Since the first rhymes flowed in the parks of the South Bronx, most of rap's major emcees have been African American. Then, in 1985, NYC's Beastie Boys crossed over rap's race divide to great acclaim. LATER, in 1999, Marshall "Eminem" Mathers did the same, becoming the undisputed KING of RAP. But Slim Shady is slowing down, and VH1 is majorly concerned about rap's future.
Who will be the next great white emcee of the new millennium? That's the question that will be answered on the new VH1 series, Ego Trip's White Rapper Show.
Hosted by white rap legend Michael "MC Serch" Berrin (of the group 3rd Bass - the missing link between the Beasties and Eminem) - and produced with Ken Mok and his 10x10 production team (the folks behind the superhit America's Next Top Model), Ego Trip's White Rapper Show will go where no man has gone before ... to find rap's next great white hopes.
Set in the birthplace of hip hop-the South Bronx-12 contestants hailing from all over America will have to find a way to make it through challenges that will test their musical cred, knowledge of hip hop culture and their ideas about race along the way, hip hop pioneers of all hues will be brought in to school and critique our eager rappin' competitors. the winner recieves $100,000 and a whole nation of devoted fans.
It won't be easy. The run-down South Bronx tenement that they'll be bunking in - a.k.a. "Tha White House" - is far from a bed of roses. But Hip hop is about survival; about economics and class and race. Our 12 contestants will be faced with a variety of tasks that will reflect each of these facets of the culture.
From spitting fresh rhymes in Harlem's Rucker Park to breaking bread with some of hip hop's hottest icons, our Caucasian contestants will be immersed in the culture they claim to love.
But do they have the knowledge, talent and ability to, as MC Serch says, lead the culture? Or will they bleed the culture? Ego Trip's White Rapper Show on VH1 will leave
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