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MTV Celebrates the Most Influential Music Television Series of All Time
'Yo! MTV Raps' Turns 20 With Month-Long Tribute Across MTV Including New
Online Hub Showcasing The Best Of 'Yo!'
NEW YORK, March 27 -- That's right -- we're saying it --
the most influential music television series of all time! MTV is
celebrating the 20th anniversary of "Yo! MTV Raps" with a month-long
campaign starting April 1st. In honor of the series that helped bring
"Hip-Hop" to the global masses, MTV, MTV2, MTV Tr3s, MTV Jams, MTV Hits,
MTV Mobile, MTV Radio and MTV On Demand will all be featuring both new and
old "Yo! MTV Raps" programming. In addition, MTV.com will be launching a
new "Yo! MTV Raps" retrospective hub, showcasing some of the most memorable
moments from the 20-year history of the show, as well as the newly created
content from the month-long celebration. Also, think.mtv.com will launch a
new hub to demonstrate how Yo! MTV icons like KRS-ONE and Chuck D as well
as some of today's musical icons such as Common and Jay-Z are using the
power of hip-hop to mobilize a social movement around the issues that
permeate their music: racism, injustice, violence and lack of opportunity.
All of it will prove that "Yo! MTV Raps" is the most influential music
television series of all time!
Disagree? Got another opinion?? Good! We have something just for the
media. Join us as we present the "Yo! MTV Raps" LIVE media roundtable in
April on MTVPress.com where we will debate if "Yo! MTV Raps" is in fact the
most influential music series of all-time. Hosted by MTV News' Sway
Calloway, the roundtable discussion will also address the history of hip
hop, the current state of the culture, and of course, the influence of "Yo!
MTV Raps."
Featured participants include:
-- "Yo! MTV Raps" hosts Fab Five Freddy, Ed Lover and Doctor Dre.
-- Nelson George, music and culture journalist and filmmaker.
-- Elliott Wilson, former XXL Editor in Chief
To watch the live debate, visit http://www.mtvpress.com. Have a question for a
panel? Great! Submit it here http://mtvpress.com/contacts/form by Friday,
April 4th. Please place "Yo!" in the subject line and be sure to include
your email and name of your media outlet. We will try to use as many
submitted questions as possible.
"Yo! MTV Raps" programming includes:
MTV
>> Yo! MTV Raps -- All month long (Tues, Weds, Thurs) at 4:30pm ET/PT
On-air on MTV's "Sucker Free" officially becomes "Yo! MTV Raps" for the
month featuring the current hip hop video countdown, as well as
memorable moments from Yo!, classic videos, and well as segments from
MTV News.
>> Yo! Countdown Shows -- April 28th, 29th and 30th at 4:30pm ET/PT
For the month we will be counting down the best Yo! moments, music
videos, episodes and Yo! artists Then & Now.
About the Yo! MTV Raps Countdown Specials
Yo! MTV Raps Top 20 Videos: The greatest hip-hop show of all time is
back, with DJ Cipha Sounds counting down the best videos in Yo! MTV Raps
history with exclusive commentary from original Yo! hosts Fab Five Freddy,
Ed Lover and Doctor Dre. See classic videos from LL Cool J, Tupac, Snoop
Dogg & Dr. Dre and more.
Yo! MTV Raps Top Artists Then and Now: DJ Cipha Sounds and original Yo!
host Fab Five Freddy present the 20 hip-hop stars with the most longevity,
from Jay-Z to Queen Latifah to Will Smith and exclusive commentary from
favorite stars of today.
Yo! MTV Raps Top 10 Episodes: DJ Cipha Sounds counts down the top 10
Yo! episodes from Yo!'s international trips, to legendary appearances from
Diddy, Notorious B.I.G., N.W.A. and more. Includes behind the scenes
commentary from original Yo! hosts Fab Five Freddy, Ed Lover, Doctor Dre
and T - Money.
Yo! MTV Raps Top 20 Moments: DJ Cipha Sounds and original Yo! host Fab
Five Freddy count down the top 20 moments in Yo! MTV Raps history, from the
Ed Lover dance, to Run DMC's greatest hits performance and more ...
