# Video Soul

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1981 American TV series or program

Video Soul Starring Donnie Simpson Sherry Carter Country of origin United States Production Running time 120 minutes Original release Network Black Entertainment Television (BET)[2] Release June 26, 1981 (1981-06-26)[1] – September 1996 (1996-09)

***Video Soul*** was a two–hour long American [music video](/source/Music_video) program that originally aired on [BET](/source/Black_Entertainment_Television) from June 26, 1981[3] to September 1996.[4][5] The program was devoted to showcasing [R&B](/source/R%26B) and [Soul](/source/Soul_music) recording artists and performers' music videos.[6]

## History

*Video Soul* premiered on June 26, 1981 and was originally a half-hour show. Debuting five weeks before [MTV](/source/MTV), the show became a domicile for Black talent, whereas MTV refused to play videos by most African-American musicians.[7] Both [BET](/source/BET) and *Video Soul* served as a place of refuge for new African-American musical artists (the "Soul" part indicates [African-American culture](/source/African-American_culture)).[8] The expanded two-hour long primetime version premiered on June 26, 1983 and aired from 9 to 11 p.m. E.T., Monday through Thursdays. A top 20 countdown aired Friday nights, 9–11 p.m. E.T. as well. Throughout the early to mid-1990s, until the show ended, it aired from 8 to 10 pm E.T.

Virgil Hemphill was the original first host of the series, calling himself the "Reverend Eldorado". After Hemphill left the series, [Donnie Simpson](/source/Donnie_Simpson) became the show's most prominent [VJ](/source/Video_jockey) although he joined the show a few years after it premiered. Sherry Carter (who also hosted BET's *[Video LP](/source/Video_LP)*, a half-hour-long video program) and Sheila Banks were the other hosts. Throughout its run, it was responsible for surprise guests, bringing groups/bands back together, memorable interviews, etc. A number of up-and coming artists had their first interview on *Video Soul*.

## Other formats

***Video Soul Top-20*** aired on Fridays, and showcased the hottest top 20 videos of the week. It was also known as ***The [Coca-Cola](/source/Coca-Cola) Video Soul Top-20 Countdown***, as Coca-Cola became a sponsor of the show. ***Video Soul By Request*** was a two-hour long video block on Saturdays. This edition premiered in mid-1992. It showcased videos requested by viewers who called a 1-900 number. Throughout its run, Sherry Carter hosted unseen when she became a host for *Video Soul* in [1992](/source/1992_in_television).

## Revival

Donnie Simpson planned to bring back the program in 2019. It was unclear if it would be filmed in Washington, D.C. like the original series. Two years later, the program eventually premiered on [Tubi](/source/Tubi).

## Hosts

- [Donnie Simpson](/source/Donnie_Simpson) (1983–1996)

- Sherry Carter (1992–1996)

- Sheila Banks

- [Kenya Moore](/source/Kenya_Moore)

- Brett Walker (1994–1996)

- Leslie "Big Lez" Segar (1994–1995)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Whitaker, Matthew C. (2011). [*Icons of Black America: Breaking Barriers and Crossing Boundaries, Volume 1*](https://books.google.com/books?id=bT1jf8PcqAUC&dq=video+soul+bet+1981&pg=PA485). ABC-CLIO. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780313376429](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780313376429). Retrieved October 3, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [BET+](/source/BET%2B)Denisoff, R. Serge (1989). [*Inside Mtv*](https://books.google.com/books?id=Bb5ykQLNLn8C&dq=video+soul+bet&pg=PA139). Transaction Publishers. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781412826303](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781412826303). Retrieved March 5, 2017 – via Google Books.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Black Star Power - David Earl Jackson](https://books.google.com/books?id=JDgbAQAAIAAJ&q=video+soul+bet+1981)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Smith-Shomade, Beretta E. (August 21, 2012). [*Pimpin' Ain't Easy: Selling Black Entertainment Television*](https://books.google.com/books?id=f5InNzDSljkC&dq=video+soul+bet&pg=PT113). Routledge. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781135869489](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781135869489). Retrieved March 5, 2017 – via Google Books.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Billboard"](https://books.google.com/books?id=RQgEAAAAMBAJ&dq=video+soul+sherry+carter+bet&pg=PA40). Nielsen Business Media, Inc. April 23, 1994 – via Google Books.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Why B.E.T. Sucks"](http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/article/13010336/why-bet-sucks).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Why_it_took_MTV_so_long_to_play_black_music_videos_7-0)** ["Why it took MTV so long to play black music videos"](https://books.google.com/books?id=fDoDAAAAMBAJ&dq=Why+It+Took+MTV+So+Long+To+Play+Black+Music+Videos&pg=PA16). Jet Magazine. October 9, 2006. Retrieved October 9, 2006.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Zad, Martie (April 8, 1990). ["BET CELEBRATES 10TH ANNIVERSARY WITH 'VIDEO SOUL'"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/tv/1990/04/08/bet-celebrates-10th-anniversary-with-video-soul/8c164deb-793f-40b5-b6ad-9e1264a8ec72/). Retrieved March 5, 2017 – via washingtonpost.com.

