Diddy's Making His Band is a Breath of Fresh Reality TV Air

I've never been a big fan of Diddy or his MTV reality series Making the Band. Every season was filled with drama and dues-to-be-paid instead of raw talent. Today when I tuned in to Diddy's new MTV show Making his Band, it was only out of sheer boredom. The last thing I expected was to be moved to the point of tears within the first five minutes of the open auditions.

At the beginning of Making His Band's premiere episode, Diddy explained how he got started in the music business. What viewers didn't see was his usual tiresome ego. There was no front, no bragging, just Diddy being real and human. We learned that the love of music, and not fame or fortune originally fueled Diddy. This seemingly insignificant introduction set the tone for what was to come.

The initial auditions were amazing. Except for a couple weak links, these guys and girls were spot on. The singers were strong, the bassists were funky, and the drummers' beats were perfection. It was also exciting to see so many female drummers who really rocked. Everyone was professional, and the editors made it seem like there wasn't a single amateur in sight. It was obvious that those who tried out were there for the love of music and not just for a brush with fame.

Estelle's song "American Boy" was the track everyone auditioned with, and eventually played in front of Diddy. "American Boy" was a great choice with its mix of jazzy smoothness with hip hop undertones. Both funky and smooth, it really showed off the musicians' ranges.

There's bound to be some drama in Making His Band. What reality/Diddy show is without drama? However, any drama involved with Making his Band will be the kind that drives these performers to sing or play to their greatest potential.

For the first time, I felt a connection with Diddy and what he's about. We were both raised by the radio, as he said, and many of his musical influences growing up were mine too. I grew up with a love for classical R&B and 80s-90s hip hop, but was a classically trained cellist and violinist, and a self-taught guitarist and bassist. Perhaps that's why the auditions that followed struck me so deeply. The tears came from being hit with an unexpected deluge of talent, and remembering what it feels like to compete against other musicians for highly-regarded positions. It immediately inspired me to start playing again after many years of apathy.

As Diddy said, "This ain't Diddy circa '94". Making His Band is hot, musically driven, not flashy, and quite possibly the most artistic, relevant, and exciting reality show ever made. If the auditions were able to make me tear up, just imagine how amazing these musicians will sound on tour with Diddy. The Last Train To Paris tour is setting up to be Diddy's hottest album and tour to date.