Hot 97 is signaling a new on-air direction with the announcement of a fresh group of hosts amid the cancellation of Ebro in the Morning.
On Thursday, the iconic New York hip-hop station shared a promotional image across social media introducing Ronndell Smith, Lana Harris, and Million, labeling them as the “NEW HOT 97 Hosts” alongside a bold “Coming Soon” banner. The post did not specify whether the trio will helm the morning show, nor did it include a launch date or show title.
Still, the announcement arrives in the immediate aftermath of the cancellation of Ebro in the Morning, which had been hosted by Ebro Darden, Laura Stylez, and Peter Rosenberg for years. Given the vacancy in the morning slot, many listeners quickly connected the dots, but Hot 97 has stopped short of formally naming the trio as its new morning team.
The station has remained tight-lipped about the details, signaling only that Ronndell, Lana, and Million will have prominent on-air roles in the near future. Their introduction suggests Hot 97 is in the middle of a broader programming reset as it looks to redefine its sound and personality heading into the next phase.
The shakeup follows a lot of turbulence at the station, with Ebro in the Morning’s exit sparking intense debate among fans and industry observers. While Hot 97 has not publicly explained the decision, Ebro Darden has claimed his outspoken political views and critiques of powerful institutions may have contributed, an assertion the station has not addressed.
Adding another layer to the transition is Funk Flex, who briefly filled in during mornings after Ebro’s departure. Flex later clarified that while he received strong positive feedback for his temporary stint, his involvement in mornings won't start for a while. He has said he agreed to take over the morning show in 2029, and that he will remain in his longtime 5 p.m. drive-time slot until then.
Flex also noted just hours before the station's announcement of their new hires that a new morning show expected to launch in 2026 is already “two-thirds complete,” and that he will not be part of that lineup.
