Today’s Black History Month post is about Class of 3000.

The show aired on Cartoon Network from 2006 to 2008, for two seasons. It was created by Andre “3000” Benjamin of Outkast and solo musical fame, and co-created and developed by Thomas W. Lynch (Alex Mack, The Troop) and Patric M. Verrone (The Critic, Futurama). Andre 3000 also composed the original songs, along with Pat Irwin (Pepper Ann, Spongebob, But I’m a Cheerleader) composing the scores.

The show revolved around the adventures of music teacher Sunny Bridges (an expy for 3000, also played by him), going on adventures with a group of students in Atlanta, Georgia. The show was notable for its diverse cast of characters and unique music. 

The show received good reviews, but was short-lived, and eventually was subject to a lawsuit. The suit claims that in 1997, art student Timothy McGee proposed a show to Cartoon Network called “Music Factory of the 90s" that he claimed Class of 3000 ripped off. 

The pitch concerned an aspiring music producer, along with ”tough full-of-attitude female executive, a young techno-whiz sound engineer, a talented young Asian singer, and a central energetic young singer/rapper.” In the lawsuit, McGee states that he wanted Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds to play the main character, in a similar vein to 3000’s role. McGee’s suit accused 3000, Cartoon Network, and Turner Broadcasting of copyright infringement and breach of contract, among others, requesting “all profits from the show, legal fees, and “whatever this court may deem additionally just and proper.”  The court granted the motion to dismiss, as McGee was unable to show probative similarity between the shows. 

The show aired 28 episodes, and ran in the United States and Canada. It starred famous voice actors like Tom Kenny and Phil Lamarr. It was also the final Cartoon Network show to be aired while Jim Staples was in charge of Cartoon Network, before he resigned in 2007. 

The soundtrack is available on Amazon here, and nearly all the episodes are available on iTunes.