Killer Mike and Vince Staples have had a lot of reasons to celebrate over the past couple of months. Both acclaimed rappers have been racking up praise from critics in the entertainment and the music industry, respectively. Of course, Mike was awarded several GRAMMYs for his second solo record MICHAEL. He wound up taking Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap Performance. For Staples, television buffs have been raving about The Vince Staples Show, his Netflix limited series. Killer Mike has been a big supporter of it since it dropped, and he is backing it further.
According to HipHopDX, he the Atlanta native is demanding that the streaming giant renew it for another season. He shared an Instagram post of him and Vince Staples dressed dapperly with a passionate caption. “@netflix we need season 2 of The @VinceStaples show and Trigger Warning with Killer Mike! #MICHAEL” The Run The Jewels affiliate is referring to a similar short series he dropped in 2019.
As we mentioned, the show has captured the attention of Mike from the start. When Vince tweeted and asked, “Who’s watching?” his fellow rap mate replied with glee “Me!” Furthermore, KM called the creative a “genius” and its clear their friendship is strong. Hopefully we do get that next season, with Rotten Tomatoes rating it 94% fresh.
What are your thoughts on Killer Mike backing Vince Staples in trying to get a second season for The Vince Staples Show? Did you get a chance to watch the Netflix series? If so, what did you think if of it? What was your favorite episode and why? Who had the best performance in the series? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Vince Staples and Killer Mike. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on around the world of music and TV.
In a recent interview about his new Netflix series, The Vince Staples Show, the Long Beach rapper gave a profound answer to what seemed on the surface to be a relatively straightforward question. “Every character is you,” he said. “I think that’s what gives us nuance.”
Now, he was responding to a question about how his show character — who is ostensibly a fictionalized version of himself — differs from the genuine article. But the thing is, his answer could be applied more broadly — not just to Vince Staples, or even to any actor/character combination, but to the very idea of representation itself.
We love TV because we see ourselves in the characters and situations onscreen. This is what gives those depictions their authenticity, what pulls us in, what engages us. This goes doubly for Black folks, who so rarely see ourselves and our lives onscreen that practically any representation can feel like a breath of fresh air.
Hip-hop, which marked its “official” 50th birthday last year, has had a profound effect on that representation. These days, Black audiences see themselves most clearly in boundary-pushing shows like The Vince Staples Show and Atlanta, but those shows are only the latest in a proud lineage of Black TV shows that wear their hip-hop influences on their sleeves.
Shows like The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air and Living Single proved our favorite musicians could transition to screen stardom, while shows like Empire and The Breaks followed the behind-the-scenes inner workings of the business of hip-hop music (with an engrossing helping of drama to help them along), as shows like The Rap Game and Rhythm + Flow offered a path to stardom for real-life aspirants. A few years ago, I wrote about the hip-hop sketch comedy shows that also gave the culture a greater platform.
From Fresh Prince to Vince Staples, here’s a look at how hip-hop has pushed the boundaries of Black TV.
Sitcoms
In many ways, hip-hop’s legacy of extending the boundaries of television started with sitcoms (there’s a reason the title of this piece marks those two shows as bookends). Will Smith, the titular Fresh Prince of Bel Air, was the first rapper with a regular role in a scripted TV series, let alone a starring one. While it was the existing stardom from his and DJ Jazzy Jeff’s first album Rock The House that got his foot in the door, it was his acting chops that proved he belonged in Hollywood — and helped open the door for future rappers turned sitcom stars like Queen Latifah (Living Single), LL Cool J (In The House), Eve (who had her own eponymous show in 2003), Kid Cudi (How To Make It In America), and even Method Man and Redman (Method & Red, which ran for one truncated season on Fox in 2004).
The groundwork these shows laid allowed for the newer, more experimental approaches of shows like Atlanta and The Vince Staples Show, which drew inspiration from more offbeat shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm, but paired them with hip-hop sensibilities. Atlanta, for instance, takes sharp detours in format and setting, sometimes opting for documentary-style episodes or standalone anthologies, which have been praised for moving not just Black TV but television as a whole forward.
