So we told you about that historic roundtable that happened in the MTV studios last night with Yo! MTV Raps hosts Fab 5 Freddy, Ed Lover & Dr. Dre; old-schooler Doug E. Fresh and new-schooler Fabolous; and journos Nelson George, Elliott “YN” Wilson (ex-XXL editor), and Nekesa Moody (Associated Press); and moderated by our very own Sway!

(Also, fans of the show will remember that Fab was on during the weekends and Ed & Dre were on during the weekdays, and they never, ever crossed-over, except on the final episode in 1995. So having them in the same room was kind of special.)

Over the course of an hour, the panel discussed the origins, the influence and impact of Yo! When asked if artists-turned-moguls like Diddy and Jay-Z owe their successes to the fact that Yo! came before them, Fab 5 Freddy took it one step further, saying BARACK OBAMA CAN HAPPEN BECAUSE OF YO!

Word! We actually feel Fabulous Five Frederick on this Yo!bama idea: Yo! was really instrumental in not only bringing black (and Latino) culture into the homes of people who otherwise wouldn’t have experienced it, but it was also one of the driving forces of solidifying the Hip-Hop Nation, and Obama can certainly happen today only because of the lives and experiences of that generation.

Now, while the roundtable was originally intended as a press-event, it was so great, we decided to open it up to EVERYONE. Check it out at the Yo! home page, yo.mtv.com.

Many of you regulars ’round these parts know about MTV’s big tribute to the 20th anniversary of THE GREATEST TV SERIES EVER: Yo! MTV Raps. We’ve been doing sneak peeks over the last week on some of the best moments in the history of the show. So much more is available right here for your viewing pleasure.

Newsroom Bossman, Jim Fraenkel, writes:

Yo! remains dear to many of the folks walking the halls of MTV, some of whom were here when the show bowed, some of whom were merely fans hoping to one day work for the network that blew up their television sets with the sights and sounds of a musical revolution. So when it came time to shout out the festivities, the press department here at the channel knew they had to do one better than a press release, or even a standard press conference. The fruits of their labor unfolded last night inside the MTV Studios in Times Square.

Our very own Sway – a kid growin’ up in the Bay when Yo! premiered for the first time (who, by the way, would later see a video of his own on the show) – was master of ceremonies, moderating a roundtable discussion that included the OG’s themselves, the hosts who brought the show to life, Fab 5 Freddy, Ed Lover & Doctor Dre, “old-school” and “new school” artists, Doug E. Fresh & Fabolous, and a handful of influential hip-hop journalists and writers, Nelson George, Elliott Wilson (former XXL editor) & Nekesa Moody (Associated Press).

The night was rich with revelations, including this one from Ed & Dre, the dynamic duo whose inimitable chemistry belied the true nature of their relationship.

More coming later!

“It’s April already, yo.”

“Word, B, you know what that means?”

“Nah, what?”

“20th Anniversary of Yo! MTV Raps!!! Word is bond!”

“Say word!”

yo.mtv.com

Hey, remember last week how we told you about The Loder Files? Those amazing moments in the MTV News archives where the legendary Kurt Loder (and still on top of his game, we might add) did his cool, smokey-voiced everyman interviews with some of the most interesting figures in music?

Yeah, well, we’ve arrived at Week 2 of The Loder Files and this one’s crazygood. It’s Kurt Loder at the home of a 20-year old Ice Cube (um, not in Compton but nearby), in 1989 (NINETEEN EIGHTY NINE!), right after the release of Straight Outta Compton.

Kurt and Cube talk about success, ride around the ‘hood in Cube’s jeep, and man, look at that cellphone! They were flossin’!

Also, Kurt and MTV News superproducer Tami Katzoff chose Ice Cube this week to coincide with the MTV-wide kickoff of the 20th Anniversary celebration of Yo! MTV Raps all month. Go to yo.mtv.com for more.

This is no April Fool’s joke.

So not to get all promo on you, but all this month, MTV is celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the greatest thing this channel has ever done: Yo! MTV Raps. All apologies to “The Hills.” You’ll be seeing various moments from the show’s seven-year run - videos, freestyles, funny bits from Ed & Dre and Fab 5 Freddy, etc - all across the MTV universe, whether you watch MTV, MTV2, MTV Jams, read any of the websites or if you just read this blog. Keep your eyes peeled.Below is a montage of some of the freestyles that have appeared in the show’s history. The first person to name all the rappers gets a prize. For reals. Come on, Internet - get crackin’.

You can see more all month at yo.mtv.com

Below is another sneak-peek from the upcoming Yo! MTV Raps 20th Anniversary shorts that will be unleashed to the world next week. It was really fantastic to be able to watch every episode ever of the show. We even found the “first episode,” which was Fab 5 Freddy and Salt N’ Pepa. Then we found this, which is the REAL first episode, the pilot, which was hosted by Run DMC and some of their, um, friends.

So again, starting next week, no matter where you get your MTV from - regular MTV, MTV Jams, online, here, mtvnews.com, on your cellphone, etc - you’ll be seeing a lot from the Yo! archives. But, if you want a little preview, head on over to yo.mtv.com

One of the great shining moments of MTV’s history is the seven-year run, beginning in 1988, of Yo! MTV Raps. Seriously, EVERY SINGLE HIP-HOP ARTIST YOU LISTEN TO was influenced by Yo!, not to mention an entire generation of fans, activists, industries, etc.And that was 20 years ago. TWENTY YEARS AGO!!

Anyway, MTV is celebrating the 20th anniversary by bringing the show back. So to speak. Starting in April, you’ll be able to check out Yo!’s greatest moments, its best videos, and all sorts of other crazy things.

I spent two months watching every single episode that exists (more on this in April) and producing a bunch of 60-second video “shorts” that you’ll be seeing here and elsewhere. I know, hard life. Seriously, those are the moments when I really love my job.

Here’s a teaser - what’s Yo! MTV Raps without the Ed Lover Dance???