When Ed Lover and Doctor Dré became the co-hosts of “Yo! MTV Raps” in the early ‘90s, they helped push hip-hop even further into the mainstream entertainment industry. But, Ed and Doctor Dré began that journey with a rather unusual salary arrangement ― one that might have been a deal-breaker to anyone else.
As Ed tells “Oprah: Where Are They Now?” in this Saturday’s interview, he and Doctor Dré met during their audition. They each performed well enough to be offered the job, but there was a catch.
“The boss was like, ‘We only have budget for one... So, listen, if y’all want this gig, you’re going to have to split the money,’” Ed says. “We said, ‘OK. We’ll take it.’”
The reason why the two agreed to work for one salary comes down to something bigger than business, Ed explains.
“We were fans,” he says. “That was the biggest part of it.”
With their passion and genuine appreciation for rap itself, Ed and Doctor Dré hosted a show that was far removed from all the pomp and pretense of some television programs.
“We weren’t trying to be cooler than the people that came on,” Ed says. “ Dré and I was kind of like your friends next door that had a cool clubhouse in their garage and they showed you rap videos.”
The approach worked. “Yo! MTV Raps” was both a commercial success and a major catalyst for hip hop’s explosion into mainstream culture. For Ed, playing a part in this shift has been quite rewarding, he says.
“To see that something that started so small become a multibillion-dollar industry and to know that you were on the forefront of spreading that around the globe, it makes you feel good.”
Ed’s full interview airs Saturday, Aug. 27, at 10 p.m. ET on OWN.
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