Drama
The golden laurels for putting hip-hop on TV in a drama format almost certainly go to Empire, which took the dysfunctional family workings of classic soap operas like Dynasty and updated them to suit the trappings and lifestyle of a successful entertainment family, complete with a patriarch with a lengthy rap sheet. You can see shades of Succession, as well as star turns from both aspiring and established rappers. No doubt, the show’s success (including a slew of primetime Emmy Award nominations) opened the door for future network TV swings such as Queens. The theme of sisterhood from the latter carries over to Rap Sh!t, which chronicled the rags-to-riches story of a Miami rap duo inspired by City Girls.
Meanwhile, hip-hop’s fertile 50-year history offers a wealth of fascinating stories about its birth (The Get Down), development (The Breaks), and the biographies of some of his biggest stars (Wu-Tang: An American Saga). Meanwhile, rapper-turned-mogul 50 Cent has built an entire cinematic universe, Power, filling it with rappers like Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Freddie Gibbs, and Joey Badass.
Competition
Naturally, with the popularity of musical competitions like American Idol and The Voice, similar competition shows would focus on hip-hop, as the odds of succeeding on other shows can be slim (The X Factor eliminated teen rapper Astro, who nevertheless went on to have a solid film and TV career himself, including initially being cast on Euphoria, although he later turned the role down). One of the first rap-focused shows was 2003’s The Next Episode, which was produced by Showtime and Interscope Records to take advantage of the fervor surrounding Eminem’s film debut 8 Mile.
And while that show’s results would prove less than satisfactory, future efforts have produced genuine stars. Jermaine Dupri’s The Rap Game, which aired on Lifetime from 2016-2019, is notable for launching the career of Latto, as well as featuring future standouts like Flau’Jae. Meanwhile, Netflix’s Rhythm+Flow saw the rise and breakout of D Smoke, who went on to receive a Grammy nomination for his debut album Black Habits. The show is set to return in 2024.
Reality
As much as reality shows are looked down on as “trash TV,” there’s no denying their popularity — or their ability to share details of our favorite entertainers’ lives. Growing Up Hip Hop chronicles the lives of second-generation hip-hop stars, while a whole bunch of stars, from Snoop Dogg to Rev Run, have their own shows about their respective family lives and the often wholesome bonds that maintain them throughout their hectic lives.
Of course, no hip-hop reality show is better known or more engrossing than Love & Hip-Hop, the long-running series chronicling the ins and outs of romance in the rap scenes of several major cities. While many come for the mess, the show is responsible — at least in part — for the rise of one of the most notable names in rap: Cardi B, who spent several seasons in the cast of Love & Hip Hop: New York, becoming a breakout fan favorite and giving her the launching platform for one of the most successful careers in rap for a woman ever.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The press tour for The Vince Staples Show has been an absolute treasure trove of hilarious quotes and sharp insights from the show’s creator and star, Vince Staples. For instance, he’s revealed why the show only has five episodes (one was cut due to rain on the scheduled filming day), the fact that he failed a ton of auditions and even took acting classes to hone his comedic timing (watch the interview above), and why there weren’t any actual “jokes” in the show, despite it being uproariously funny.
However, one thing he didn’t share was whether the show would get a second season.
There’s a good reason for that, of course: Vince doesn’t know. As with most Netflix shows, its renewal is dependent on a complex set of criteria held by the streamer, which could include anything from the number of viewers or hours watched to “vibes” (when in doubt, assume the latter. CEOs don’t be knowing what they doing, it’s just that nobody ever tells them “no”). Still, Vince knows the show has a better chance if it does well early, prompting fans on Twitter to “hit that double thumbs” because “peer pressure works.”
Vince Staples recently encouraged fans to help boost the success of his recent Netflix series, The Vince Staples Show, so the streaming platform will renew it for more episodes. As of right now, there are only five — and the program is a limited series.
His post started after a fan asked where the rest of the episodes were, as it seemed like a smaller number than the average show gets on the site.
“Netflix didn’t buy anymore episodes so make sure you hit that double thumbs up,” Staples wrote. “Peer pressure works and I’m tryna re up.”
