VH1 has shown a deep commitment to Atlanta with multiple reality programs: top-rated "Love and Hip Hop Atlanta," the family friendly "T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle," and the upcoming "Atlanta Exes."

Now the network is taking a more serious direction about our city's legacy as the hip-hop capital of the south with a 90-minute documentary Sept. 2 called “ATL: The Untold Story of Atlanta’s Rise in the Rap Game."

According to the press release:

The film chronicles the decisions of the city's forefathers in post-civil rights Atlanta as they created an environment for African-American arts and culture to thrive, which set the scene for a local hip-hop scene to emerge.

Among those interviewed are many key subjects such as  Ludacris,  Usher T.I.,   Jeezy Lil Jon Future and Jermaine Dupri . Others include Kilo AliRaheem the DreamMoJoMC Shy D and the producers of Organized Noize, who discovered two 17-year old kids who went by the name "Outkast."  (The members of Outkast, though, are not listed.)

Non-rap contributors include former Atlanta mayor and civil rights icon Andrew Young, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins.

Ludacris is one of the executive producers.

I will pre-screen the episode soon and talk to an executive producer and write a more comprehensive preview later this month.

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