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Paradise Gray and Prime Minister Pete Nice
Hip Hop icons, THHM curators, Executive Producers and co-stars of A&E’s “Hip Hop Treasures”
Photographed by Jai Lennard for the program, which premieres on August 12, 2023
The Hip Hop Museum is being built by, and built for, pioneers. We call people who were at the foundation of Hip Hop pioneers. This month, and speaking only for myself, it is a privilege to present an interview with two of the people who are not only core to the acquisitions and curations of THHM, they are crucial to everything that is Hip Hop:
Paradise Gray and Prime Minister Pete Nice.
Before we get into why these gentlemen are featured during the month Hip Hop was born, here’s a little bit about them. We only have so much space in an email newsletter.
Born and raised in the South Bronx, Paradise Gray is the embodiment of a Hip Hop pioneer. His mentors include legendary DJs Disco King Mario and Pete DJ Jones. He produced nine albums on major labels. He managed entertainment, booking, and hosting at what’s called the incubator of Hip Hop’s golden era, The Latin Quarter (L.Q.). His co-workers ranged from Russell Simmons to André Harrell to Rick Rubin. He is a founding member of the renowned group X Clan. His journalism includes the first regular articles about Hip Hop in Right On!. The Source XXL, Wax Poetics, and The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette are only a few of the publications where his photography and articles appear. His written and photographic work appear in no less than six books. His colossal Hip Hop memorabilia collection – “The Paradise Collection” – is one of Hip Hop’s most significant archives. He is THHM’s Chief Curator.
1987 was the beginning of Prime Minister Pete Nice’s career in Hip Hop. He established the first Hip Hop radio show on New York City’s WKCR. He is one of the founding members of 3rd Bass, a Def Jam recording group. He founded Hoppoh Recordings in the 1990s. He was rap group KMD’s executive producer and manager; the group included the late MF DOOM. He is an Emmy-nominated writer and producer. He published two books; his next book covers Hip Hop’s illustrated history between 1983 and 1992. He is THHM’s Co-Curator.
And that ain’t the half.
I spoke with Paradise and Pete in late July about their latest accomplishment and contribution: “Hip Hop Treasures,” A&E’s latest series, a program as needed as it is eagerly anticipated. Hosts LL Cool J and Ice-T will lead and observe the acquisition of items from, and hear stories about, some of the culture’s greatest artists and the items they made famous. These include The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Juicy” jersey, DMX’s Aaliyah car, and Flavor Flav’s clocks. Along with the hosts, Paradise and Pete will be joined in the field by Cipha Sounds and Yo-Yo. The kicker: some of these long sought and iconic items will be donated to and put on display at The Hip Hop Museum, the official record of Hip Hop.
Timing, as we often experience, is everything. “Hip Hop Treasures,” Paradise’s and Pete’s first television program (together, that is) premieres on August 12th during a time and about a topic that, as Paradise reminded, “is most relevant at this time. THHM building is finished, and we’re filling it up.” Pete echoed, “Artifacts have been lost for decades.” Never has there been a program, an effort, a retrieval as thoughtful and integral as this one. People may turn it on for the celebrities, and they will stay for the education, and the inspiration.
The show’s origin’s, born of Paradise’s and Pete’s shared commitment to the retrieval and preservation of artifacts for artists, teachers, students, and fans so they can learn forever, was as grassroots and organic as you can get. During early COVID, Paradise and Pete conceived of something akin to “American Pickers,” where household names (along with non-household names) go to various locations and retrieve lost memorabilia.
Flash forward to colleagues and friends hearing about it, conversations occurring, strategies applied, and sooner than later, Pulse Films, Rock The Bells, X to the 3rd, LL Cool J, Ice-T, Paradise, and Pete were producing a series for A&E. As Pete stated, “We’ll be trying to secure more artifacts for the museum.”
“This show humanizes Hip Hop on a level media has never done before,” Paradise declared. That these executive producers have been dedicated to recovering, restoring, and preserving artifacts for more than eight years underscores how this television series, with all the huge names (DMC, CeeLo Green, Treach, and Soulja Boy, to name a few) and tributes (Biz Markie, DMX, The Notorious B.I.G, and Coolio’s last on-camera appearance before his passing in 2022) will be personal, especially as the show allows music legends to be honored and their memorabilia be returned to the culture’s birthplace, The Bronx.
Finding hosts for “Hip Hop Treasures” was easy, Paradise and Pete affirmed, when I asked why Ice-T and LL Cool J. Besides being “two of the greatest Hip Hop tv stars in history,” Paradise declared, “when we got Flavor Flav, both of the hosts were really into it.” Both of the hosts spoke, I think, for everyone.
Having worked as a casting intern and on the production crew when “The Real World” filmed in London in 1994-1995, I know how “reality” television has expanded and changed, and how cast members and what they say and do can affect people. Paradise and Pete were clear when asked how they see their audiences responding to seeing artists give and donate their treasures. Pete related his perspective to THHM: “For all the years there hasn’t been a brick-and-mortar museum for Hip Hop, this will move children and young adults to care more, to show respect, and to want to learn more. People will see the museum being built while they see us collecting treasures.”
Paradise cosigned, in a way only he can do, when he stated, “I want them to put their money where their mouths are too, they can put their hands in their pockets and donate. I hope this show will move other artists and collectors to give what’s in their basements.” In other words, people will be encouraged and empowered to give what means something to them, particularly after seeing how much people are moved.
Our discussion of the transfer of ownership when giving away significant items was appropriately followed be one about equity, and credit. Equity appears when, as Pete shared, “people who saved some of their items will be acknowledged and recognized publicly for their generosity.” Paradise’s perspective was reflective of his lifetime of forwarding thing: “I always say I’m not building a museum for 2024; I’m building a museum for 2034 and beyond. And I’m not building a mausoleum.”
Executive producers are busy, to say the least, and when I asked Paradise and Pete why they decided to go directly to the artists, they talked over each other so much I had to ask them to speak one at a time. Paradise reminded me they are also writers and hosts, and how “this is what we do every day, like when we talk to Sal Abbatiello in his garage. We’ve been there, we’ve done that, and we love it. What we are doing publicly, on camera, is what we’ve been doing in everyday life.” Pete cosigned, and raised it to an emotionally meaningful place, “While our original concept consisted of us going everywhere and finding everything, when it was clear that we couldn’t do that, it was absolutely fine. Instead of being everywhere, we got to experience being at Biz Markie’s house after his passing. We did not know Tara [Biz’s wife] while Biz was alive because they married later in life. And we got to know her during, and because of, the show.”
With that, Pete made Paradise’s earlier point, which was that no media has humanized Hip Hop before in the ways this show will.
Don’t set your DVRs. Make a plan to be wherever you can watch television on Saturday, August 12th when A&E premieres “Hip Hop Treasures” at 10pm ET/10pm PT. The legacy’s retrieval and preservation are being televised, and it’s only the first season.
**Please note that “Hip Hop Treasures” had finished filming its first season before the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes began.
by Kate Harvie, Contributing Writer for The Hip Hop Museum (originally published August 2023)
