Drake is partnering with Jermaine Dupri to create a documentary about Atlanta’s famous Magic City strip club. The series will detail the back story of the famous venue and its decades-long influence on hip-hop. Magic City has been name-dropped by rappers in lyrics for years and has been a place artists have debuted new records. It’s also been a popular hangout for the B.M.F. crew and was the site of former Georgia Governor Stacey Abrams’s get-out-the-vote announcement in 2020.
Charles Todd will serve as the director of Magic City: An American Fantasy. 2 Chainz, Nelly, Shaquille O’Neal, Quavo, Killer Mike, and Big Boi, among others will all be making appearances.
Jermaine Dupri performs during KMEL All-Star Jam at Shoreline Amphitheatre on August 29, 1998 in Mountain View, California. (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)
“Magic City is a second home for me. It’s the one place where celebrities, hustlers, politicians, and Atlanta locals all come together. I’ve watched it evolve over the years from a local joint to an internationally recognized spot. It’s about time we tell this story the right way,” executive producer Dupri said in a statement.
Series creator Cole Brown added: “This is a unique story of Black entrepreneurship and empire-building in a city that is the beating heart of Black culture. I’m ecstatic to be working with a team that will give this story the authenticity and platform it deserves.” Jami Gertz, Atlanta Hawks team co-owner and Executive Producer on the film said: “The inner workings of Magic City and its prevalence in hip-hop are remarkably mysterious – it’s a wonder the story has yet to be told. Atlanta is my adopted home and a place I’m looking forward to celebrating through this story.”
In making the docu-series, the creative team has exclusive access to never-before-told anecdotes, archival footage, and first-hand accounts from different nights at the club. It will also cover the club’s owner, Michael “Mr. Magic” Barney. Magic City: An American Fantasy does not yet have a release date.
Showtime is set to release Goliath, a three-part series about NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain. Chamberlain is one of the most fascinating people to have played basketball and in many ways is more myth than legend. The 100-point game no one watched because it happened at a time when people cared more about college ball than pro play. The prolific womanizing, with Wilt claiming he had a body count of over 20,000.
But who was he really? That’s what Showtime set out to ask, and hopefully answer. The series is meant to strip away the myth to highlight the mortal that lay beneath it. Executive-produced by Kevin Garnett, the show looks at Chamberlain’s life from the lens of basketball, psychology, and society. However, it also appears to make a number of choices that some may find controversial.
“Goliath” Explores Chamberlain’s Life Through His Own Words
Per the official release for the show, “Utilizing groundbreaking artificial intelligence to recreate Chamberlain’s voice to narrate his own words and archival footage provided by the Wilt Chamberlain Estate, GOLIATH tells the definitive story of Chamberlain’s remarkable life and how he fits into the fabric of American history. The series invokes a variety of voices from sports, media, entertainment and academia to place Chamberlain’s life in both historical and contemporary contexts, highlighting his unparalleled athleticism, trailblazing achievements, personal magnetism and introspective nature.”
Yup, Goliath has reportedly utilized AI to bring Chamberlain’s voice back to life. The real Wilt Chamberlain died in 1999 and while his estate is reportedly okay with his, audio AI is still a very murky topic for many people. Meanwhile, the three-part series will balance AI Chamberlain-narrated footage with standard documentary talking heads. Seen in the trailer are the likes of Kevin Garnett, Pat Riley, Rick Barry, Jackie MacMullan, Bob Ryan, Tom Meschery, Dr. Todd Boyd, Jemele Hill, Jerry West, and clinical psychologist Orna Guralnik. Goliath will premiere for Paramount+ subscribers on July 14 and receive a full release on Showtime on July 16. Will you be watching? Let us know in the comments.
Big Daddy Kane says that Eminem caught him off guard with his knowledge of hip-hop while interviewing the legendary rapper for his new documentary, Paragraphs I Manifest. Kane discussed his experience speaking with Eminem while talking to HipHopDX on the red carpet at the 2023 BET Awards in Los Angeles over the weekend.
