I am at a total loss for words right now. Seriously. I gotta call this morning, but I just could not make sense of it. The caller said DJ Marko had just died. He was more than a local DJ, he was a brother, a friend, and most of all family. Also known as DJ Big Tyma, I met Marko about 21 years ago when we work at V107 in Westlake. Owned by Apex Broadcasting at the time, Crawfish 107.5 was just switching formats from Country music to Urban Adult Contemporary.

DJ Big Tyma
DJ Big Tyma
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DJ Big Tyma
DJ Big Tyma
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Back then, we were called V107.5. It was me, Don Tracy, and Marko running the show. We would have so much fun and a lot of laughs, especially about the color choices for the station which were neon yellow with neon pink lettering. We used to joke all the time, that not only did our van glow at night but it could also be seen from space it was so bright! Yet, as loud as we were somehow it worked. A few years later Don Tracy left and I believe Marko left before him. However it went, Erik Tee took over Programming, V1075 changed formats one last time to Hip Hop and R&B mainstream. Other DJs came on board like Derrick Morris with 3rd Coast Radio, DJ Craig Ryan, D'Avery Tha Sugga Shack, Chuck Slugg, Paul Jazmine, Kinfolk, and many others. Of course, new to the city or not Marko and Erik hit it off like they were old friends. He will forever be a beloved member of the 107 Jamz familiy. He loved us....and we loved him!

Go DJ, DJ Big Tyma
Go DJ, DJ Big Tyma
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Marko and Erik hit it off like they were old friends.

Erik Tee and Marko
Erik Tee and Marko
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Marko and Derrick Morris
Marko and Derrick Morris
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Lawrence Gumbo Magazine, Erik T, Marvin Sease, Gina Cook, Craig Ryan
Lawrence Gumbo Magazine, Erik T, Marvin Sease, Gina Cook, Craig Ryan
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Marko never met a stranger, truth be told. He was an overall happy person. We had a bunch of good times doing shows, going to radio events, hosting concerts, and more. When Marko left the radio, though he wasn't at the station, he never left the music. So, we would always stay in touch because he was always spinning somewhere in the community. If I could think of one word to describe him it would be...Golden.

Marko, Go DJ, DJ Big Tyma
Marko, Go DJ, DJ Big Tyma
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Marko was an all-around good dude. I hate that I couldn't find any of the pictures we took together over the years for this post. I the coming days I will add them if I find some, but at the same time, this isn't about me anyway. Marko. I miss you already friend. I will pray for you, your family, and the many friends you leave behind. It was a pleasure knowing you. Thanks for the music, the friendship, your big laugh, and the memories. Gone but never forgotten! May God bless and keep you always my friend.

Play your music for heaven...Love Gina.

Marko, Go DJ, DJ Big Tyma
Marko, Go DJ, DJ Big Tyma
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LOOK: Here are the biggest HBCUs in America

More than 100 historically Black colleges and universities are designated by the U.S. Department of Education, meeting the definition of a school "established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of black Americans."

StudySoup compiled the 20 largest historically Black colleges and universities in the nation, based on 2021 data from the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics. Each HBCU on this list is a four-year institution, and the schools are ranked by the total student enrollment.

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