Russell Simmons
and Sean “P. Diddy” Combs have teamed up to executive produce a
reality show titled "Run’s House," based on the life of Run-DMC group
member Reverend Joseph “Run” Simmons.
had a green light at ABC Family to do a show about a black family that’s functional,"
Reverend Run told AllHipHop.com. "The father is a Reverend and a rapper
and he has five children. Out of no where, Puffy calls me and says he has an
idea. He didn’t know that I had a green light at ABC Family. Puff says
‘I want to do a Rev Run reality show on MTV.’ I said ‘Well I am singing with
tomorrow ABC Family tomorrow. He said ‘That’s small fries. I am going to take
Rev Run and put him on MTV. I will produce it with Russell, whatever it takes.
You are our Frank Sinatra and you are what we need.’ I said ‘OK, make
me look good and show it all in a positive light.’"
“Run’s
House," taken from Run-DMC’s 1988 hit of the same name, will reveal
the family life of Run, who helped spread Hip-Hop around the globe as a member
of legendary group Run-DMC.
Combs compared
Run’s family life to that of the characters on “The Cosby Show,”
the middle of the road hit series developed by veteran comedian, Bill Cosby.
The pilot is part
of a first look production agreement that Sean Combs has entered into with MTV.
"This is where
rappers go when they grow up, we have kids and we have families,” Run
continued. “We’ve been filming it for quite awhile. Puff’s very
excited and so is MTV.”
MTV Networks Music
Group Entertainment President Brian Graden told Variety that Combs has a long
history with MTV through videos, award shows, guest appearances and his current
TV programming on the network, that a formal relationship made sense.
“Sean very
much wants to be a producer, and we want to be in business with him as he begins
to establish and express himself in that arena," Graden told Variety.
In addition to
the “Making the Band 3” and “Borrow My Crew” shows that
Combs is producing for MTV, he will also develop a special called “The
Show,” which will take viewers behind the scenes at the launch of the
Sean John women’s clothing line in September.