“The interview with Eminem was very, very intense,” Kane said. “He mentioned some things that I never really paid attention to or thought about, like the way I had to really sit and say, ‘You sure I’m the first person that did that? Like hold on, let me double check.’ He mentioned something that I never really thought about or paid attention to.” He declined to provide further specifics, telling fans to wait for the documentary.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 25: Big Daddy Kane attends the BET Awards 2023 at Microsoft Theater on June 25, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/WireImage)
Big Daddy Kane previously revealed that several rap greats will be in the documentary including J. Cole, JAY-Z, Common, Doug E. Fresh, and KRS-One. He discussed talking to J. Cole specifically during a video he posted on Instagram, last September.
“A lot of people out there right now are coming to people such as myself and many others, giving us our flowers and whatnot while we’re still here,” he said at the time. “But listen, I wanna give this young brother right here his flowers like on the real. I want this brother right here to know that he is my favorite MC out here right now. This is the brother right here that makes me feel like Hip Hop is still alive and it’s here to stay when I listen to this here brother spit and listen to his music. Love you, fam.”
Big Daddy Kane Reflects On Eminem Interview
Big Daddy Kane hasn’t given a release date for Paragraphs I Manifest but he recently told AllHipHop that he hopes to have it done soon in honor of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary.
Stephen Curry has changed the way the game of basketball will be played forever. The Golden State star has reimagined what three-point shooting looks like on the professional level. Curry’s influence on the game will be remembered for many years to come. Now, the Warriors star is getting his story told on the small screen. The documentary ‘Steph Curry: Underrated‘ will drop on Apple TV+ on July 21st. On Monday, the latest trailer for the documentary was released for fans to see.
Curry’s journey to the NBA wasn’t the road that many well-known superstars travel. He wasn’t a straight-out-of-high school project. He wasn’t coming to the league from one of the well-known blue bloods of college basketball. However, Curry carved his own path. Despite all those that doubted, Curry became a star. Also, proving that hard work and skill will stand out over whatever is written about you on paper. Check out the latest trailer for Curry’s doc. below.
Overall, the trailer looks to show that the documentary will follow Curry’s basketball career from the earliest stages. Curry’s family is deep in the roots of the game of basketball. Steph’s father, Dell, was a well-known star for the Charlotte Hornets. As well as being one of Steph’s greatest mentors. In the trailer, we see Curry’s iconic run with the Davidison Wildcats in March Madness. Undoubtedly one of the most iconic moments in college basketball history. Including a shot of LeBron James witnessing the unforgettable performance that Curry put on during that run.
The story of the history of the NBA can’t be told without a long chapter on Curry. However, not only did he revolutionize the game of basketball, but Curry also shared that he is more than basketball. Once in a while, a talent like Curry comes along. It’s best to enjoy what they bring to the table. However, with documentaries like ‘The Last Dance‘ being so successful, it seems there is a large audience craving more sports stories. Will you be tuning into the Stephen Curry documentary? Let us know in the comment section. For the latest news in sports, keep it right here with HNHH.
N.O.R.E is a rap legend in every way someone can be. His time as part of Capone-N-Noreaga and his work since is still massively influential to the genre. Despite his status, N.O.R.E never hesitates to give credit to other artists when they deserve it. A new Amazon mini-doc called Hip-Hop X Siempre seeks to explore the crossover between hip-hop and Latin culture. To tell the story they recruited influential figures from both worlds to discuss essential experiences they’ve had between the genres.
One of those figures involved is N.O.R.E himself. During one of the most memorable moments in the documentary he remembers his friend and frequent collaborator Big Pun. “Pun was probably the greatest person I ever met in life,” N.O.R.E begins. “Not greatest Puerto Rican the greatest person I ever met in life.” N.O.R.E also told stories of Pun’s generosity. “I remember me and Pun both being platinum, and if he found out I was in the Bronx, he would buy me an Avirex and a PlayStation.” He noted that Pun was still so giving despite their similar levels of success. “I was like, ‘Yo bro, I’m getting’ the same amount of money as you,’ but he always wanted to give.”
N.O.R.E’s Emotional Recollection
Big Pun is a big focal point of the documentary. They also got collaborator Fat Joe to come on and discuss more of the musical elements of his impact. Meanwhile, Pun is far from the only rapper N.O.R.E has a lot of love for. Just last week a clip made the rounds of him meeting up with Nas backstage after a show in Paris. The two are clearly fond of each other and exchange a hug and a nice moment in the video.
