ABSTRACT
Baadass TV Baadass TV, a youth-orientated fashion (see fashion and design) and culture series, presented by Andrea Oliver and US rapper Ice-T, was aired on Channel 4 in 1994. Although the series came under heavy criticism from black figureheads, including Trevor Phil l ips, for reinforcing black stereotypes of 'gangsters, pimps, whores and freaks' it was also acknowledged as the first British series to explore the wilder side of black culture. The show featured soft-pornography rapping dwarves, paintings made from elephant droppings and fitness fanatics Juicy Julia and the Raggaerobics crew. R e g g a e legend Lee 'Scratch' Perry also made a memorable appearance on the critically acclaimed series. When Baadass TV WAS launched, it aimed to capture an alternative, contemporary audience who were interested in h ip h o p music, the 'blackploitation' movies of the 1960s and African American culture. Although the show was eventually taken off the air for its lack of political correctness, in its inclusion of Ice-T as a presenter, Baadass TV made history by giving British music fans the opportunity to view a famous US rap star headline a British TV programme.
