Earlier this month, it was reported that the popular and controversial hip hop site World Star Hip Hop (WSHH) has partnered with Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim.
Adult Swim’s programming is geared toward a more mature audience, and with the success of the Boondocks animated series and Tyler The Creator’s variety show, Loiter Squad, a WSHH project would be a natural fit.
Details are still scarce, but theGrio.com caught up with John Holland, a writer for the upcoming WSHH TV venture to get more scoop. Holland gave us a better idea of what fans can expect from the pilot.
TheGrio:How did you get involved with the project?
John Holland: I got involved when one of the executives at Adult Swim, who has served as a mentor to my writing over the years, had the task of putting together a writing team for the pilot. He felt I and Nicholas Travis, who works with me on our Green Bench production company, had the right voice and approach to the show. We were staffed in a room full of other very talented writers and comedians, and we churned out some amazing scripts.
the writing team full access?
JH: First off, let me say that Q is a really cool dude. Like, my first thought was he’s going to be some Suge Knight kinda guy that was obsessed with street fights and what not, but he’s a really friendly, tech-savvy guy. After the last day, he asked if he could take a picture with us? Us? You? Man we should be asking you for that (and he even sought out and tagged us on Instagram). He pretty much had access to anyone we could imagine. It was just a matter of convincing people that we’re not making fun of them but having fun WITH them.
culture and society as a whole?
JH: It’s tough. I see both sides. WSHH is meant for a certain audience, and if you don’t fall into that audience, then it’s definitely going to make you feel a certain type of way. I sometimes think we, as a black culture, do this thing where we make something, show it to the white people and say,”what do you think?” That mentality is why we get so angry about certain black shows and movies, because we feel it represents us to everyone who isn’t black. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no fool in thinking that TV doesn’t influence the way people think about us and others, and I KNOW what people think about WSHH. I recently met some Russians who had never interacted with black people before and all they had to go off of was what they saw in the movies. But sometimes we just need to make something for us and enjoy it the way we want. Everyone knows they hoot and holler at a fight where someone gets their wig snatched off. Well guess what: white people do it too! We like strippers; they like strippers. We’re probably a little bit quicker to hit record.
Needless to say, this show is going to be dope and a first of its kind.
You can check out Kyle’s musical coverage on theGrio music page, and follow Kyle on Twitter@HarveyWins