Netflix didn’t buy anymore episodes so make sure you hit that double thumbs up. Peer pressure works and I’m tryna re up. https://t.co/9WmUuCCMVv
Since he put the post out, fans have started tagging Netflix in tweets to hopefully get them to reconsider. “gf and I watched all 5 yesterday, hit the double thumbs up immediately,” one user replied to Staples. “Really hope they order at least 20 more episodes.”
“That season deserves an Emmy IMMEDIATELY,” another added.
The series uses Staples’ life as an inspiration. “That’s just the opportunity that we got, so we just try to make the best out of the opportunity,” Staples told Uproxx about how the show moved from YouTube. “Hopefully, it performs well and we are able to keep it going. That’s kind of how we got situated over here with Netflix, and I think it came out good. I feel like no matter how it ends up, we gave a round story and gave it some closure, some context. So I think we’ll be good either way.”
View Staples’ post about his Netflix show above. Below, find some more fan reactions who are hoping for a Netflix renewal.
The Vince Staples Show is now streaming on Netflix. The semi-autobiographical show follows the trials and tribulations of the 30-year-old actor and rapper. “Who’s Vince Staples? Well, that’s a tricky question. He’s kind of famous, but he’s not. He’s kind of rich, but he’s not. He’s also kind of a criminal. But he’s… not? Follow him on his daily adventures, where anything that can go wrong usually does,” read Netflix’s synopsis for the show.
Meanwhile, the show has already proven a hit with fans. While many viewers are still early in the season, they are already taking to social media to express their approval. One fan even went as far as to say that the show needed more episodes. Furthermore, another common thread amongst viewers was a favorable comparison to Atlanta, Donald Glover’s hit series that is some of the best television of the last decade.
Will Donald Glover Appreciate Atlanta Comparisons For The Vince Staples Show?
However, will Glover appreciate the comparisons to Atlanta? It’s not something he has been a fan of in the past. While promoting Mr. & Mrs. Smith in early February, Donald Glover ended up taking shots at Lil Dicky. When asked if he thought he was more talented than the rapper and Dave creator, Glover was brutally honest. “Yeah. I mean, I think he’s a really nice guy. I’m just conceited.” In the two weeks since the Vanity Fair video aired, things haven’t turned into an all-out beef between the two actors/rappers.
However, it’s not the first time that Glover has spoken on comparisons between his work and Dicky’s. In 2022, Glover told Interview Magazine that he “liked” Dave but it “bothered him” when it was compared to Atlanta. “You have to think of it like food. Dave is a good burger you should eat fast because the ingredients are fresh. [It’s a show] by a guy who didn’t study at a culinary school, but paid close attention to other burger spots and has the plug on good ingredients. I think in entertainment or art it’s important to know the difference between things. Like, Anthony Bourdain wasn’t pretentious, but he definitely knew the difference between a dry aged wagyu and a smash burger. Neither is better or worse than the other. They’re just different experiences,” Glover said.
I’ve always liked Vince Staples as an artist. & his new show on Netflix further justifies my appreciation of what he does. & it’s filling a void in an Atlanta-less world
The Vince Staples Show is the latest in a continuum of rap-centric comedies going back to the Fresh Prince Of Bel Air. While fans have already made comparisons to two of hip-hop’s most recent dark comedies, Atlanta and Dave, based on TVSS‘ loopy trailer, a preview of all five episodes establishes it as its own, unique thing.
Vince Staples himself also did as much during a recent press junket to talk about the five-episode effort and how The Vince Staples Show both builds on the foundation laid by its predecessors and strives to subvert the expectations they may have built in viewers’ minds. Longtime Uproxx readers may remember that one of Vince’s first forays into the comedic format for the screen was our Snapchat show F*#! That. Those fans will be happy to know that all of his sharp sensibilities remain intact in The Vince Staples Show. Meanwhile, despite ony having a few minutes with the Long Beach-bred superstar, he was able to go in-depth with Uproxx about the inspirations behind the show, what he hopes viewers take away from the experience, and why his hometown will always be a co-star in his work.
So when I’m watching the show, of course I’m from Long Beach/Compton, so I’m pointing at the screen like Leo DiCaprio the whole time. What does it mean to you to be able to put Long Beach on a screen like this, and what do you hope people take away from The Vince Staples Show about Vince Staples and Long Beach?
