Photographed by Howard Chu

BET’s Tales to Dramatize Rap Songs

Murder Inc. Records founder Irv Gotti (pictured) has been in Atlanta overseeing the production of his new scripted anthology series for BET. Tales will consist of original dramatic mini-movies based on the lyrics of current and classic rap/hip-hop songs. Woody McClain, Keith Powers (both from BET’s The New Edition Story), MC Lyte, Boris Kodjoe (Code Black), Elise Neal (Logan) and Clifton Powell (Bounce TV’s Atlanta-filmed Saints & Sinners) are among the stars of selected tales, with Fetty Wap’s “Trap Queen,” The Notorious B.I.G.’s “I Got a Story to Tell” and Meek Mill’s “Cold Hearted” all confirmed for upcoming episodes. The series premiere, which will air on June 27th, will be based on N.W.A.’s “Fuck tha Police,” which should do wonders to help ease the media-fueled tensions between cops and young inner city blacks in this country.