‘Hustling’ has always come easy to Corey “Hustle Simmons” Hill, so named because he grew up on Corey Hill in Brookline, MA. A year after his start in radio, industry vets gave him the moniker ‘Hustle Simmons’ because he was everywhere and involved with everything. Some said, “If an envelope was being opened, he was there,” hence the name Hustle Simmons.
Simmons, a transplant from Boston to South Carolina on a baseball scholarship, had a clear vision of a dream job in the entertainment business. The ambitious and charismatic “soon-to-be” DJ realized phase one of his plan when he walked through the doors of his first radio station, WPAL in Charleston, South Carolina. Simmons asked the PD at the time (Jae Jackson) for a chance to intern at the station. He knew that if he could just get his foot in the door, he could knock down the walls of the music industry and “blow the game wide open!”
While studying for his communications degree, working a part time job with a local jeweler, and playing baseball, ‘Hustle’ became more than his middle name. It actually became a way of life. Corey pitched the idea to switch from Gospel to hip hop on Sundays to the Program Director at WPAL and landed his first gig as a DJ. Flipping the format and shaking things up in the Bible belt, another of Hustle’s trademarks, his new programming idea worked like a charm and as a result he was promoted to Mix Show Director. Soon, his magnetic personality provided him with an opportunity to fill in when one of the regulars couldn’t make a shift. Hustle proudly remembers that moment. “My first radio check was for $13.74 for filling in.” During his last year of school, Hustle secured the overnight slot. Fate seemed to intervene once again when one week before graduation the afternoon on-air personality resigned and Simmons got the gig.
Simmons used his radio gig to also host parties in and around Charleston, SC. The parties became so popular that soon Hustle was “holding it down” with several “joints” a week when he got another brilliant idea. After five or six parties, he figured “why don’t I just buy some turntables and DJ myself?” So he practiced in his room for months under the wings of Eric Beaton (friend and DJ). Hustle had to test his skills earlier than anticipated when his DJ couldn’t make a scheduled party appearance. Hustle loaded up his crates, took a deep breath and a star was born.
Under the name of Corey Hill, Hustle became synonymous with hip hop in the South. He was responsible for giving early air play and helping to break some of the biggest southern artists from TI, Ludacris and Pastor Troy to the Ying Yang Twins and Lil John. Simmons even went on the road with Petey Pablo. He also had a major cameo in Mystikal‘s smash video, Shake Ya’ Ass, Jim Crow’s Holla At A Playa and KRS-One’s Step Into A World. In 2001, Simmons won the “Dirty South DJ of the Year Award” at the Mix Show Power Summit.
Simmons was on a roll. He received a called from the Program Director at WIIZ to fill in for the vacationing morning show. From there, he went on to co-host the morning show and was also offered the Mix Show Director position. When the morning show was canceled for syndication, Corey smoothly transitioned into the night slot. From there, Hustle moved to WWBZ to become the stations Program Director and fill the afternoon position. Just when things were getting really crazy, Hustle returned home to Boston to spend time with his family. On the return trip to South Carolina, fate stepped into the picture once again with a call from JAMN 94.5 in Boston. He was asked to come in and do an on-air audition. That weekend the hometown hero returned triumphant to Boston with a new job, new life and the permanent radio name of Hustle Simmons.
Simmons’ philosophy is really quite simple: “A lot of radio legends came from Boston and I really want to maximize my stay here.” Hustle has appeared twice on BET‘s hip hop show “Rap City,“ received coverage in the Source Magazine and appeared on CNN.
Ever the entrepreneur, Simmons’ has always had a side business in Marketing and Promotions. He’s worked closely with the major record labels to handle regional promotions and his current accounts include: Interscope, Atlantic, Koch and Universal. Hustle started his company, Top of the Hill Marketing and Promotions “because there was a real opportunity for someone in this market to make the most of the promotions game…the more knowledge I have about the biz, the better it makes me at everything I do.”
In addition to his on-air gig at JAM’N 94.5FM, Hustle is the One Field host for the Boston Cannons (Boston’s Pro Lacrosse team), and spins five nights a week in clubs across Massachusetts.
Who knows how far Hustle Simmons’ ambition and talent will take him in the game? But, one thing is sure, with talent and an amazing work ethic, you “can’t knock the hustle”.
For bookings email HustleSimmons@gmail.com.
