Sucker_Free

Sucker Free

Sucker Free is a series of urban music video programs shown on MTV and its associated networks. The main version of the series, shown on MTV, was known as Direct Effect from 2000 to 2006. Hosted by MTV video jockey Cipha Sounds, the show played the top hip-hop and R&B music videos that viewers vote for online. Other versions of the series are shown on MTV2 and MTV Tres.

History

It debuted on September 25, 2000 under the title Direct Effect, by which it was known until May 2, 2006, being renamed Sucker Free on MTV as the similar program on MTV2 under a similar name and genre. In addition to the top five videos requested it occasionally plays Off The Radar videos which are popular music videos at that time, and it also plays "Hot One" videos which are videos that are below the top five. Sometimes well-known rappers are featured as guest stars usually to announce their new albums. In addition, the program occasionally features "Straight From the Streets" interviews featuring underground or alternative hip hop artists.

In April 2008, the show became a subject of criticism by the Parents Television Council, whose research report The Rap on Rap claimed that Sucker Free and BET programs 106 & Park and Rap City were deliberately marketing adult content to minors. In response to the PTC's report, Procter & Gamble proposed withdrawing advertising from BET and MTV. An executive for MTV responded:

MTV ceased broadcasting its version of the series around June 2008.

Spinoffs

The show has two spinoffs - MTV2's Sucker Free on sister channel MTV2, which plays only hip-hop videos, focuses more on obscure artists, and runs for one hour, and Sucker Free Latino on the Latino-oriented MTV network MTV Tres, focusing on Latino urban music, including videos by American artists of Latino descent as well as videos from Latin American artists, and also running an hour. On weekends, MTV2 airs the Sucker Free Countdown, covering the top 20 hip-hop videos of the week.