Creativity Quote by Angie Martinez

Angie Martinez is describing the tightrope walk that makes a real interviewer feel almost old-fashioned: the job isn’t to be the loudest fan in the room, it’s to be the most reliable witness. The line is plainspoken, but the tension inside it is sharp. “Might like somebody” signals personal proximity - in hip-hop and radio culture, relationships are currency, and access is often built on loyalty. Then she drops the complication: she may have to sit across from someone who “hates them,” importing the genre’s long history of beef, alliances, and reputational warfare straight into the studio.

The key word is “have to.” Martinez frames fairness not as a vibe, but as an obligation that overrides preference and pressure. That’s the subtext: she’s acknowledging that bias is inevitable, but letting bias drive the interview is a betrayal of the audience and, strategically, of her own longevity. In a media ecosystem where personalities are rewarded for picking sides, “be fair” reads as a countercultural stance - not because it’s neutral, but because it’s disciplined.

Context matters here. As “The Voice of New York,” Martinez built trust in a scene where a careless question can escalate conflict, and a soft one can look like complicity. Fairness becomes a survival skill and a form of respect: for the guest, for the person being talked about, and for listeners who can smell narrative steering from a mile away. It’s not purity; it’s professionalism under social gravity.