Rap City (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Rap City is a music video
television program
block (debuting on August 11, 1989) aired on the Black Entertainment Television
network. The program was an exclusive showcase for hip hop music
videos, and features interviews with and freestyles
from popular rappers, and often has guest DJs
serve as co-hosts.
, also hosted by "The Unseen VJ".
While its competitor Yo! MTV Raps
, which is now discontinued, mainly focused on all of the popular rappers, Rap City also included videos from up and coming underground rappers.
-1991
). Throughout his run, Thomas was also known as "The Mayor of Rap City", or simply "The Mayor". Other hosts: Hans Dobson AKA PRIME HIP HOP ADVISOR (1989-93), Prince Dejour (1991-94), Joe Clair
(1994-99), Leslie Segar (a.k.a. Big Lez) (1994-99), Big Tigger
(1999-2005), Mad Linx (2005-06), J-Nicks (2005-06) and Q-45 (2006-08).
On September 13, 1999, the show was re-titled Rap City: Tha Basement and newly hosted by Big Tigger
(a.k.a. Tigger), who succeeded Joe Clair and Big Lez. On August 28, 2000, BET moved the show to a new time slot at 4 p.m.
On January 21, 2005, the show was repackaged and host Big Tigger was replaced by Mad Linx, a DJ
and radio personality. The transition was explained that Tigger's "mother" sold the basement and forced Big Tigger out to live with his father.
On October 3, 2005, Mad Linx went on hiatus to host BET Road Show. For several weeks, the show was hosted by J-Nicks, a native of St. Louis
. Occasionally, special guests (such as a hip hop star) would host Rap City. The network also shortened the shows run time from two to one hour.
On December 28, 2005, BET returned the show to its original 5 p.m. time slot. Mad Linx returned to his weekday routine on February 2, 2006. J-Nicks left to work as a weekday radio DJ
for WHTA Hot 107.9 FM in Atlanta
. On August 24, 2006, Q45 replaced Mad Linx on the show. On September 25, 2006, the time slot for Rap City changed to 4 p.m., and then flipped back to 5 p.m. in October 2006
. From that moment on, Q45 hosted the show on Weekdays. Mad Linx hosted Rap City Top 10 on Saturdays and Big Tigger hosted the show as Rap City Presents... specials.
On September 17, 2007, BET changed the time slot of Rap City to 1 a.m. Eastern time. A time slot previously held by re-runs of The Parkers
and other syndicated shows. In the timeslot that Rap City previously occupied, random music videos are now being shown. In October 2007, due to drop of ratings Rap City returned to its previous time slot at 5 p.m.
In September 2008, Rap City obtained a new time of 3 p.m.
officially canceled Rap City, its last airing was Tuesday September 30, 2008 and was be replaced by now-cancelled The Deal
on November 10, 2008. The Grand Finale aired on November 8, 2008 with previous and current VJ's that hosted Rap City. It is rumored that business man Carlton Richard, President of The Richard Organization, LLC is working on a deal to purchase the rights to Rap City and revamp the program.
On Friday, June 12, 2009, a Rap City: Relapse special was aired on BET hosted by Big Tigger with guest Eminem
.
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
television program
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
block (debuting on August 11, 1989) aired on the Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
network. The program was an exclusive showcase for hip hop music
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
videos, and features interviews with and freestyles
Freestyle rap
Freestyle rap commonly refers to rap lyrics which are improvised through a acapella or with instrumental beats, i.e. performed with no previously composed lyrics, or "off the top of the head"...
from popular rappers, and often has guest DJs
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
serve as co-hosts.
Conception
The show was created by former BET VJ/producer Alvin Jones, a.k.a "The Unseen VJ". This was a spin-off of the "Rap Week" segment of Video VibrationsVideo Vibrations
Video Vibrations was a multi-hour long video block that showcased some of hottest music videos. It is also among one of BET's early video shows. The show debuted on BET in October 1984 and continued through the 1997. In 1997, it was changed to Vibrations.-Hosts:The show's host consisted of a VJ who...
, also hosted by "The Unseen VJ".
While its competitor Yo! MTV Raps
Yo! MTV Raps
Yo! MTV Raps was a two-hour American television music video program, which ran from August 1988 to August 1995 through its original Yo! MTV Raps name and later by Yo! . The program was the first hip hop music show on the network, based on the original MTV Europe show, aired one year earlier. The U.S...
, which is now discontinued, mainly focused on all of the popular rappers, Rap City also included videos from up and coming underground rappers.