I think it’s very important to show the city in a unique light. I feel like a lot of the times people just think it’s just grimy and desolate all the time.
And growing up, I felt like it was a beautiful place and I just wanted to paint the suburban aspects of the city. Even though it does have its pitfalls and its issues, the scenery is very unique. And I feel like the takeaway for me is just… It’s all up to interpretation.
A lot of things in the show that we sprinkled throughout, I just hope people pay close attention to things that are going on and pick up on some of the Easter eggs and some of the B-stories.
[The show is] painting a new perspective of how people see things and just trying to show them what it actually looks like versus what it might seem like from their vantage point.
Originally, The Vince Staples Show was a YouTube thing, and then you got the opportunity to take it to Netflix. Why did you want to do it as a miniseries as opposed to a more traditional format?
That’s just the opportunity that we got, so we just try to make the best out of the opportunity. Hopefully, it performs well and we are able to keep it going. That’s kind of how we got situated over here with Netflix, and I think it came out good. I feel like no matter how it ends up, we gave a round story and gave it some closure, some context. So I think we’ll be good either way.
There are comparisons to Atlanta on Twitter after the trailer dropped. What are some of the advantages and drawbacks of having something that helps people contextualize what you are doing with your show?
I feel like when you alleviate ego, it is really no drawback. I think that’s an extremely successful show. It changed a lot. It’s had a lot of impact on film and television, just culture in general. So for people to even compare to something that is that coveted and I’m just grateful for it. So it’s a really, really great starting point.
Now I have a plot question, regarding the character “White Boy” from Episode 5. To quote Thugnificent, what did you do to make him that mad?
It’s really just more so commentary on the cycle of growth and what it’s like to grow up in this environment. So if you kind of think about that, then it opens up a lot of questions. You never really know the reason, and I think that was important to frame it in that way. I think that’s why it was important to showcase that Vince did not remember, or know who this person was and nobody else did. And there’s a lot of that in the show if you kind of get into the weeds of it. It was a commentary on how we all are the same, and still don’t like each other.
What’s something that you always wanted to talk about in one of these interviews that you never got a chance to? If you were to write the question for you, what would you want to ask?
I would honestly draw a blank, bro. I’m not really, the question kind of guy, but I appreciate just people’s interests and people’s perspective. That’s why you make these things: to have a commentary, a back-and-forth, [because] someone else’s perspective might not necessarily be mine.
So, every time somebody asks a question, it opens up the way that I view the project or the way that I view the things that I create as well. But if it was up to me, man, I could never do that.
Finna listen to this Nas “I Gave You Power” since y’all keep talking about it in regards to the power ballad that is “When Sparks Fly”. Stay tuned.
While Vince Staples has a bit of a reputation for being a mischief-maker, the rollout for his upcoming Netflix series The Vince Staples Show has shown that he’s taking this endeavor seriously. After spending the past few weeks heavily promoting the show on his social media accounts and even going out into the streets to proselytize its eventual realease on February 15, he’s making sure that everyone gets a chance to see it — even those without Netflix accounts.
“The streets saying they don’t have @Netflix accounts but don’t you fret,” he wrote on Twitter. “We doing a FREE screening for the trenches of Los Angeles !!! Follow the link to link and build. AND WE GOT POPCORN.”
The streets saying they don’t have @Netflix accounts but don’t you fret. We doing a FREE screening for the trenches of Los Angeles !!! Follow the link to link and build. AND WE GOT POPCORN https://t.co/IQvYBKkbh5
The screening will take place next Monday, February 12 at 7 pm at Brain Dead Studios on Fairfax Ave. The one-screen theater has been a fixture of the community for a very long time (Uproxx attended the premiere of Guapdad 4000’s short film Stoop Kid there a couple of years ago).
The Vince Staples Show has its origins as a series of YouTube shorts the Long Beach rapper used to debut new music. Only two episodes of the original concept were produced before Netflix picked up the miniseries, which follows Vince through a series of day-in-the-life vignettes showcasing his wry humor and the unexpected zaniness of being a semi-famous rapper.
