BET Announces ‘Rap City’ Documentary Coming This October
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BET’s Rap City is the latest piece of Hip-Hop history to be immortalized in the form of a documentary.
The three-part series, in partnership with Mass Appeal, premieres on Oct. 10, three months after it was first announced on Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary.
One of the former hosts of the hit show, Big Tigger, shared that Welcome To Rap City will “go behind the scenes of the longest running national Hip-Hop show of all time… and what happened to it… See all your favorite #RapCity hosts, MCs, DJs, and music insiders give you the REAL about ‘Rap City’…”
Other previous hosts include Chris Thomas—formally known as The Mayor—Joe Clair, Hans “Prime” Dobson, Leslie “Big Lez” Segar, Prince DaJour, Mad Linx, J-Nicks, and Q-45.
The documentary will feature special guests including Debra Lee, Eve, Ludacris, Jim Jones, T.I., Stephen Hill, and more. In a preview of the docuseries, Busta Rhymes is seen reflecting on Rap City‘s legacy.
“I ain’t even gon’ front, ‘Rap City’ was like the primary platform for everybody.” T.I. shared, “No matter how big you may see these people right now […] ‘Rap City‘ gave us a launchpad and a countdown to shoot us off into the stratosphere.”
Series creator Alvin Jones, better known as “The Unseen VJ”, launched the show in 1989 as a competitor to Yo! MTV Raps with a primary focus on rising underground rappers.
When speaking on the end of Rap City, Segar stated, “We had skeletons and scandals and bruises and bumps from all of the ‘Rap City’ episodes, the shootouts, the fights that happened…” Tigger somberly added, “It was sad to see it end; something that you had so closely intertwined with your name, your likeness, your everything [just] go away. It was like part of your identity being wiped away. I thought ‘Rap City’ was forever.”
The Rap City documentary was first announced in November 2022. Watch the trailer below.
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