Although hip-hop might not be the first words that come to mind when thinking of MTV these days, this week 25 years ago the network premiered a show that not only made history, but was crucial in spreading the hip-hop movement all around the world. On August 6, 1988 MTV debuted Yo! MTV Raps, an hour-long special showcasing the biggest acts in the genre through interviews and music videos. For a television channel that mainly showcased videos of white bands and artists (with the exception of Prince, Michael Jackson, and Lionel Richie), Yo! MTV Raps ripped the lid off an underground culture, and gave hip-hop the platform it never had before. So in honor of the legendary show, which for its seven year run was dubbed “the CNN of hip-hop,” here’s an excellent documentary that covers its historic run. And to Fab 5 Freddy, Dr. Dre, Ed Lover, Angie Martinez, and everybody else involved with Yo! MTV Raps? Thank you for pushing the culture forward and being one of the main reasons we’re still enjoying hip-hop in 2013. “You down wit’ MTV? Yeah, you know me!” Related: Ed Lover – Yo! MTV Raps Old School Mix (Mixtape). What’s your favorite “Yo! MTV Raps moment?