Hosts and timeslots
Among notable previous hosts of the show are Chris Thomas (the first host of the show from 19891989 in television
For the American TV schedule, see: 1989–90 United States network television schedule.The year 1989 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1989.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
-1991
1991 in television
For the American TV schedule, see: 1991-92 United States network television schedule.The year 1991 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1991.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
). Throughout his run, Thomas was also known as "The Mayor of Rap City", or simply "The Mayor". Other hosts: Hans Dobson AKA PRIME HIP HOP ADVISOR (1989-93), Prince Dejour (1991-94), Joe Clair
Joe Clair
Joe Clair, also known by the nickname "Joe Cleezy", is an American stand-up comedian, radio DJ, and VJ. A native of the Seat Pleasant, Maryland suburb of Washington, D.C., Clair is best known as the former host of BET's Rap City from 1994 to 1999....
(1994-99), Leslie Segar (a.k.a. Big Lez) (1994-99), Big Tigger
Big Tigger
Darian "Big Tigger" Morgan , also known as Big Tigg; is an American television and radio personality best known as the host of BET's Rap City and 106 & Park.- :...
(1999-2005), Mad Linx (2005-06), J-Nicks (2005-06) and Q-45 (2006-08).
On September 13, 1999, the show was re-titled Rap City: Tha Basement and newly hosted by Big Tigger
Big Tigger
Darian "Big Tigger" Morgan , also known as Big Tigg; is an American television and radio personality best known as the host of BET's Rap City and 106 & Park.- :...
(a.k.a. Tigger), who succeeded Joe Clair and Big Lez. On August 28, 2000, BET moved the show to a new time slot at 4 p.m.
On January 21, 2005, the show was repackaged and host Big Tigger was replaced by Mad Linx, a DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
and radio personality. The transition was explained that Tigger's "mother" sold the basement and forced Big Tigger out to live with his father.
On October 3, 2005, Mad Linx went on hiatus to host BET Road Show. For several weeks, the show was hosted by J-Nicks, a native of St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. Occasionally, special guests (such as a hip hop star) would host Rap City. The network also shortened the shows run time from two to one hour.
On December 28, 2005, BET returned the show to its original 5 p.m. time slot. Mad Linx returned to his weekday routine on February 2, 2006. J-Nicks left to work as a weekday radio DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
for WHTA Hot 107.9 FM in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. On August 24, 2006, Q45 replaced Mad Linx on the show. On September 25, 2006, the time slot for Rap City changed to 4 p.m., and then flipped back to 5 p.m. in October 2006
2006 in television
2006 in television may refer to:*2006 in American television*2006 in Australian television*2006 in British television*2006 in Canadian television*2006 in Japanese television...
. From that moment on, Q45 hosted the show on Weekdays. Mad Linx hosted Rap City Top 10 on Saturdays and Big Tigger hosted the show as Rap City Presents... specials.
On September 17, 2007, BET changed the time slot of Rap City to 1 a.m. Eastern time. A time slot previously held by re-runs of The Parkers
The Parkers
The Parkers is an American sitcom . A spin-off of UPN's Moesha, The Parkers featured the mother-daughter team of Nikki and Kim Parker . The Parkers' signature "Heeyyy" greeting made its way into popular vernacular in the early 2000s.-Premise:The series centered around a mother and daughter who...
and other syndicated shows. In the timeslot that Rap City previously occupied, random music videos are now being shown. In October 2007, due to drop of ratings Rap City returned to its previous time slot at 5 p.m.
In September 2008, Rap City obtained a new time of 3 p.m.
The Freestyle Booth
One of the most prominent and most popular segments of the show has been the freestyle booth. In these particular segments, the guests would lay exclusive new vocals on the spot. This came to place around Big Tigger's tenure, which also included a guest DJ every week. Seemingly, this concept was scrapped when "Tha Basement" concept left but it has since returned. This is now seen as a major staple of Rap City, although no hosts other than Joe Clair and Big Tigger have joined in during the freestyle sessions. On several occasions back in the early 2000s, the freestyle booth was mostly, if not completely uncensored. Also when special guests come and leave they leave with a signature, in the booth, on the wall.Finale
On October 1, 2008, BETBlack Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
officially canceled Rap City, its last airing was Tuesday September 30, 2008 and was be replaced by now-cancelled The Deal
The Deal (BET)
The Deal was a rap music video show on BET that premiered on November 10, 2008. It was the successor to nineteen year long Rap City. The show aired for one hour. Its hosts were Memphitz and DJ Diamond Kuts. The Deal began airing each weekday afternoon at 5p.m. On November 24, 2008 it moved to at...
on November 10, 2008. The Grand Finale aired on November 8, 2008 with previous and current VJ's that hosted Rap City. It is rumored that business man Carlton Richard, President of The Richard Organization, LLC is working on a deal to purchase the rights to Rap City and revamp the program.
On Friday, June 12, 2009, a Rap City: Relapse special was aired on BET hosted by Big Tigger with guest Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
.