Magic City is more than neon lights, dollar bills and bass-heavy beats — it’s an Atlanta institution. Since opening in 1985, the famed strip club has been a cultural hub, a kingmaker in hip-hop, and a gathering place for everyone from NBA All-Stars to music royalty. For nearly four decades, its influence has been felt far beyond the walls at 241 Forsyth Street.
Now, for the first time, its full story is being told in Magic City: An American Fantasy, a five-part docuseries premiering Friday, Aug. 15 at 10:00pm ET/PT on STARZ, with new episodes every Friday at 9:00pm ET/PT.
Executive produced by Jermaine Dupri, Drake’s DreamCrew Entertainment, and actress Jami Gertz, and created by Cole Brown, the series takes viewers behind the velvet rope to meet the people who shaped the club’s legacy, including founder Michael “Mr. Magic” Barney. Directed by Charles Todd and produced by Scheme Engine, the series combines rare archival footage with candid interviews from A-list regulars like 2 Chainz, Nelly, Shaquille O’Neal, Quavo, Killer Mike, and Big Boi, plus the women whose artistry and presence built the club’s mystique.
For Dupri, the timing was cosmic. “The reason I feel like it was important right now is, for one, people were listening to me because I did the Freaknik documentary first,” he tells Okayplayer. “You have people’s eyeballs at a certain time… and then I just feel like it was the universe speaking because me and Cole, and my father [former record executive Michael Mauldin] had a conversation about something else that led into this. Initially, it wasn’t even about Magic City. I feel like the wind made us make this. The wind just blew us in that direction.”
STARZ, he says, was the perfect fit. “It’s more of an adult-leaning network… people are already adjusted to seeing this type of lifestyle on this station, so it makes perfect sense,” Dupri explains, pointing to series like BMF, Power, and P-Valley.
Photo courtesy of STARZ.
Magic City’s reputation as a launchpad for Southern rap hits is legendary, but Dupri points out that all has more to do with proximity, energy, and strategy. “If you heard somebody’s in there promoting their record tonight and you make music, you might want to go and see exactly what they’re doing,” he says.
Behind the scenes, the real magic often started with the dancers. “Magic City used to have a popular girl of the week,” Dupri explains. “When she was on stage, her customers would come, throw money, and all eyes were on her. If you could get her to like your song, she’d tell the DJ to play it again without you even paying her. That’s the ultimate promotion — because all eyes are on the girl and all ears are open to whatever music is playing.”
Photo courtesy of STARZ.
With nearly every major hip-hop artist holding a Magic City memory, deciding who made it into the docuseries wasn’t easy. “Every artist, hip-hop wise, I believe, has a story about Magic City,” Dupri says. “I was just talking to Carmelo [Anthony, NBA Hall Of Famer] — he had a story from when he played for the [Denver] Nuggets. When they were coming to Atlanta, it was a conversation they’d have on the plane: as soon as we land, we go to Magic City… get some food, get a couple of dances, then go back to the hotel so we’re ready for the game tomorrow. That in itself is like, ‘Damn, we should have had that part in the documentary.’ You can’t get everybody in, but the stories are endless.”
Over the years, Dupri has introduced the likes of Madonna, Janet Jackson, and Quincy Jones to the club. “The people that I’ve taken, they want to go. They’ve heard so much about it,” he says. “That’s the beauty of Magic City… no problems.”
For Dupri, telling the story from a Black creative perspective was non-negotiable. “It’s a Black-owned establishment… it’s a Black club,” he says. “I don’t know how anyone else could tell the story.”
Photo courtesy of STARZ.
Magic City: An American Fantasy doesn’t just unpack the club’s connection to hip-hop, it also addresses its complicated history as a hangout for the infamous Black Mafia Family, as well as the ups and downs the Barney family endured to maintain the family business. Overall, the five-part series shares Magic City’s evolution into a cultural touchstone where music, sports, and nightlife collide. It’s both a celebration and a clear-eyed look at a space where fantasy and reality have always shared the same stage.
As the documentary declares early on, the most beautiful Black women in strip clubs were in Magic City, and now, viewers will understand why.
TUNE IN: Magic City: An American Fantasy premieres August 15 at 10:00pm ET/PT on STARZ. Remaining episodes will air weekly on Fridays at 9:00pm ET/PT.
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