BET's Hot Summer Music Series, 'RISING ICONS' Shines the Spotlight on Eight Up and Coming Music Artists and Their Meteoric Rise to Stardom

NEXT FEATURED ARTIST: WALE - MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2009 @ 12:00 a.m.

NEW YORK, Aug. 27 -- On Monday, August 31 at 12:00 a.m.*, BET premieres a new episode of GREY GOOSE ENTERTAINMENT AND BET PRESENT: RISING ICONS featuring rapper Wale. The music series showcases some of today's most talented and gifted artists currently dominating the music scene, including Kid Cudi, The Dream, Melanie Fiona and Ryan Leslie. Created by GREY GOOSE Entertainment and produced by BET Networks, GREY GOOSE ENTERTAINMENT AND BET PRESENT: RISING ICONS chronicles each artist's life both on the road and the stage.

Born Olubowale Victor Akintimehin and dubbing himself the "Ambassador of Rap for the Capital", rapper and producer, Wale hails from Washington, DC. Effortlessly fusing DC's authentic and unique Go-Go music genre with a streetwise hip-hop sensibility, he takes samples from all genres and blends them together with lyrical dexterity. In 2005 he released his debut mixtape, Paint a Picture, and has since released four more. In 2006, Wale signed to local start-up imprint Studio 43, owned by a former VP of Roc-a-Fella Records, and enjoyed a string of hits in the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area that year.

The use of social media platforms like MySpace was a significant factor contributing to his success and notoriety, eventually leading him to British uber-producer and deejay Mark Ronson, who caught wind of the Go-Go MC in 2007. Wale then struck a production deal with Ronson's Allido imprint and released the 100 Miles and Running mixtape that summer. Despite not being signed to any major label yet, tons of press, ranging from XXL magazine to The New York Times, started to cover the Washington, D.C. sensation. After a bidding war that included Epic, Atlantic, and Def Jam, Interscope successfully signed Wale to its stellar roster in early 2008.

For more information, visit www.BET.com/risingicons for air times, studio audience participation, tour dates and more and www.Complex.com for more information on the local rising icons and artist downloads.

*All times ET/PT

About BET Networks

BET Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 98 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET Digital Networks -- BET J, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Mobile, which provides ring tones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

GREY GOOSE(R) Entertainment

Founded in April 2005, GREY GOOSE Entertainment is dedicated to producing original and unique content for television, music, and film. Each innovative project reflects the spirit of GREY GOOSE Vodka and celebrates the interests of the consumer. In addition to "RISING ICONS," GREY GOOSE Entertainment produces "Iconoclasts," the groundbreaking television series where each episode features two leading innovators from different fields who come together to discuss their passions and creative processes. In addition to "Iconoclasts," GREY GOOSE Entertainment supports The Artists' Den, an innovative enterprise that curates the best new music from around the globe, which it showcases in unique and intimate venues.

GREY GOOSE(R) Vodka

Blended and bottled in the celebrated Cognac region of Western France, GREY GOOSE Vodka is truly a unique offering. Every element that goes into its production ensures that GREY GOOSE Vodka stands alone as the "World's Best Tasting Vodka." The 80 proof super-premium spirit is packaged in beautiful frosted glass bottles, with a clear window in the shape of a Grey Goose silhouette that allows a peek at the flight of the Grey Goose across the majestic Massif Central Mountains. Each bottle is sealed with a cork stopper and an elegant foil closure. The GREY GOOSE portfolio is comprised of GREY GOOSE Vodka, GREY GOOSE La Poire, GREY GOOSE L'Orange, and GREY GOOSE Le Citron flavored vodkas.