BET to premiere new 'Harlem Heights' reality series on March 2

From The Daily News

LOS ANGELES - Viewers might not recognize Brooke Crittendon, one of the eight African-American professionals starring on BET's new reality series "Harlem Heights," but they've probably heard of her ex-fiancé, rapper Kanye West.

Crittendon, who works at MTV and is no stranger to the reality genre, said the reason she put her life in front of the camera has a lot to do with feeling misunderstood as a famous person's other half.

"Because I played the background to the person I was dating, I had to go through people saying things about me or assuming who I was," Crittendon told TV writers here. "I just wanted to let people know who I am and what I really do. I'm not just this person's girlfriend."

"Harlem Heights," premiering March 2 on BET, captures the "young, black and fabulous crowd" of one of New York's most famous neighborhoods. The cast includes a lifestyle editor for the basketball publication Dime magazine, an aspiring actress, a fashionista, a young man contemplating a career in politics and even a young dad. It's a group of friends moving out of college and into the working world.

"This show isn't 'The Hills,' " said BET president Loretha Jones. "The cast was friends before, so their relationships are natural and they allowed us to follow them in such a way that they were unconcerned with the cameras being there, and let us capture the real interactions."

Jones also said that unlike some other reality shows about twentysomethings, "Harlem Heights" would explore not only emotional drama, but also professional drama and the excitement and celebrations of last year's historical election night.

Participant Pierre Downing, who works for a nonprofit organization that does community development in Harlem, said that "Harlem Heights" will change the face of young black America, because he and his castmates aren't just athletes, rappers or media moguls.

"Here you have college graduates obtaining a higher level of success and that needs to be shown," said Downing. "All of us are here today to show America we have a voice and need to be recognized."

"Harlem Heights" creators Kurt Williamson and Randolph Sturrup said they chose the upper West Side not only because of its history, but its future.

"People are naturally drawn to New York and when you add the layer of Harlem, there's a certain interest and intrigue in that," said Williamson.

"And with Harlem currently redefining itself," Sturrup said, "it parallels what our cast is going through in their lives."

"This influx of young, urban black professionals that are really trying to do it are creating a resurrection of a new Harlem. There's a new Harlem renaissance," said Downing. "[Harlem] is our true ninth character."
ckinon@nydailynews.com

A show about Harlem and not a thick chick in the bunch....SO disappointing! Hopefully it will hold my attention for a lil while....Sigh...some folks just don't get it.

"Ghetto is also an absence of self-respect. Ghetto is embracing the worst instead of the best. Call it aiming low." -Cora Daniels, Writer