Jermaine Dupri welcomed the 2025 American Black Film Festival attendees to Atlanta with a sneak peek at his pending docuseries, Magic City: An American Fantasy. During a panel discussion that opened the world of STARZ at the annual event, Dupri was joined by Cole Brown, who also executive-produced and created the work, for a chat about the famed hotspot with journalist Jemele Hill.
The lively Q&A packed out the convention center room in Miami, with many left at the door due to the anticipation for the screening and subsequent conversation. As they beamed with pride, both men prepared to unpack the allure of Magic City and the importance of telling the story behind its rise to fame.
Officially, Magic City: An American Fantasy is a five-part docuseries that takes a deep dive into one of Atlanta’s most influential destinations and its impact, extending beyond its reputation as a strip club. The nightlife mainstay is responsible for shaping the city’s cultural and music landscape and beyond.
L-R) Cole Brown, Jemele Hill, and Jermaine Dupri attend the STARZ: Come Play in Our World during the 2025 American Black Film Festival at the Miami Beach Convention Center on June 13, 2025 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for ABFF)
As described in a press statement, “through an alluring, dynamic and artistic lens, the docuseries immerses viewers in the Magic City phenomenon, exploring its historical significance, its role in the rise of Southern Hip-Hop and its impact on women’s empowerment in the industry, since being established in 1985.
Heralded as the “Black Studio 54,” Magic City became the definitive king-maker in the Hip-Hop community and became a place where fantasy and reality collide.
“I got Magic City documentary dropping August 15 on Starz,” assured Dupri to VIBE ahead of ABFF earlier this month at the 25th annual BET Awards. The project initially premiered to critical acclaim at the 2024 SXSW Festival. Drake’s DreamCrew Entertainment, Jermaine Dupri, and Jami Gertz serve as executive producers. The series is directed by Charles Todd.
He continued to detail how the docuseries inspired him to tap in with Atlanta musicians of all generations to create a brand new album. The first single, “Turn Around,” which features T.I., Young Dro, and 2 Chainz, was released last week.
“It started as a soundtrack, and then as I started making the records, I’m like yo, this really a Jermaine Dupri album with a whole bunch of artists that I’ve never worked with, and I also started saying Im going to put artists from Atlanta on this…So, it’s me making records with artists I never worked with, that’s from the same city that I’m from. That’s exciting to me.”
He continued to detail, “People keep saying bridge the gap, I’m just trynna put my city on. We gon rock out. It’s an Atlanta summer.”
Watch a preview for the Magic City: An American Fantasy docuseries below and tune in to its STARZ debut on August 15 at 10 p.m. ET/PT in the U.S., after the season finale of BMF.
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