Nostalgia is proving a popular play in todays TV and film arenas. And Russell Simmons wants in.
The media mogul is reportedly readying a reboot of his ‘Def Poetry Jam’ series for HBO and has his sights set on Chance The Rapper to host.
If a go, the updated show would be titled ‘All Def Poetry.’
The original ‘Def Poetry Jam’ was a spoken word poetry series hosted by Mos Def on HBO; it ran from 2002-2007.
As Deadline notes, it was an off-shoot of Simmons’ classic ‘Def Comedy Jam’ which aired 1992-97 – also on HBO. Recently rebooted (as ‘All Def Comedy’), the initial incarnation of the series launched the mainstream careers of talent such as Martin Lawrence, Chris Tucker, Bernie Mac, and Steve Harvey.
The first run of ‘Def Poetry’ earned a Tony, a Peabody, and an NAACP Image honor. So, any such revival has a firm foundation to build on.