BET viewers
will now be able to watch the network’s latest slate of programming, by downloading
them on iTunes. Available
shows include BET’s new docudrama American Gangster as well as
DMX: Soul of a Man
, Lil’ Kim: Countdown to Lockdown and Beef: TheSeries.BET’s
latest series American Gangster chronicles the life and times of some of
Black America’s most notorious crime figures. The
show, which premieres Tuesday (Nov. 28), will showcase profiles of Leroy Nicky
Barnes, "Freeway" Ricky Ross, The Chambers Brothers, Fat Cat Nicholas
and Stanley "Tookie" Williams and how their actions affected their community."Crime
is a cancer that eats away at our communities," said Reginald Hudlin, BET
President of Entertainment. "But for a generation that grew up thinking greed
is good — whether on Wall Street or Martin Luther King Boulevard — they’re not
quite so sure whether crime pays or not. We wanted to take an honest look at the
criminal life, demystify that world and show what it does to our community."
In addition
to exploring the lives of drug dealers, murderers and thieves, each American
Gangster episode will include segments with those affected by the subjects
profiled, as well as news footage, photographs and interviews.The
six-part docu-drama is narrated by actor Ving Rhames and executive produced by
Nelson George, Frank Sinton (Asylum Entertainment), Mark Rowland and BET."We
picked figures whose crimes were legendary in their cities and had national, and
in some cases, an international dimension," George added. "U.S. presidents
play a key role in four of the six episodes, which shows you these criminals were
not just purse snatchers."Viewers
can download the first episode of American Gangster right now for free on iTunes.
