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Inside the Label, a docuseries from hip-hop star Ludacris, debuts on BET May 17, and offers a weekly deep dive on iconic rap labels. Each episode tackles a different record company, with interviews from key figures. The premiere details Uptown Records, as Diddy, Jay Z and Mary J. Blige, among many others, share insights. Ruff Ryders and Murder Inc. are queued up for the first season too.
Executive producers include Ludacris and his managers, Jeff Dixon and Chaka Zulu. “It’s a blueprint for young kids to see how hard it is, and what it takes to build a label,” says Dixon.
Fox of course has a huge behind-the-label hit in Empire, while Lee Daniels’ Star, premiering next season, looks at industry up-and-comers. Dixon sees Inside the Label more along the lines of an ESPN 30 for 30 film. “We’ve got to document our history because sometimes things get lost,” he says. “It’s something people need to see to preserve our culture.”
