Starz is taking viewers into the heart of Atlanta’s nightlife with a new docuseries centered around one of the city’s most iconic and notorious establishments — Magic City. The five-part series, titled Magic City: An American Fantasy, will give a rare and exclusive look behind the curtain of the world-famous strip club, focusing on its cultural impact, controversial history, and the personalities that built its legend.
Produced by Drake’s DreamCrew Entertainment, alongside Jermaine Dupri, Jami Gertz (majority owner of the Atlanta Hawks), showrunner Bayan Joonam, Devin Amar, and Alex Kaplan, the series is expected to premiere later this summer on Starz. The highly anticipated project first made waves at last year’s SXSW Festival, but it wasn’t until now that the series found a home.
The docuseries will explore the life and mind of Michael ‘Mr. Magic’ Barney, the enigmatic founder of Magic City. It will also shine a spotlight on the many women who have contributed to building the club’s allure and keeping its legendary status alive.
“We wanted to walk a fine line with nudity, in particular — where you can’t make a documentary about a strip club and not have any nudity, it just isn’t true to form — and you’re trying to tell the true story,” said Cole Brown, the series creator, shared. “At the same time, we didn’t want it to be salacious, gratuitous. We wanted to use it in such a way that you’re getting an image of what this place is. But if you go to Magic City, you see all the anatomy.”
The series will feature interviews with some of the biggest names in entertainment and sports, many of whom have contributed to the establishment’s lore. Confirmed appearances include Drake, Shaquille O’Neal, Killer Mike, T.I., Nelly, and Big Boi, among others.
Magic City has long been known as a unique space within Black culture, serving as a launchpad for major artists and being referenced in countless songs, music videos, and interviews over the years.
The club has hosted high-profile celebrities including 2 Chainz, Quavo, Killer Mike, Big Boi, and many others, as well as a parade of artists, dancers, and behind-the-scenes power players who have cemented its reputation as a staple of Atlanta’s nightlife.
“Magic City: An American Fantasy is a riveting behind-the-curtain look at one of the most unique places in Black culture,” said Kathryn Busby, President of Original Programming at Starz. “The docuseries’ unprecedented insider access and history unveiled from those who built its empire is a perfect complement to Starz’s slate of adult, culture-driving shows.”
