106 & Park: BET's Top 10 Live is a top-ten video countdown that has airs weekdays on BET. It is the network's #1 rated show. This show was created in 2000 to fill the void left by legendary BET Shows like Video Soul, Unreal, and Planet Groove.
| 106 & Park | |
|---|---|
| File:106logo.jpg 106 & Park's current logo | |
| Created by | Jon-Marc Sandifer |
| Starring | AJ Calloway (2000-2005) Free (2000-2005) Julissa Bermudez (2005-2006) Big Tigger (2005-2006) Terrence J (2006-Present) Rocsi (2006-Present) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Production | |
| Running time | 90 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | BET |
| Release | 2000 – present |
About 106
106 & Park is a 90-minute countdown musicvideo show that features popular hip hop and R&B music videos. 106 & Park was originally produced in Harlem, New York, and the title's namesake came from its studio ___location at East 106th Street and Park Avenue. When Viacom bought BET, the show was moved south to its present production site -- the CBS Broadcast Center at 524 West 57th Street, in the Hell's Kitchen section of Manhattan.
The program plays the top ten most requested videos of the day, as requested by viewers who can vote by telephone or online. In addition to the music video countdown, a typical show also airs one new music video known as the New Joint of the Day and a music video from the past known as the Flashback Joint of the Day. The flashback video is usually a no more than a few years old. The show usually has frequent guests as it is a popular promotion tool used by many musicians, actors, and other celebrities. It may also feature live performances by popular hip-hop and R&B artists.
Freestyle Friday
Every Friday, there is a special segment called Freestyle Friday. The format has two rappers compete in a freestyle battle before the studio audience and three celebrity judges (On certain cases the DJ was also the judge). Each rapper has two 30 second round to freestyle. The rappers are not allowed to use profanities or sexually suggestive lyrics (if they do, they get disqualified) which can prove hard for some of the more street orientated battle rappers such as Reed Dollarz who was disqualified in a battle for cursing in which he otherwise could have won. After the battle, the judges decide the winner. Any rapper who is able to win seven consecutive weeks is immortalized in the Freestyle Friday Hall of Fame. The first rapper to make it this far was Shaheed the Poster Boy. The popular segment has spawned the career of Jin and given a few other rappers the opportunity to get a record deal.
Hosts
Until July 28, 2005, the show was hosted by BET personalities Free and AJ Calloway for five years. On August 1, 2005, BET temporarily replaced rapper Free and AJ Calloway with two other popular BET personalities, Tigger (former host of Rap City and BET Style) and Julissa Bermudez (former host of BET's The Center). On July 10, 2006, they were replaced by Rocsi and Terrence J who were winners from the previous year's BET New Faces Contest.On March 30, Rocsi and Terrance announced that 106 and Park was the number 1 video show in the world. Also, on June 6, 2007, Terrence announced that 106 & park will now begin airing in Japan. It's the only video show to have their own fan club mobile number.