Blue Ridge PBS is the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member station for southwestern Virginia. It serves the Roanoke-Lynchburg market from studios in Roanoke. It formerly also broadcast to the Tri-Cities, Tennessee-Virginia market.
The primary station, WBRA-TV (channel 15) in Roanoke signed on for the first time on August 1, 1967, originally affiliated with the National Educational Television (NET), before that organization was replaced by PBS in 1970.
Over the years, WBRA established two satellite transmitters — WSBN-TV (channel 47) in Norton was activated in 1971 and WMSY-TV (channel 52) in Marion began operations in 1981. WSBN brought a city-grade PBS signal to the Tri-Cities for the first time; it is carried on the Tri-Cities DirecTV and Dish Network feeds.
In the 1980s, WBRA began identifying on-air as Blue Ridge Public Television, due of its location near the Blue Ridge Mountains. On February 19, 2007, it changed its on-air name to Blue Ridge PBS, though WBRA-TV remains the official call sign.
The first time I ever wrote a rhyme people laughed
My friends called me impetuous and a little brash
Local rockers were dissing cause I was spittin raps
My father said it's a fantasy, it would never last
I couldn't stop, giving up was irrational
Was skipping meals to save up and build a capital
Discriminated by fiends for bein broke
Subject to jokes, I was in need of neat clothes
Life was provocative, opposite of how it is not
For those who contradict to seek solace in God
Like I was targetted, with some chronic hate
Pretended I'm fine, while everybody walked away
My first ever gig and nobody was there to support me
But for my brother Smokey and his homie who barely had known me
I went ahead and eventually ripped the mic
Ended up making a 100 fans in a single night, now
I'm On My Own
And till this day, I never gave up
I'm On My Own
God never makes mistakes, he is only testing you
Just to see how much of courage and confidence rests in you
So I just, strengthen myself and rinse my soul
Hold onto faith, keep my inner senses bold
Unlike the, people who quite unsatisfied with life
With suicidal minds lying that dying is right
Uh, I reach for the stars, planets and galaxies
A kid on the road to becoming a masterpiece
But, right when I decide it's high time I drop bombs
They fail to recognize Hip Hop as an art form
They love it when they get to see women displaying chests
But not when I sing about it earning my paychecks
These, two faced people I co exist with
Some with enough hate they even wish death
Who cares, I'm doing movies, and I'm singing for stars
While you jealous, I'm chilling with celebs you worshiped as Gods
Now, Backstabbers return to shake hands
And tell me why they'll love me forever and stay friends
I'm searched for like I'm the one to be seeked
Then I'm showered with hate by every soul that underachieves
The most important lesson I learnt while I was growing
Up, was to trust nobody but myself alone
Burried my ego underground as I aim for the sky
And got my head up high till the day that I die
I'm On My Own
And till this day, I never gave up