Wazzup, Wazzup, WAZZUP?!!
Cue that '90s nostalgia because BET+ is hitting us right in the heart with a long-awaited Martin: The Reunion, a special for the hit classic series.
It's been 30 years in the making!
Sadly we're down one key cast member after the tragic death of Tommy Ford. However, for the first time in three decades, the cast will come together to reminisce, relive some of their favorite moments, and commemorate one of the most pivotal and influential series in modern Black TV culture.
Martin Lawrence, Tisha Campbell-Martin, Tichina Arnold, and Carl Anthony Payne II will settle in on the iconic living room set of the series and relive some of their glory days with what was and remains a Black cultural juggernaut series.
Comedian Affion Crockett will host the 90-minute special, and it'll have some surprise guest appearances, special musical performances, and loads of behind-the-scenes commentary.
Anyone who remembers when the series aired in its glory day can recall how Martin was universally adored and lauded.
Martin was one of FOX's highest-rated series from '92-97.
It was also a mecca for many other popular figures at the time. It was nothing to see cameos and guest appearances by famous athletes like Shaq, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, and Thomas Hearns.
It also featured models like Beverly Johnson, iconic actors like Sherman Hemsley, and fellow comedians like Chris Rock and Tommy Davidson.
Martin's titular character of the same name was a disc jockey. It evolved in the business, so it was also common for the series to feature and have a plethora of cameos from musical appearances.
From R&B to Hip Hop to Gospel, some of the biggest musicians would drop by during episodes. Notorious B.I.G, Babyface, Snoop Dogg, Method Man, Boyz II Men, Bebe and Cece Winans, and more appeared whenever.
In addition to the stellar cast, great characters, and comedy, the excitement over recognizable faces dropping by was some of the series' strongest appeals.
Martin: The Reunion will bring back some of that with special appearances and guest stars.
It'll also explore some of Martin's many characters in the series, famously the iconic Sheneneh Jenkins, who fans probably recall the most. There's also Edna Payne (Martin's mother), Ol 'Otis, Jerome (the Pimp), and a snot-nosed, precocious kid named Roscoe, and more.
The cast will also take time to give a tribute and honor Tommy, played by the late actor Tommy Mikal Ford.
Martin: The Reunion will stream on June 16. Check out trailer below!
Martin: The Reunion is one of many highly-anticipated offerings as part of BET+'s sizzling summer slate.
Other notable offerings that dropped on June 2 include:
The third season of Tyler Perry's Bruh and I Love Us, where comediennes Kym Whitley and Kountry Wayne take on clip comedy from a Black perspective with the most absurd clips on the web.
The film Outsiders, featuring Queen Sugar's Rutina Wesley, Orange is the New Black's Taryn Manning, and Shane West, is also currently streaming.
It's about a teen who becomes a suspect when his classmate suddenly disappears during a party. The prejudice in the small town quickly rears its head, but Jaylen works overtime to get to the bottom of what really happened and the otherwordly factions at play.
On June 9, the second half of American Gangster: Trap Queens Season 3 hits the streamer.
If you're in the market for true crime, you'll enjoy this series narrated by rap icon Lil' Kim. It'll feature stories about Sydia Bagley, Lonett "Cookie" Williams, Pam Driskel, Tracie Dickey, and Demi "Mimi" Harrison. Their crimes range from robbery and drug trafficking to real estate fraud, and the season explores their rise to a fantasy world of riches built on crime before an inevitable fall.
Elsewhere on June 16, the film Block Party will drop. It features a recent Harvard grad, Keke McQueen, who intends to pursue a dream job in Atlanta, far away from her hometown. Unfortunately, her plans come to a screeching halt when she realizes her grandmother shows early signs of dementia, and she must save her grandmother's annual Juneteenth block party.
On June 23, there's the release of Bid for Love. It's about a woman who did a prison bid for her drug trafficking boyfriend who finds love with a new seemingly perfect man before that illusion is shattered.
On June 27, it's a reimagined season of the cult hit series College Hill. College Hill -Celebrity Edition will drop the first two episodes before switching to a weekly Thursday release.
It'll feature Nene Leakes, Ray J, Lamar Odom, Big Freedia, Stacey Dash, DreamDoll, India Love, and Slim Thug as they attend an HBCU (Texas Southern University) as students.
Cast members will not only explore the historical and cultural significance of HBCUs, but they'll each focus on completing a specialty certification program and walking across the graduation stage.
They'll have to do coursework, internships, group projects, and much more
Why Aren’t You Watching These Excellent Shows?
On July 1, The Black Hamptons, based on a novel by best-selling author Car Weber, will hit the streamer.
It follows two families, the Brittons and the Johnsons, and a feud between them in their wealthy town of Sag Harbor. It'll explore the difference between new money and old, exposing the secrets of the prestigious, plotting, backstabbing, and so much drama.
On July 14, the second season of All the Queen's Men will drop, picking up where it left off following the life of "Marilyn 'Madam' DeVille," played by ANTM winner Eva Marcille.
Marilyn discovers that more money and more power mean more problems as she navigates the dangerous underground world and tries to stay ahead and alive.
On July 21, Ghost In the House of Truth will air. Bola Ogun is a dedicated counselor who facilitates reconciliation sessions between convicts and the victims of their crimes. When her own daughter goes missing, her belief in forgiveness is tested.
On July 28, the fourth season of Family Business will air as we continue to follow the Duncan family. Their members manage one of the top dealerships in the city and are the notorious leaders of the Black Mafia, running the entire East Coast underworld. They stop at nothing for the family.
And on August 11, The Ms. Pat Show returns for its sophomore season, tackling gender identity, school shootings, drug addiction, racism, child abuse, etc. Pat and the Carson family must adjust to living in a white suburban neighborhood and all that their new surroundings entail. While Pat tackles her demons with laughs and tears.
You can find all of the above and Martin: The Reunion streaming on BET+.