MTV2
>> MTV2 Sucker Free: Yo! MTV Raps -- All month long (Mon, Tues, Weds,
Thurs) at 5pm ET/PT & 10p ET/PT
"Sucker Free" officially becomes "Yo! MTV Raps" on MTV2, as well! The
5pm MTV2 Sucker Free block will feature current hip-hop videos and
classic Yo! moments and videos, as well as segments from MTV News. At
10p, MTV2 will run the MTV version of Sucker Free, along with another
half-hour of customized Yo! videos and news segments.
>> Sucker Free Sunday Countdown -- All month long (Sun) at 12pm ET/PT
Sunday's edition of Sucker Free Countdown will count down the top Yo!
videos, artists (Then & Now), moments, and episodes.
MTV.com
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of "Yo! MTV Raps," MTV.com will
unveil a one-of-a-kind Yo! retrospective hub showcasing the very best of
the show's eight year history. There fans will be able to relive the
extensive history of Yo! including classic show moments, music videos,
playlists, lyrics and even short form charts addressing hip hop topics and
trends. Throughout the month, MTV.com's Sucker Free Blog will feature
interviews with artists as well as Ed Lover, Fab Five Freddy and Doctor
Dre, the original "Yo! MTV Raps" hosts, along with discussions on trends,
videos and hip hop news. Finally, MTV.com's "Mixtape Monday" feature will
highlight "Yo! MTV Raps" each week, giving a historical context of Yo! and
the influence it had on MTV and hip hop culture.
THINK MTV
Think.MTV.com, MTV's online community for youth activism, will also
celebrate "Yo! MTV Raps" with a special action page featuring the
pro-social efforts of some of the biggest names in the past and present of
hip hop including KRS-One, Chuck D, Common, Nelly, Ludacris and more. Also,
beginning on April 1st Think.MTV.com will auction off part of the Yo! MTV
Raps set -- a 12' x 15' canvas -- that has been signed by artists who have
recently participated on Yo! tapings. The auction will be powered by
BusinessHere, Inc., and proceeds will be given to Music Has Power, a
subsidiary of The Institute for Music and Neurologic Function.
MTV Tr3s
>> Sucker Free Latino -- All month long (Weds) at 4pm ET/PT
MTV Tr3s, MTV's channel just for the youth Latino audience exploring
the fusion of American and Latino music, cultures, lifestyles and
languages, will feature segments each week showcasing "Yo! MTV Raps"
videos, moments and more.
MTV Jams
>> Yo! MTV Jams -- All month long, 24hours/ 7 days a week
MTV Jams officially becomes "Yo! MTV Jams" for the month. Starting
April 1st and continuing all month long, ever hour of Jams will be
dedicated to featuring classic Yo! videos across the show's entire
history (1988-1996). Jams will also feature countdown various elements
of Yo! including the top moments, classic episodes and of course top
music videos.
MTV Hits
>> MTV Hits -- All month long, 24hours/ 7 days a week
Throughout the month, MTV Hits will feature Yo! playlists for each year
of "Yo! MTV Raps" (1988-1996) existence starting April 1st.
MTV Mobile
Throughout April, MTV Mobile will cater to "Yo! MTV Raps" fans on the
go featuring themed episodes of mobile series including "Sway's Hip Hop
Owner's Manual," "Hood Fab," "Dances From The Hood," and "How To Show."
MTV On Demand
MTV On Demand will all be featuring both new and classic "Yo! MTV Raps"
programming.
MTV Radio
MTV's radio network will celebrate "Yo! MTV Raps" throughout the entire
month of April featuring "Then & Now" and "Top 20 Yo! Video Countdown"
specials, weekly syndication of "Yo! Moments" and "Fabisms" featuring words
of wisdom from longtime "Yo! MTV Raps" host Fab Five Freddy.
About MTV
MTV is the dynamic, vibrant experiment at the intersection of music,
creativity and youth culture. For over 26 years, MTV has evolved,
challenged the norm, and detonated boundaries -- giving each new generation
a creative outlet and voice that entertains, informs and unites on every
platform and screen. On-air, MTV has been the number one rated 24-hour
ad-supported cable network P12-24 for 16 straight years. Online, MTV.com
scored double-digit growth in 2007 and MTV launched 15 dynamic online
communities and eight new virtual worlds. On the go, MTV Mobile is the #1
music brand in the wireless space -- delivering 90% more streams than in
2006. And MTV's successful sibling networks MTV2, mtvU and MTV Tr3s each
deliver unprecedented customized content, super-serving music fans, college
students and young American Latinos like no one else. MTV is part of MTV
Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), one of the world's leading
creators of programming and content across all media platforms.
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