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Who remembers 106 & Park on BET? This year the legendary music video show will be honored during the BET Awards next month, which is also the award show’s 25th anniversary. 106 & Park had many hosts over the years, including the iconic duos AJ and Free and Terrence J and Rocsi. But did you know that some of your favorite 106 & Park hosts attended HBCUs? Here are the 106 & Park hosts that have attended HBCUs.
AJ Calloway
A.J. Calloway had the honor of being the first host of 106 & Park alongside Free. A proud Howard University alumnus, A.J. was deeply involved on campus, even founding his first promotion company, which organized some of the most memorable events during Howard’s legendary homecomings, according to the U.S. Capitol Agricultural Alliance. After graduating, he pursued a successful career in marketing and promotions, eventually moving to New York City. There, he founded Black Diamonds Entertainment, a club management, promotions, and marketing company that dominated the African-American after-work and nightlife scene for over a decade.
During his time at Howard University, he became a member of the Alpha chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated. Calloway earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Howard, also known as The Mecca, in 1997. Three years later, he took on the role of hosting 106 & Park. Calloway has stayed engaged with the Howard University community by returning to teach a graduate course on Hip Hop culture and its connection to public history. Offered pro bono, this was the university's first course of its kind.
Terrence J
Terrence Jenkins, better known by his stage name Terrence J, is a North Carolina A&T State University alumnus. While at North Carolina A&T, he was SGA president and a spring 2004 initiate of the Mu Psi chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. He graduated from the university in 2004 with a degree in mass communication. Before joining 106 & Park, he worked in the diversity office of NASCAR in Daytona Beach.
After winning the BET New Faces Contest in 2006 along with Rocsi Diaz, Jenkins became the new host of 106 & Park. The duo were the hosts for six years before leaving the show in 2012. Since leaving the show, he has generated a successful movie and hosting career.
Jenkins has starred in numerous films, including Stomp the Yard: Homecoming, Burlesque, the Think Like a Man franchise, Baggage Claim, and The Perfect Match. After 106 & Park ended, Jenkins continued to host events for BET, including the BET Award red carpet and BET Awards Afterparty.
During an interview back in 2023, he spoke on the impact North Carolina A&T had on him.
“One school took a chance on me, and once I arrived, I started off on academic probation,” he said. “But over time, I met people that changed my life. I met deans that inspired me and met other students that influenced me. I joined a fraternity that completely changed my perspective and instilled valuable morals in me. By the time I graduated, I was on the dean’s list and had been elected student body president. I made all these different changes in my life, but it was because an HBCU took a chance on me. HBCUs for over 100 years have been doing that for countless African American people.”
Miss Mykie
Mykel Gray, also known as Miss Mykie, was one-fourth of the new set of hosts of 106 & Park alongside Paigon, Shorty da Prince, and Bow Wow. Gray was a host on the show from 2012 to 2013.
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Gray is a graduate of Howard University; she graduated in 2007 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in acting. While at Howard, she became a member of the Alpha chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and joined the Ooh La La Dance Line. Despite her academic success, Gray experienced some hardship while in school. During her freshman year, her brother was tragically killed days before his 23rd birthday.
After graduating from college, she taught theater arts at the Gregory-Lincoln Education Center in Houston until 2012. As an avid lover of music, Gray began to pursue a career in music, acting, and television hosting. Gray joined 106 & Park in October 2012 but left the show midway through May 2013 along with Shorty da Prince. The pair was temporarily replaced by Angela Simmons for the remainder of the season.
After leaving the show, she went on to host the first-ever Instagram show, The Tea.
Rocsi Diaz
The other half of the then-iconic Terrence & Rocsi duo is an alumna of Bowie State University. Her journey is a bit different than her 106 & Parker counterparts, as she enrolled in Bowie State after she left the show.
Back in 2023, she shared her reasons for returning back to school after initially dropping out. In addition to making her mom proud, Diaz said that she wanted to motivate other adults to go back to school. She also appeared on the show HBCU 101, hosted by Virginia State University alum Jahliel Thurman, shared why she chose Bowie State and her experience as a college dropout.
“Well, first and foremost, one of the biggest deciding factors for me for Bowie State was that it had an amazing online course. Of course, I'm here in L.A. At the time, most colleges and most universities weren't able to offer me the extensive online courses I needed to finish my degree. Now, and that's what I am doing. I'm finishing my degree.”
She continued, “I was a college dropout. I was in college when I was doing radio and then career, you know, all of that, so I dropped out. But it was always a goal for me to go back. So one was definitely the opportunity to be able to finish online. And the people in administration, like, I can't say enough about Bowie State. Like, from the top down, they welcomed me. Uh, they work around my schedule, they really help me and push me, and they hold me accountable.”
Diaz was chosen as the host of 106 & Park alongside Terrence J in 2006. After leaving the show in 2012, she joined Entertainment Tonight as a daily correspondent and weekend co-host. She has hosted several other shows, including Dating Naked and Alter Ego. Diaz is currently the co-host alongside NFL superstar Deion Sanders on the Tubi talk show, We Got Time Today.