The Vince Staples Show premieres on Netflix on 2/15.
Rapper Vince Staples is making a venture into comedy. Last year, fans got a taste of Staples’ acting and comedic talents on Abbott Elementary and in Hulu’s remake of White Men Can’t Jump. Next month, the rapper will premiere a new series of his own, The Vince Staples Show on Netflix. The show centers around a fictional version of Staples on his daily adventures in Los Angeles.
The show boasts a promising cast and crew, with Staples himself and Kenya Barris tapped as executive producers, alongside Ian Edelman, Maurice Williams, Corey Smyth, and William Stefan Smith. Staples will appear in every episode, and Vanessa Bell Calloway, Andrea Ellsworth, Naté Jones, Arturo Castro, Scott MacArthur, Bryan Greenberg, and Myles Bullock will guest star.
According to a press release issued by Netflix, there will be five episodes of The Vince Staples Show. Each episode will be about 30 minutes in length.
All five episodes of The Vince Staples Show will be available to stream on Thursday, February 15 on Netflix.
You can see the trailer for The Vince Staples Show above.
Vince Staples shared the first trailer for his highly-anticipated Netflix series, The Vince Staples Show, online Wednesday. The five-episode series will premiere on the streaming platform on February 15. The brief teaser gives fans an idea of the comedic tone of the show and features a cameo from Rick Ross.
Staples co-created the show with Ian Edelman and Maurice Williams. In addition to Staples, it stars Vanessa Bell Calloway and Andrea Ellsworth. Naté Jones, Arturo Castro, Scott MacArthur, Bryan Greenberg, and Myles Bullock will all be making recurring appearances as well. Kenya Barris, Corey Smyth, Ian Edelman, Maurice Williams, and William Stefan Smith serve as executive producers.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 26: Vince Staples performs at 2023 AfroPunk Brooklyn at Greenpoint Terminal on August 26, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Joy Malone/Getty Images)
The rapper first announced The Vince Staples Show back in 2022. In a statement provided to Variety at the time, he said: “I am excited to partner with Netflix and Kenya Barris on The Vince Staples Show. This has been something I have been developing for some time and I am happy it’s coming to fruition.” Tracey Pakosta, Netflix’s head of comedy, added: “It’s our mission to work with the best artists in the world. Vince has already established himself as one of the most talented young musicians today and we’re really excited about how his sensibility—and sense of humor—will translate into a unique comedy series.” Check out the trailer forthe series below.
Vince Staples Stars In Trailer For New Netflix Show
Outside of his Netflix show, Staples also recently teased having plans to release new music in 2024. Sharing a text message from a friend asking if he’s hungry while at the studio, Staples announced the plan in the caption of an Instagram post. He hasn’t dropped an album since Ramona Park Broke My Heart in 2022. Be on the lookout for further updates on the new show on HotNewHipHop.
Netflix has released the first trailer for The Vince Staples Show, depicting a day in the life of the Long Beach rapper. Scenes from the show that it previews include a chase through the Del Amo Swap Meet, a greedy uncle asking for money at a picnic, and a confrontation with a water park mascot. Oh, and Vince gets recognized during a Dead Presidents-inspired bank robbery. The man lives a fascinating life.
The Vince Staples Show, which is billed for release on February 15, continues the series of slice-of-life vignettes from the original YouTube episodes, which find the “Magic” rapper caught up in all sorts of misadventures in and around his hometown. In the original episodes, a trip to the barbershop turns into a gang fight, while Vince seeks refuge and wisdom from his hero Ray J as his angry girlfriend seeks a confrontation.
The show initially debuted in 2019, and in 2022, Netflix announced its partnership with Staples to bring the show to the service. The delay might have been troublesome for some fans, but it did give Staples a chance to raise his public profile and hone his already quite sharp comedy chops. Since then, he’s released a pair of albums that hewed more closely to convention and put him on the Billboard charts, and appeared in a guest role on the Emmy-winning Abbott Elementary, making him more of a household name.
The Vince Staples Show will stream on Netflix on 2/15.
#MICHAEL” The Run The Jewels affiliate is referring to a similar short series he dropped in 2019. 
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