Russell Simmons Releasing “The Definitive History of Hip Hop” Documentary

Russell Simmons’ All Def Digital and Emmy award winning producers Stephen David Entertainment announced today a partnership with GroupM Entertainment, a global content investment and rights management company, to develop and produce THE DEFINITIVE HISTORY OF HIP HOP, a sweeping documentary series that tells the exhaustive story of hip hop, from its seminal, underground roots to its now most iconic, global artists.

Stephen David will executive produce the series, along with GME’s Richard Foster and Simmons himself. The project is in development and slated to begin production this year.

THE DEFINITIVE HISTORY OF HIP HOP begins in the early 1970s, chronicling the rise of the first DJs and emcees in New York City.  But what started as a way for marginalized youth in New York City to escape or explain the stark realities of the inner city, rapidly spread from the East to West Coast as it evolved into a global phenomenon.  Today, it is a multi-billion dollar industry and cultural force that shapes music, art, fashion, language, and all forms of entertainment from films to television and digital programming to social media.

Russell Simmons said in a statement,

“Hip-Hop  began in the Bronx and Queens, and was fueled by pioneering new artists with an incredible hunger to express themselves in unimaginably bold new ways. The Definitive History of Hip-Hop is the untold story of the birth of this art form – the series gets behind the scenes of what drove the beats, the rhymes, the ideas — and the people — that so powerfully hit a chord with all of youth culture in America and around the world.  It starts with the OGs of this disruptive force in entertainment, spotlights some of the lesser known artists who’ve fallen out of history or favor, and of course looks at the icons who are now household names whether you’re in LA or London, Toledo or Tokyo.”

Simmons also added,

“The music is just as important, classic and timeless today as it was 40 years ago.  We’ve partnered with amazing filmmakers in Stephen David Entertainment and with GroupM, the largest media investment firm in the world, because we believe this will be a long-running, global franchise,” Simmons said.  “We are going long, and deep, and plan to follow the characters and story lines, the drama, the dreams, the deaths, the disruptions, that have made our narrative one of the most compelling American stories of the last three decades.  And its future is still being written today, so the story is both timeless and endless.”

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