MTV celebrates the 20th anniversary of seminal 80’s rap show, Yo! MTV Raps, June 28th @ 9pm on MTV Base.
Twenty years ago, back in ’88, MTV launched Yo MTV Raps! Hosted by New York legend Fab 5 Freddy, and later joined by Ed Lover and Doctor Dre it took a fresh and raw approach to music TV, with no pretensions around the set; just decks, records and the world’s biggest rap talent on tap. The popularity of the pilots was unprecedented, with this and at the explosion of the rap scene, it became a must-see-TV that couldn’t be missed.
Crucially, Yo! drew-in the most exciting artists in hip hop, never seen before on a commercial network. LL Cool J, Grandmaster Flash and Public Enemy were regular guests, performing on the show as well as introducing their own videos. The unfiltered access to the world’s rap leaders was paramount to Yo’s! success; there were no auto cues and no scripts.
At its peak, Yo! was the biggest music video show in the world, it wasn’t about rap culture, it was rap culture. It remains to be the greatest hip hop show of all time.
MTV Base counts down Yo! MTV Rap’s Top 10 Shows @ 9pm June 28th.
Stay tuned @ 10pm as Yo! MTV Raps: Top 10 Videos is unleashed and @ 11pm we open the vault door on the Top 20 Yo! Moments from the series.
Yo! MTV Raps airs June 28th @ 9pm, MTV Base