## External links

- [*Video Soul*](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250173/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

v t e BET original programming Current The Oval (since 2019) Sistas (since 2019) Tyler Perry's House of Payne (since 2020) Tyler Perry's Assisted Living (since 2020) After Happily Ever After (since 2022) Black + Iconic (since 2023) The Wine Down with Mary J. Blige (since 2023) Ms. Pat Settles It (since 2023) Pound 4 Pound (since 2025) 106 & Sports (since 2025) Love & Hip Hop: Miami (since 2025) The Coach Vick Experience (since 2026) OG Stories (since 2026) Former 1980s and 1990s debuts Bobby Jones Gospel (1980–2016) Black College Football (1981–2005) Video Soul (1981–1996) Video Vibrations (1984–1997) Midnight Love (1985–2005) Video LP (1986–1993) Rap City (1989–2008) Teen Summit (1989–2002) Screen Scene (1990–1997) Planet Groove (1996–1999) ABL on BET (1996–1998) Cita's World (1999–2003) 2000s debuts 106 & Park (2000–2014) BET.com Countdown (2001–2006) BET: Uncut (2001–2006) Access Granted (2001–2009) BET's Top 25 (2001–2008) The Center (2003–2007) Hey Monie! (2003) College Hill (2004–2009) BET Style (2004–2006) Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is (2006–2008) Hotwyred (2006–2007) The Black Carpet (2006–2008) The 5ive (2007) Take the Cake (2007) Baldwin Hills (2007–2009) Sunday Best (2007–2021) Iron Ring (2008) The Deal (2008–2010) Brothers to Brutha (2008) Harlem Heights (2009) Tiny and Toya (2009–2010) The Mo'Nique Show (2009–2011) 2010s debuts The Michael Vick Project (2010) The Family Crews (2010–2011) Let's Stay Together (2011–2014) The Game (2011–2015) Black Panther (2011) Reed Between the Lines (2011) Keyshia & Daniel: Family First (2012) Real Husbands of Hollywood (2013–2016) Second Generation Wayans (2013) Being Mary Jane (2013–2019) Just Keke (2014) Nellyville (2014–2015) Roc Nation Sports Live Boxing (2015) The Book of Negroes (2015) Keyshia Cole: All In (2015) Punk'd (2015) Zoe Ever After (2016) Chasing Destiny (2016) Criminals at Work (2016) The New Edition Story (2017) Madiba (2017) The Quad (2017–2018) Time: The Kalief Browder Story (2017) Rebel (2017) Tales (2017–2022) 50 Central (2017) The Comedy Get Down (2017) The Rundown with Robin Thede (2017–2018) Hit the Floor (2018) In Contempt (2018) The Grand Hustle (2018) The Family Business (2018–2019) Boomerang (2019–2020) American Soul (2019–2020) Games People Play (2019–2021) 2020s debuts Twenties (2020–2021) Boiling Point (2021) Disrupt & Dismantle (2021) BET Presents: The Encore (2021) Klutch Academy (2021) The Murder Inc Story (2022) Haus of Vicious (2022) America in Black (2023-2024) Welcome to Rap City (2023) Celebrity Squares (2024) The Hospital (2025)

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