After originally emerging in the mainstream in the late 1970's as a brand new genre of music, hip-hop has gradually risen to being the most popular genre of music in the United States, as detailed by Billboard. With reality television focusing on real-life events and topics, the genre naturally gravitated towards hip-hop.
Plenty of artists in the genre have seen reality TV as an extra way to gain notoriety and expand their fanbase. This has led to a plethora of shows combining elements of reality TV with hip-hop, whether it be competition shows or just cameras following around the eccentric families of star rappers.
Love & Hip Hop (2011-)
Stream on Paramount+
One of the most iconic franchises in the world of reality television, Love & Hip Hop is the perfect show for hip-hop heads to check out. Following the oftentimes dramatic lives of both established and up-and-coming rappers and RnB singers, the show gives both an inside look at life as a performer, as well as having soap opera-like storylines.
The New York edition is the original and most popular, with Love & Hip Hop: New York generating 10 seasons. New York's success has led to Miami, Atlanta, and Hollywood all receiving spinoffs. Some of the biggest names to appear in the ensemble cast include Cardi B, Ray J, Remy Ma, Jim Jones, Soulja Boy, and Waka Flocka Flame, showing that the series has serious star power.
Snoop Dogg's Father Hood (2007-2008)
Stream on Amazon Prime Video
West Coast legend Snoop Dogg is one of the most recognizable rappers in the world, with his songs like "Gin and Juice" propelling him to superstardom in the '90s. He has expanded his portfolio of talent by dabbling in running businesses as well as other ventures. Snoop Dogg has appeared in movies and even starred in his own reality show, Snoop Dogg's Father Hood.
The show ran for two seasons between 2007 and 2009, with the music mogul giving fans a closer view of his family life, as both a father of three and a husband. It has more serious moments, such as Snoop renewing his wedding vows with his wife Shante, and light-hearted ones, such as playing soccer with David Beckham and his kids.
The Vanilla Ice Project (2010-2019)
Stream on Discovery+
Vanilla Ice rose to prominence in the '90s with his hit "Ice Ice Baby", the first rap song to reach number one on the Billboard hot 100 chart. That song was Ice's only big hit, leading him to try other sides of the entertainment industry. Getting his reality start on the classic MTV show The Surreal Life, Ice showed he had a personality made for reality television, leading him to get his own show, The Vanilla Ice Project.
The show, which ran for a surprisingly long nine seasons during the 2010's, featured Vanilla Ice working on home improvement and house flipping projects. Viewers were so impressed by his real estate acumen that he created his own blog to post advice for those interested in learning about it.
Run's House (2005-2009)
Stream on Paramount+
One half of the iconic duo Run-D.M.C., Rev. Run is one of the most interesting names in hip-hop. Run, legally named Reverend Joseph Simmons, is a part-time rapper, part-time ordained minister, and part-time reality star. Run's House ran from 2005 to 2009, showing the life of Run and his big family.
The series was a big success, with fifty-nine episodes airing over six seasons. The family never had dull moments, with storylines featuring fashion design with Pharrell Williams, running a record label, and leading a household with six children. The show was so revered by Rev. Run fans that it led to two spinoffs, Rev Runs Around The World, Rev Run's Renovation, and Rev's Sunday Suppers.
Flavor Of Love (2006-2008)
Stream on Hulu
Another successful rapper who jumpstarted their reality career on The Surreal Life, Public Enemy rapper Flavor Flav went on to have one of the funniest reality shows of all time in Flavor Of Love. It followed a similar format to that of The Bachelor for its three-season run, with an important difference being that Flavor Flav himself was the actual bachelor for each season.
Flav had a natural talent for being an entertainer, as his personality was perfect for this type of show. It also featured a great supporting cast, with plenty of the girls battling for Flav's love, such as Tiffany "New York" Pollard, becoming reality icons in their own right.
Rhythm + Flow (2019)
Stream on Netflix
Coming out as Netflix started to step up its original programming game, Rhythm + Flow was one of the streaming services' most unique productions. The show was similar to American Idol, featuring three celebrity judges (Cardi B, Chance The Rapper, and T.I.) critiquing and searching for unearthed musical talents. This series, however, was focused on rapping and elements of hip-hop, rather than solely focusing on singers.
The show only has one season, but it did end in grand fashion. West Coast native D Smoke was crowned the seasons champion, and he has proven to be quite the worthy victor. He has over a million monthly listeners on Spotify, while he also earned nominations at the 2021 Grammy Awards in the best new artist and best rap album categories.
Pimp My Ride (2004-2007)
Available to buy on Amazon Prime Video
One of the most iconic shows from MTV's heyday, Pimp My Ride starred rapper Xzibit, best known for collaborations with Dr. Dre, Eminem, and Snoop Dogg. He would transition into acting in the early 2000s and Pimp My Ride was his first step.
The series lasted for six seasons and seventy-three episodes, featuring Xzibit as the show's host. Each episode would take an old, damaged, or simple looking car, and bring it to a customs shop to "pimp" it, or turn it into a way more visually appealing vehicle. The show was a huge success, spawning foreign versions and blatant rip-offs such as Trick My Truck.
Growing Up Hip Hop (2016-)
Stream on WeTV
Featuring the children of big-name rappers such as Dame Dash, Rev. Run, Eazy-E, and Master P, Growing Up Hip Hop showed how the children of famous musicians adjusted to living their own lives as they matured. The family-oriented show did show plenty of the famous parents but mostly focussed on the kids as they tried to get out from under the shadows of their families.
The show was a huge success, as it is currently still running after six seasons and seventy-four episodes over the past six years. The series really does show that these people are more than the son or daughter of a famous emcee, with plenty having their own talents, careers, and business dreams.
Kingin' With Tyga (2015-2016)
Taking a page out of his future girlfriend Kylie Jenner's playbook, "Rack City" rapper Tyga got his own MTV show that lasted twelve episodes from 2015 to 2016. It showcased both his opulent lifestyle as he visited places such as Dubai and Australia, while also showing his life as a father.
Tyga's reality star reputation may be more closely tied to his relationship with a Kardashian instead of his own show, but this show certainly did feature some exciting moments.
Ice Loves Coco (2011-2013)
Available to buy on AppleTv+ & Amazon Prime Video
Ice-T may be known more to some for his portrayal of Detective Odafin Tutuola on Law & Order, but he did get his start in the entertainment industry as an extremely successful platinum-selling rapper. He and his equally successful model wife, Coco Austin, took their relationship to television with their reality show Ice Loves Coco.
The show ran for three seasons in the early 2010s before the power couple quit while they were ahead. Despite continuing to pull in impressively sized audiences, the two announced they would try to transition to a talk show titled Ice & Coco. Unfortunately for them though, it was not picked up after a three-week test run, ending the duo's time as themselves on TV.