106 & Park
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| 106 & Park: BET's Top 10 Live | |
|---|---|
 106 & Park's current logo |
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| Format | Music Video Series |
| Created by | Stephen G. Hill |
| Starring | AJ Calloway (2000-2005) Free (2000-2005) Julissa Bermudez (2005-2006) Big Tigger (2005-2006) Terrence J (2006-Present) Rocsi (2006-Present) DJ Enuff (2003-2004) DJ Pro Style (2005-present) Justin "DJ" Spaulding (2006-2007) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of episodes | 1,926 as of April 25, 2008 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 90 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Black Entertainment Television |
| Original run | September 11, 2000 – present |
| External links | |
| [106 & Park at BET.com Official website] | |
| IMDb profile | |
| TV.com summary | |
106 & Park: BET's Top 10 Live is a top-ten video countdown airing weekdays on BET. It is the network's #1 rated show. This show was created in 2000 to fill the void left by BET music video series such as Video Soul (1983-1997), Unreal, and Planet Groove (1996-1999).
Contents |
Series information
106 & Park is a 90-minute countdown music video show that features popular hip hop, contemporary R&B, reggae and dancehall music videos. 106 & Park was originally produced in Harlem, New York, and the title was derived from the original studio location, East 106th Street and Park Avenue. Viacom's acquisition of BET prompted a change in venue to the CBS Broadcast Center at 524 West 57th Street, in the Hell's Kitchen section of Manhattan. On March 30, 2007, Rocsi and Terrence announced that 106 & Park was the number 1 video show in the world. Also, on June 6, 2007, Terrence announced that the series will now begin airing in Japan. Photos from the press conference in Japan can be seen on the show's official website.
Format
The program plays the top ten most requested videos of the day, as requested by viewers who can vote by telephone or online. In addition to the music video countdown, a typical show also airs one new music video known as the New Joint of the Day and a music video from the past known as the Flashback Joint of the Day.
Freestyle Friday
Every Friday, there is a special segment called Freestyle Friday. The format has two rappers compete in a freestyle battle before the studio audience and three celebrity judges (On certain cases the DJ was also the judge). Each rapper has two 30 second round to freestyle. The rappers are not allowed to use profanities or sexually suggestive lyrics (if they do, they get disqualified). After the battle, the judges decide the winner. Any rapper who is able to win seven consecutive weeks is immortalized in the Freestyle Friday Hall of Fame. The first rapper to make it this far was Shaheed the Poster Boy. The popular segment has spawned the career of Jin and given a few other rappers the opportunity to get a record deal.
Hosts
Until July 28, 2005, the show was hosted by BET personalities Free and AJ Calloway for five years. On August 1, 2005, BET temporarily replaced rapper Free and AJ Calloway with two other popular BET personalities, Tigger (former host of Rap City and BET Style) and Julissa Bermudez (former host of BET's The Center). On July 10, 2006, they were replaced by Rocsi and Terrence J who were winners from the previous year's BET New Faces Contest.
