NEW YORK -- Showtime has ordered six one-hour episodes of an "American Idol"-style contest for amateur rappers. Premiering in the fall, "Interscope Presents 'The Next'" teams the record-company giant with the premium cable service for a hip-hop showcase blending performances from aspiring artists with documentary footage of such established stars as 50 Cent, Nate Dogg and Clipse. Inspired by the film "8 Mile", which featured Interscope act Eminem, "Next" strips away such "Idol" fixtures as judges and audience voting for one-on-one freestyle rhyme "battles" whose victor is determined by crowd reaction. Ten semifinalists already selected from New York, Los Angeles, Detroit, Philadelphia and Atlanta compete for a top prize still being decided. "Next" executive producers are Paul Rosenberg, manager and vp of Eminem's Shady Records; Jimmy Iovine, chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M; Jillian Fleer of 4Battle Enterprises; Randy Sosin; and Gene Kirkwood. The director is Moses Edinborough ("Yo! MTV Raps"). This isn't Showtime's first foray into the hip-hop world. In February, the channel aired a live concert featuring Jay-Z.
- 8/10/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.