After a recent performance at the Lovers & Friends Festival N.O.R.E hinted that he could be close to retiring from live performances altogether. At the end of his rare performance, he left fans wondering if they would ever get another shot to see him. What do you think of N.O.R.E’s emotional memories of Big Pun? Let us know in the comment section below.
It’s been over 20 years since R&B icon Aaliyah tragically passed away at the age of 22. Her short life and the tragic plane crash that ended it have been subject to public fascination for years and now there’s an hour-long celebration celebrating her life coming to ABC. The special which is titled Superstar: Aaliyah seeks to assess the impact she had on the worlds of R&B and fashion with her distinct style.
Another thing the documentary is expected to cover is Aaliyah’s notorious marriage to R. Kelly. The pair’s alleged marriage has been the subject of rumors for decades. They both initially denied that Aaliyah had forged paperwork and listed herself as 18 instead of 15 so the process would be legal. Years later during the Surviving R. Kelly documentary, it came to light that a former tour manager had helped the pair falsify documents after Aaliyah revealed she was pregnant. The episode will feature her former boyfriend Damon Dash as well as will.i.am Justine Skye, Karl Kani, and more. It will air on ABC Wednesday, June 14th, and be available to stream on Hulu the next day. You can watch the trailer for it here.
Aaliyah’s Superstar Moment
Previous episodes of the Superstar series have documented the legacies of other deceased stars. Richard Pryor, Kobe Bryant, and Whitney Houston are all among those who have had their own editions of the special. Aaliyah’s debut album Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number just had its 29th anniversary. Fans continue to stream her music and new artists continue to cite her as a major influence to this day. Earlier this year fans petitioned the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame to honor Aaliyah as an inductee, though she wasn’t nominated.
Fans also celebrated what would have been Aaliyah’s 44th birthday earlier this year. Many friends of Aaliyah and those influenced by her work also shared messages for the late singer. Friend and collaborator Missy Elliot sent out a heartfelt tweet commemorating the day back in January. Are you excited about the upcoming ABC News special highlighting Aaliyah’s legacy? Let us know in the comment section below.
The Donda rollout was undoubtedly a messy yet mesmerizing experience. From debuting two separate versions of the project at Atlanta’s Mercedes Benz Stadium to its finale in Chicago, Kanye West created a spectacle out of the rollout. However, it didn’t go without its headaches and outbursts. A new documentary clip surfaced this morning that shows some of the behind-the-scenes antics surrounding the project as he rounded up an elite list of collaborators including Fivio Foreign, Playboi Carti, Pusha T and more.
Kanye West left fans disappointed when he replaced Jay-Z on “Jail” with DaBaby and Marilyn Manson, both engulfed in controversy at the time. Apparently, Ye needed his collaborators on stage at the Chicago listening party. “Everybody that’s not here, I’m taking their verses off,” he said. “So, I’m taking Jay-Z verse off. I’m taking – if there’s anybody not here on the porch with me, they’re not on this version.” Afterward, Ye looks at the camera and asks, “How do you even describe these kinds of conversations, bro?”
Although Ye debuted Donda in Chicago without Hov, he released the project with both versions of “Jail.” It marked the return ofThe Throne – Jay-Z and Kanye West’s first collaboration since their underwhelming appearance on “Pop Style.” Earlier in the documentary clip, there’s a scene where Kanye’s working in a classroom-like setting with engineers and producers as they tweak the final product of “Jail.” Around the time, Ye also confirmed that Watch The ThroneII would arrive before the year came to an end, but that never actually happened. There’s still no real update on whether that project will ever come to fruition.
In addition to insight into “Jail,” the behind-the-scenes clip provides some interesting looks into Ye’s creative process at the time. Alongside footage from the studio, the clip also shows Ye visiting his childhood home in Chicago and delivering a passionate sermon to his collaborators. During the speech, he thanks God for his now-estranged wife, kids, and mother, and for becoming alcohol-free. It’s overall an interesting clip that will likely have you revisiting Donda. Check out the snippet above and sound off with your thoughts.
