Xavier “Da Freakin’ Rican” Garcia loves his job. If you were toask him what he loved most about it, the radio host of “Xavier’sWorld” on 98.5 the Beat would list the following: hip–hop, his fellowDJs, and the ability to make his listeners laugh and have a goodtime.

“This is the best job in the world,” said Garcia. “I get to listen tomusic. I get to talk with all kinds of people. I have never been happierin my life.” He shares his amazement at the initial public reactionwhen the new hip–hop and R&B station began in 2000: “Peopleloved the station. Never had I witnessed that much love for a radiostation in my life. People were going, ‘Thank God you guys are here.’This radio station has always been about this city. And here we aregoing on eight years now.”

Sitting at a mahoganytable, overlooking a beautifulgreen landscape ofNortheast San Antonio onLoop 410, Garcia recalls thearduous path that led himto one of the city’s top radiostations.

Born in San Antonio to asingle mother serving in themilitary, Garcia grew up in ahousehold with little moneyand few opportunities. Hischildhood is marked withmemories of his motherstruggling to pay the billsand support her son. Withoutanger or shame, Garciasees his childhood as a formativeone, and his motheras an inspirational figure.

“My mom was a role model to me because she did what shecould with what she had and she made it—we made it,” said Garcia.“But I try to instill in my kids—I have four daughters—that thingswill not always be provided to you. You got to go out and get it.”

Radio also played a large part in Garcia’s childhood. At age 10he spent time in his garage making fake radio shows. He recalls,with slight embarrassment, recording commercials off the radioand making mix tapes to put on his own “show.”

“I would not turn the radio off, I loved it so much,” said Garcia.“The background I came from, not having any money, you can’t sitthere and buy music all the time. So having a radio was essential.Here’s the free jukebox that’s running 24/7 with all my favoritesongs on it...then some guy turning the mike on and making melaugh because he’s funny. It was perfect. I loved it.”

As a teenager, Garcia dreamed of being a professional DJ. Hetook a job at Music Connection to gain experience as a mobile discjockey. His part–time job consisted of playing at parties, Bar Mitzvahs,weddings and quinceañeras. He also took a steady stream ofodd jobs to support himself. He did everything from working atfast–food restaurants to being a nightclub bouncer.

It was at his nightclub position where he met an employeenamed Kyle Powers who worked at 102.7 KTFM. Garcia askedPowers what he needed to do to work at the radio station; Powerssuggested filling out a job application. Garcia applied.

Garcia landed himself a position as a board operator. For thenext several months he found himself preparing microphones andworking the sound board for all the professional disc jockeys. Allthe while he frequently looked for the perfect opportunity to get infront of the microphone himself.

“I was begging the music director, Steve ‘Smokin’ Chavez, to doone mix show (for a period of months)” said Garcia. “One night Iasked, ‘Can I get on the mike or can I do an air check? It’s real late—it’s two in the morning—why not? Nobody’s listening. Can I just geton the microphone?”

“Steve who at this point was tired of me bugging him said,‘Alright, but if you screwup and somebody hears, Ididn’t tell you yes.’ So thereI go.”

Garcia remembers thenerves that came with thissudden opportunity. Whenthe on–air light flicked on,he tried his best to focuson what to say. “I start doingmy best impression of aDJ—it wasn’t really me. Butthen some of my personalityescaped into that performanceand it made it on air.I remember the moment Idid that, all the phone lineslit up. I was content. I rememberthe pure joy of doingthat one (show).”

After the show Garcia receiveda phone call fromChavez saying he really enjoyed the show. This serendipitous opportunitylanded Garcia a regular DJ weekend slot at KTFM. Forthe next nine months he gained experience, learning from mistakesand improving as a DJ.

It was during that time when an emerging radio station, KBBT“The Beat,” was looking to hire DJs. Garcia’s wife informed himabout the new station and pointed out that it played his favoritetype of music—hip–hop. Doors began to suddenly open up for Garcia.Out of the blue, KBBT station manager J.D. Gonzales calledand offered him a full–time weekday position at the new station.After much thought and discussion with family and employers,Garcia chose to join. Since that time 98.5 the Beat has grown instatus and popularity.

Garcia can only look back and thank God and family for hisgood fortune. He acknowledges his wife, who has been with himsince the beginning, as the bulwark of his personal and professionallives. “My wife is the backbone of our relationship. Without her beingsupportive (of my career) and her being the great mother thatshe is to my kids, I don’t know how I would have done it.” He alsothanks all the listeners because “they have embraced not just mebut the station.”

Garcia shows nothing but optimism for the future: “There willalways be a need for this city to be entertained. There will always bea need for people in the ‘210’ area for free entertainment. I hope tostill be doing this. I love what I do.”