There’s a new music show in town folks and its dedicated to South African’s flourishing hip hop industry. MTV Base is giving YO! MTV Raps an African makeover, with fresh versions of the iconic hip-hop show launching in the continent with hip-hop head Siya "Scoop" Ngwekazi and rapper Nadia Nakai as its hosts.
YO! MTV Raps showcased the biggest artists in its heyday during a golden era of hip-hop with its premiering episode in the USA first airing in 1988 with legendary hip hop crew RUN DMC interviewing the likes of Ice Cube, Rakim, Biggie, Tupac, Mary J Blige and the Wu Tan Clan which saw the revolution of Hip Hop finally televised.
“I remember one of my idols Fab Five Freddy hosting the first Yo!MTV Raps and the impact that it had in America. I wanted to be a part of that lineage of history for my continent which is why when this opportunity came up I had to say yes,” said Scoop.
The presenter said that the show was given an African makeover with the crew, the cast, the different languages, the costumes and the presenting.
Describing the format of the show, he said it is a hip hop show that not only focuses on the star artist but also on all the elements that keep the hip hop culture moving. “From our cyphers,to round table discussions, our raw and uncut interviews and to cap it all off, our original performance segment where our a-list artists perform on a set specially designed for them and their song. This show is a game-changer,” he said.
The show is purely about hip hop and seeks to celebrate, educate and entertain viewers about African hip hop.
“I think the hip hop scene in South Africa is at an amazing place. Big up all the people involved in the culture because we are doing a great job at taking what we have learnt from America and making it our own”, added Scoop.
When it comes to which guest he enjoyed having on the show, Scoop said A-Reece because he never does any press and Sho Madjozi.
YO!MTV Raps airs on MTV Base (DStv channel 322) on Thursday at 18:00 CAT.