A new crop of rap’s royals and their children are about to show us what it’s like growing up in the heart of hip hop.
We tv announced Thursday that New York will be the latest city to get a spin-off in the Growing Up Hip Hop franchise. The series will feature the children of hip-hop veterans, such as Ja Rule, Fat Joe, Irv Gotti and Rev. Run, whose children now star in the Los Angeles edition.
JoJo Simmons, brother of the franchise’s cofounding executive producer Angela Simmons, and of son legendary rap pioneer Rev. Run will also be starring in the show. Lil Mama and her brother Arnstar, who have appeared on the Atlanta installment of the franchise, are joining the New York cast as well.
Hip hop’s original crooner Ja Rule and his children, Jeff Bruce Atkins Jr. and Brittney Atkins, have also signed on to appear on the show. They will be joined by Ja Rule’s longtime friend and business partner Murder Inc. mogul, Irv Gotti, and his children.
Fat Joe and his son Ryan Cartagena will be joined by the children of Charli Baltimore, Old Dirty Bastard, Flavor Flav and DJ Kid Capri, who will round out the New York cast.
And if you think these kids grew up in the hoods that their parents often rapped about, think again. Instead the cast grew up spending time together at elite east coast private schools and backstage at concerts. Now they’re supporting each other, collaborating and occasionally stabbing one another in the back.
Well it sounds like it’ll make for great TV. Growing Up Hip Hop: New York premieres this summer.