A new five-part docuseries, “Magic City: An American Fantasy,” is set to debut on Starz this Friday, promising to delve into the untold stories of what’s billed as “Atlanta’s most influential Black cultural hub.” This series aims to challenge preconceived notions about the famous strip club, portraying it as a significant force in music and culture.
From Personal Stories to Docuseries
The idea for the docuseries originated from producer/songwriter Jermaine Dupri, one of Magic City’s most vocal proponents. While working with series creator Cole Brown on Dupri’s book, Brown became fascinated by the numerous anecdotes Dupri shared about the establishment. Dupri, who recounts going to Magic City every Monday, even shared a story in the series about his former girlfriend, singer Janet Jackson, insisting on joining him.
Brown, a writer with an eye for compelling narratives, drew a parallel to another iconic venue. “I live in New York and Studio 54 is still legendary,” Brown told CNN. “Studio 54 was open for like, somewhere between three and five years. And I was thinking about what is our Studio 54?… This little club in Atlanta been open for 40 years. And it’s been at the top of its game for 40 years.”
The series boasts an impressive list of contributors and producers, including Shaquille O’Neal, rappers T.I., Killer Mike, and Drake, with Drake and Jermaine Dupri serving as producers for the project.
The Rise of an Atlanta Institution
Magic City was founded in 1985 by Michael “Mr. Magic” Barney, who remains its owner. The docuseries reveals that Barney initially faced struggles. A turning point came when then-Atlanta Hawks basketball player Dominique Wilkins began bringing his fellow players to the club. Wilkins humorously recalls in the series that the club became the “sixth man” for the Hawks, as he would bring visiting players to party there, hoping to exhaust them before they faced his team on the court.
Beyond the allure of legal full nudity for dancers in Atlanta, music played a pivotal role in Magic City’s ascent. The club is widely credited with helping to foster the rise of Southern hip-hop. It became a vital testing ground for new tracks; if the strippers at Magic City embraced a song, it was often a sign of impending success.
Challenging Perceptions and Embracing Culture
Creator Cole Brown hopes the docuseries will dismantle existing stereotypes and perceptions about the Atlanta hotspot. “If you come to this documentary and then you leave it and you say, you know what, that’s not what I thought it was, that business owner is not who I thought he was,” Brown stated. “And those girls who are some of the most accomplished, independent, strongest women I’ve ever seen, they are not who I thought they were. That city is not what I thought it was. If you have your expectations challenged, then I succeeded.”
Dupri echoed this sentiment, expressing his desire for the world to “understand this is our culture.” He emphasized that while Atlanta is often recognized for its political history and figures like Mayor Maynard Jackson and Martin Luther King Jr., it also possesses a rich “street culture,” of which Magic City is an undeniable part. “I want people to accept that and stop acting like it’s something degrading to women,” Dupri asserted. “This is a lifestyle in the land.”
