Paramount’s Slate of Brands Have Big Plans to Salute Hip-Hop’s 50th Anniversary

Already looking ahead to 2023, Paramount Global is announcing a cross-brand partnership involving its broadcast, cable, streaming and digital brands to commemorate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. The company’s expansive, year-long slate of programming initiatives also includes an alliance with The Recording Academy.

Today’s announcement (Nov. 17) is an expansion of Hip Hop 50, a three-year initiative that Paramount cable network Showtime launched in late 2021 in association with Mass Appeal, the music label, film and TV company co-founded by rapper/entrepreneur Nas. Focusing on the stories, personalities and legends behind the genre, the partnership has thus far presented several programs on Showtime such as Supreme Team, Cypress Hill: Insane in the Brain, You’re Watching Video Music Box and Ricky Powell: The Individualist, about the well-known New York street photographer.

Moving forward, Showtime will present more programming under the Hip Hop 50 banner from Mass Appeal and other production companies. Those offerings will include a documentary about legendary rapper Biz Markie, a series showcasing the power of women in the genre and another series exploring the SoundCloud scene.

On CBS, Paramount’s cross-company hip-hop celebration will include a special performance at the 65th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 5, 2023. Later in the year, the TV network will also present a special music event in honor of the genre’s golden anniversary in partnership with The Recording Academy.

Paramount’s year-long celebration of hip-hop’s cultural impact will feature additional new and returning content across its other brands, including:

BET, which will produce a documentary about its iconic series, Rap City, and further honor the anniversary through its longstanding BET Awards and Hip Hop Awards telecasts. BET.com and BET social will also spotlight the culture and profile its legends throughout 2023.

MTV Entertainment Studios, which is set to produce new episodes of Behind the Music and various hip-hop documentaries to be announced at a later date. Fans will also get a chance to celebrate the anniversary via in-show moments during the VMAs and EMAs.

Paramount+, which will continue to stream 50 iconic episodes from MTV Entertainment’s original series Yo! MTV Raps for the first time since it premiered. In addition, the rebooted series is now also available to stream alongside the home makeover series Hip Hop My House.