There’s no denying the cultural touchstone that was BET’s 106 & Park in its heyday. The popular music video countdown show continues to be lauded for its impact even years after going off the air, but it recently found itself the topic of social media fodder when legendary rapper and producer Jermaine Dupri alleged he was the creative mind behind the show and created it for former So So Def artist and rapper Bow Wow.
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“106 & Park was created by me,” Dupri said during an appearance on The Goats And Underdogs according to Hip HopDX. “I created the show for Bow Wow. I was watching MTV, and MTV had TRL. And they were catering to NSYNC and they were catering to Backstreet Boys and anything white that was coming out that was Pop. They was allowing these kids to scream and holler at them. And I was like, ‘Yo, we don’t have nothing for Black people like that. Like, where’s the Black kids that love music, why don’t they have a show like that?’
He continued: “So I called Stephen Hill and I said, ‘Yo, I got an artist, we need to make a show just like TRL.’ And he said, ‘What’s the artist?’ And I said, ‘Bow Wow.’ Everybody challenges what I’m saying. Mind you, they wasn’t gonna put Bow Wow on TRL like that because he was a rapper. He was a Black, little young boy rapping. But he also was 12 years old. Nobody on TV was 12 years old anywhere creating this type of pandemonium.”
In a surprise move, Bow Wow himself took to Twitter to dispel JD’s version of the show’s impetus, writing online: “JD aint create 106&Park stop the cap. Stephen hill Rick Ghrimes & all the great people in the BET OFFICE & staff created that show. All i did was capitalize off of what they created and made it mine. I would know…. I am mr 106! I would never take away from someones creativity.”
He continued in a follow-up tweet: “We live in a weird time when telling the truth is being rude. Or keeping it a buck is disrespectful…. You cant be serious.”
That last tweet was more than likely in reference to a comment made by fellow rapper Da Brat who called out Bow Weezy on Instagram:
“Man wtf? I really don’t have the time or patience for this shit but I got BOTH TODAY. Bow what I can’t letchu do is discredit my big brother JD who u called your dad for so many years cuz that is pretty much the roll you gave him and instead of sayin hell no, he rocked w it.
You are being so rude and disrespectful to the person who believed in you, nurtured you, made you a complete star, wrote all yo hits, accepted the challenge when Snoop brought you to him. He has never done ANYTHING to you but help. I aint’ finna letchu drag the most non confrontational person who loved, cared for u and spoiled yo ass for years.
He isn’t and never would discredit BET execs. He discussed creating 106 b4 it was created so black people could have their own TRL. NO CAP! If this is watchu wanna do…LET’S FUCKIN GO! Pull up lil n-gga witcho disrespectful ass. So ungrateful.”
Additionally, former BET President of Programming Stephen Hill also entered the chat to share his perspective on the matter, adding: “Yeahhhhhhh our memories on how 106 and Park was created differ greatly. Now no one challenges that Bow Wow helped launch 106 to greater heights...that is for sure true. But ‘created by me’ might be a bit of an overstep for ya, my man. Love you always!!!”
Straight From 
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