Kanye West put fans through the ringer when he dropped DONDA back in 2021. Overall, the making of this album was genuinely off the wall. Firstly, he previewed a horrifically unfinished album at Mercedez Benz stadium in Atlanta. Subsequently, he delivered a second version of the album that was a lot better. Lastly, he dropped a third preview of the album in Chicago. This eventually led to him dropping the album officially, a couple of days later.
However, the wildest part of this rollout is how he was living inside the Atlanta Stadium for weeks. He put up a bed in one of the locker rooms and made music out of there. Moreover, he put up a livestream in which he could be seen working out and recording with the likes of Lil Yachty and Playboi Carti. During this entire process, camera crews were there to document the entire process. An official documentary had never made it to the airwaves. However, that has ultimately changed as a five-minute clip from the doc has leaked.
As we reported on yesterday, part of this footage showcases Kanye recording the song “Junya.” For those who are not aware, this is a song with Playboi Carti. These recording sessions were fairly intense, and they seemed to be a whole lot of fun. However, Kanye West is very meticulous, and you can be sure that he made a lot of changes to what folks were doing. Either way, fans are just happy that they get to see this new footage.
Kanye West has been known to document his life. Of course, just last year we got the Jeen-Yuhs doc which took a look at Kanye’s early life and career. Unfortunately, things took a pretty harsh turn for him back in November as he went on numerous anti-Semitic tirades. Hopefully, Kanye is able to get his head right sometime soon. In the meantime, let us know your thoughts on this footage, down below.
Rapper French Montana’s upcoming documentary about his experiences as an immigrant has been generating a lot of buzz recently. The film will make its premiere at Tribeca later this month and Montana just announced on Instagram that a very special guest will present it. “FROM A SMALL VILLAGE IN AFRICA TO ROBERT DE NIRO PRESENTING YOUR LIFE STORY AT TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL. JUNE 16th. NYC !!!! ALLAH IS THE GREATEST.” The documentary called For Khadija tells French Montana’s life story of immigrating to America and growing up in The Bronx.
The announcement came with a video of DeNiro and Tribeca and fellow Tribeca co-founder Jane Rosenthal. In the video, they discuss this year’s slate of films and their satisfaction with the selections. For Khadija is one of several musical films playing at the festival. French Montana is also giving a live performance after the screening. The film centers around New York life and makes sense for Tribeca, the city’s staple film festival. In the video DeNiro notes “To me, being part of the fabric of the city and so on is everything and tradition, and hopefully it will last as long as the city is here — and the city should be here forever.”
The film is directed by Rap Caviar Presents alum Mandon Lovett and tells the story of French Montana’s journey from rags to riches. Along the way, the film tells stories of Montana being shot and his friend Max B getting sentenced to 75 years in jail. The movie doesn’t currently have a confirmed date for wider release but its Tribeca debut is scheduled for June 16th.
French Montana has also kept busy musically. The film will get an accompanying soundtrack in time for its wider release and he shared the first taste of it just this week. I Can’t Lie sees him teaming up with Kodak Black and producer London On Da Track. The track is full of rags-to-riches lyrics that go perfectly with the story of the upcoming documentary. Are you excited to see French Montana’s life story in his new documentary? Let us know in the comments.
Milli Vanilli is set to have a documentary airing at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 10. Chronicling the rise and fall of the duo, the story of coming to Paramount+. In an official statement, surviving member Fab Morvan stated, “Finally – the true story of Milli Vanilli has been told! I’m thankful Luke Korem and his team went to the lengths that they did. The journey I returned to during the filming of this documentary didn’t leave any stone unturned. At last, I can close this chapter in peace. … Get ready to take a walk in our steel-toe boots.” Milli Vanilli getting a documentary is long overdue, with their story remaining a defining moment in hip-hop folklore.
Milli Vanilli’s MTV Performance Exposed Them
Portraits, London, 27 September 1988, L-R Rob Pilatus, Fab Morvan. (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images)
The rise and fall of Milli Vanilli is something that will likely never be replicated in music again. Less than a year after the German-French R&B-Pop duo brandished their Grammy Award, they had to return their trophy for Best New Artist. They were the first artists ever to have to return a Grammy Award. The reason? Lip-syncing.
