I Know You Got Soul" by Eric B. & Rakim and "Rebel Without A Pause" by Public Enemy were featured in another Rockstar published game, Thrasher Presents Skate and Destroy.

See also

• N-CT FM - a hip hop radio in GTA 1.
• KREZ - a hip hop radio in GTA 2.
• Game Radio - an east coast hip hop radio in GTA III.
• Wildstyle - a hip hop and electro radio in GTA Vice City.
• Radio Los Santos - a contemporary hip hop radio in GTA San Andreas and GTA V.
• The Liberty Jam - an east coast hip hop radio in GTA Liberty City Stories.
• Fresh FM - a hip hop and electro radio in GTA Vice City Stories.
• The Beat 102.7 - a contemporary hip hop radio GTA IV and GTA Episodes From Liberty City.
• The Classics 104.1 - a classic hip hop radio in GTA IV that plays other songs by Brand Nubian and Gang Starr.
• Alchemist - a hip hop instrumentals radio in GTA Chinatown Wars.
• DJ Khalil - a hip hop instrumentals radio in enhaced versions of GTA Chinatown Wars.
• West Coast Classics - a classic west coast hip hop radio in GTA V.
• The Lab - a hip hop and mixed genre radio in enhaced versions of GTA V.

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