During his time as a member of the chart-topping group the Fugees, Pras Michel went out of his way to avoid the NYPD's infamous Rap Intelligence Unit—or, as they were known in the music industry, the "hip-hop cops." But now, he's telling their story.
On Tuesday, Variety announced that Pras would be teaming up with Polygram Entertainment to create a TV show about the hip-hop cops. The division, created in 1999 (though its roots go back several years before that—you can get the complete story here), existed solely to monitor the rap world.
The former head of the unit, Derrick Parker, has turned his old job into a cottage industry, giving tons of interviews and even writing a book about his experiences. There is no indication, however, that Parker is involved in the new show.
The as-yet-untitled series will be written by Mick Betancourt, and executive produced by Michel, Jean Claude LaMarre, Polygram head David Blackman, and Def Jam EVP Steven Victor. It will be about a member of the Rap Intelligence Unit who goes undercover and—surprise!—"is exposed to the lavish and intoxicating lifestyle of a hip-hop underworld."
"As the landscape of media and entertainment continues to evolve, we are constantly looking for new opportunities to tell stories, entertain and help our artists build strong connections with their fans," said Victor. "With hip-hop’s growing influence on popular culture, the time is right for this show and I couldn’t be more thrilled to work with Pras to bring this project to life."
