Eric Albaugh, otherwise known as “DJ Sex-E,” is best known for his work on “Hip Hop Fridays” on the Des Moines School District’s student radio station, KDPS. The 19-year-old Albaugh recently released a compilation album chock-full of new Des Moines hip hop, “Sex-E Presents: DMI’s Best of the Best Vol.1.,” and works full-time as an MC, producing and promoting local hip hop artists. Assignment A&E Editor Megan Hinds interviewed Albaugh Wednesday.

Megan Hinds: Tell me about your work at KDPS.

Eric Albaugh: Actually, that’s how I got started. I started working in about 1999 down there at the Central Campus studio doing a hip hop show. I started going on the radio on Mondays, and then got moved up to doing “Hip Hop Fridays” every Friday from 4 to 6. I ended up doing that for 2 years. It was the number-one show for that time slot, with 5500 radios listening every Friday, according to the Arbitron ratings. For a 5200-watt high school radio station, that’s not bad at all.

MH: So how did you get started doing shows outside of your radio program?

EA: Since [KDPS] was the only hip hop station in town, that was how I got my connections. People knew I could DJ and hired me for shows. I started working with local groups and started putting together these compilation CDs.

MH: Do you see Des Moines getting a mainstream hip hop radio station anytime soon?

EA: I’d like to but I don’t see it happening.

MH: Why not?

EA: A lot of people are afraid to see it happen – a lot of people are scared to have hip hop around, really. 89.3, Des Moines’ urban station, is the only station that might do it, but I bet they won’t touch it. They won’t do it over there because they don’t want to get involved with the scene. It’s too bad, because hip hop’s looking like the next rock and roll right now – it’s getting huge in mainstream music. Kiss 107 plays a little bit of hip hop, but only the real popular stuff.

MH: Des Moines has been getting some big names in rap coming through lately. Is this a sign the Iowa market is opening up to rap acts?

EA: I think there’s a market here in Des Moines for hip hop. A lot of concerts will come through here, and if you’re a big-name star you’ll come through and sell out. But smaller name artists come through Des Moines too and there’s no radio station to promote them. For example, Jadakiss is kind of a big name in rap right now. He came through here last spring and no one really knew about it because none of the stations play his music. Probably the best rap concert that came to Des Moines was the Nelly concert. It was good when Ja Rule came through in May because he’s a huge name in rap music right now. His show was really short, though, and I know people weren’t happy with paying $30 for just a half hour of music.

MH: I’ve heard you were interested in rock music but then turned to hip hop. Who were your inspirations?

EA: I wasn’t trying to make a career out of rock music; I just liked to play now and then. But it wasn’t really taking me nowhere and it got old after a minute. Then P. Diddy came out and I liked his sound and what he was doing a lot. Then I saw the VH1 ‘Behind The Music’ episode on him and saw how he started out and I wanted to do what he was doing. I look up to [Def Jam founder] Russell Simmons too – he started his own thing and is a huge name now in the industry. Anyone who started their own thing from nothing and became big from that – that is who I look up to.

MH: What’s in your CD player right now?

EA: I’m listening to the new Scarface CD right now. And Ludacris and P. Diddy, of course.

MH: Are you influenced by underground and independent artists like Common, Jurassic 5, Talib Kweli?

EA: I respect their stuff but I don’t like their sound. I’m more of a mainstream type of fan. There’s some good mainstream stuff coming out but a lot of people are just putting out albums with just one or two radio singles, not whole albums of good music.

MH: How has the Des Moines hip hop scene changed since you first got into the game?

EA: It’s actually gotten a lot bigger. A lot of people have come out and are competing for position and attention. The problem with that is that there are so many people competing now it’s hard for people to shine. A couple of years ago, The House of Representatives was the only group making a name for themselves. Now instead of working together, people are trying to cut each other down, and that doesn’t get anyone anywhere. It’s really just a waste.

MH: Is there anyone from Des Moines that can put it on the map?

EA: I’d say a guy that goes by the name of Horizon. He’s in the group Diamond Reign, but he’s got some solo stuff that’s stronger than his work with the group. I think he could definitely break out of here and make it big.

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Listen to DJ Sex-E in MP3: “Kyser f/Sir jinx | Big Shot”