They're musical renegades, playing hip hop and rap on pirated radio frequencies. Now the FCC is taking notice, trying to shut down two underground radio stations in the city.

Pirate radio is alive and well in Erie. Two stations, 89.5 and 90.1, have received warnings from the FCC... but 90.1 is still broadcasting. They tell us they feel like they have to.

The face of new radio in Erie is a couple of computers, and a small transmitter surrounded by CDs and ashtrays. Erie's only hip hop and rap station is hiding in Marshall Jones’ living room.

Jones says, "It’s definitely something that’s missing right here in Erie, PA."

Jones is the owner, operator, DJ, and creator of 90.1 The Movement - a small radio station broadcasting hip hop, rap, reggae and gospel on a pirated frequency. But three months into the underground music the FCC stepped in. 90.1 got too powerful, and started operating at 50 times the wattage they are allowed.

A warning was sent to them and to another station, 89.5, telling them to get off the air, or they'd be fined ten thousand dollars. But Jones, a former Super Soul Saturday DJ, tells us he can’t stop - if he’s not on air, a whole genre would disappear in the city.

"The question always remained, why don’t we have this 24 hours a day, what do we have to do to do it and basically I went ahead and said let’s see what happens, you know what I mean," says Jones.

Pirate stations are usually kicked off the air quickly... not just for stealing frequencies, but because they can't provide emergency alerts to the public.

But the determination to stay on air brings up the question - is there a musical need in Erie that’s not being filled?

We went to the Boston Store, home of Connoisseur Media and their six stations. They tell us hip hop just doesn’t sell.

Joe Lang of Connoisseur Media says, "Trust me, it’s all about money, it’s about making money, if there were a market and a niche for a hip hop or rap station, or one of the formats that aren’t represented, trust me, someone would be doing it."

Jones is staying on air as long as he can before getting fined - his dream is to make the movement legal.

"I have to I have to go forward and see what it is that has to be done to make this happen," Jones says.

Jones is taking steps to try and get a license, but they are extremely expensive and a lot of steps have to be taken.