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KBXX (97.9 FM broadcasting) is a commercial radio radio station in Houston. It airs an urban-leaning rhythmic contemporary radio format, mostly made up of hip-hop music and R&B. It is owned by Urban One as part of a five station cluster with KMJQ, KKBQ, KHPT, and KGLK. The radio studio and offices are located in the Greenway Plaza district.
KBXX has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 . The transmitter is on Farm to Market Road 2234, near Fort Bend Parkway in Southwest Houston. It broadcasts in the HD Radio hybrid format.
Previously, the HD2 subchannel aired Vietnamese language programming, both talk radio and pop music. KBXX-HD2 provided the primary feed for FM translator 101.7 K269GT in Humble. Radio-Locator.com/K269GT
In October 1967, the station started airing progressive rock at night. The underground format proved so popular that in late March 1968, the station adopted a round-the-clock progressive rock format that became known as "Mother Radio."
With no warning, the owners paid off the whole staff and took the station off the air at 4pm on March 26, 1969. The president of the station at the time, Jim Lammers, told the Houston Chronicle, "The format was not getting the kind of response we were hoping for, we were losing money and decided it was time to change."
After several weeks off the air to make technical repairs to the station's transmitting equipment, KFMK returned in May 1969 with a Southern Gospel format. After a survey of music preferences among Houston's church-going community, KFMK re-launched on October 1, 1975 with a contemporary Christian format and the slogan "The Spirit of 98".
The station was sold in 1979 and moved to an adult-leaning contemporary format, but retained the KFMK call letters. Protests over the station's abandonment of the Christian music format led that group to eventually start non-commercial contemporary Christian outlet KSBJ. During the 80s, KFMK evolved into a more gold-based AC station, before becoming all Oldies in September 1990.
Despite being rhythmic, KBXX's music selection moved more toward a mainstream urban direction, focusing on hip hop and R&B music. Clear Channel spun off KBXX and KMJQ to Radio One in 2000.
The morning show had been hosted by Madd Hatta since March 2001. He had been on KBXX since 1995, starting off in afternoons, before switching to morning drive time. In December 2019, Madd Hatta left the station; the following month, he was replaced with "Good Morning H-Town", hosted initially by Jerrel 'Hardbody Kiotti' Brown and Keisha Nicole; Kiotti would be replaced by former Madd Hatta Show co-host James 'J Mac' Garrett. What's Going On at 97.9 The Box as Kiotti & Keisha Move to Mornings?
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