After selling millions of records, it was discovered that the duo hadn’t sung a note on any of their songs. While their plastic image was concretely discovered after a disastrous MTV performance in 1989, fans had suspected something was amiss for years prior. From occasional issues with the sound production to singer Charles Shaw stating he was one of the band’s background singers, it was only a matter of time before their notoriety fell apart.
In essence, while lacking talent, their prevalence would speak volumes to the power of imagery within the music industry. Even if they completely lacked musical talent, the two had the artificial image of superstars. Compiled with an attractive stage image and a European aura to their style, Milli Vanilli took over the US charts. All Or Nothing ran up the charts, with “Girl You Know It’s True” being the project’s defining hit.
Pilatus told the Los Angeles Times in 1990, “I know it’s going to be hard for the kids to stand behind us. But I hope they understand that we are just two human guys who were so hungry for success that we allowed ourselves to be manipulated. We wanted to get on the top. We apologize and hope they’ll give us a second chance.”
Rob Pilatus Never Recovered From The Fallout
Unfortunately, Pilatus wouldn’t even give himself a second chance. The embarrassing public fallout was more than the temporarily humiliating occurrence that it could’ve been. While the group could have moved on and attempted to repair their public image, the situation broke Pilatus. As Morvan put it, “Rob didn’t have the strength to start over.” He fell into a lifelong battle with substance abuse, falling in and out of rehab. Back in 1991, he had to be talked off of a balcony by police. Pilatus eventually succumbed to its ills due to an alcohol and drug overdose at the age of 33. At the time, the duo had reportedly been recording a new album.
In retrospect, Rob’s more profound struggles with the fallout in comparison to Fab make sense. Fab was always the melodramatic personality of the group, lurking further back in the shadows compared to Rob. There was a consistent tone in the duo’s run of interviews, with Rob being the outspoken extrovert while Rob subtly nodded in the background. Therefore, the fallout of Milli Vanilli had the public’s outrage more-so directed at Rob than Fab. A fabricator tag would live with them for the rest of their lives, and the group’s headliner could never emotionally handle that.
The Duo Fell Into Obscurity
Das ehemalige Popduo Milli Vanilli posiert für die Kamera. Die Popsänger Robert Pilatus (l) und Fabrice Morvan (r) waren Anfang der 90-er Jahre in die Schlagzeilen geraten, weil sie auf ihrem Erstlingsalbum Girl You Know Its True nicht selbst gesungen hatten (undatierte Aufnahme). (Photo by KPA/United Archives/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Whether to take the side of sympathy or disdain regarding Fab and Rob is confusing. Manager Frank Farian discovered the duo. At the time, the two were poor aspiring artists in the Berlin area. Apparently, Farian promised the two that they could use their own voices on future albums and tours as long as they lip-synced for the time being. However, this claim from the duo is controversial at best. After the band’s fallout, Farian was still looking to revive the image of Milli Vanilli alongside the members of the real vocalists from before. Rob and Fab were impassively discarded after the many lawsuits aimed at their record label, Arista.
On the drawing board of strategies for Rob and Fab, the idea that stuck surrounded self-parody. The two starred in a sugarless gum commercial in which they comedically lip-synced to an opera song. While the two attempted to leverage this appearance into a career in the film industry, they wouldn’t get very far. Navigating back into the world of music, they released the self-titled Rob & Fab in 1993. Unfortunately, nobody cared anymore. The record sold merely 2,000 copies in the US, essentially signing the death warrant of the duo’s star image.
Fading Into Music History
While Rob Pilatus never found success again, Morvan used the ills he experienced as a motivation to improve his creative skills. After Rob’s death, Fab became a public speaker, musician, and radio DJ. Of course, his preemptive career would never come close to the heights of Milli Vanilli. However, he discovered his voice with the release of the 2003 album Love Revolution. Featuring touching tributes to Rob and a reflection on the Milli Vanilli outrage, he was able to redeem himself as an authentic musician. Hopefully, Fab’s redemption will be covered in the documentary surrounding Milli Vanilli.
