BET Networks Unveils First Original Music Documentary Special, 'MY MIC SOUNDS NICE: A TRUTH ABOUT WOMEN AND HIP HOP', Premieres Monday, August 30th at 10:00 PM EDT on BET

Documentary Shines a Light on the History and Current Status of Female MCs and Rappers in the Hip Hop Industry

NEW YORK, Aug. 9 -- BET Networks takes an in-depth look at the role of female rappers in the hip-hop industry in the premiere of its first original music documentary special, MY MIC SOUNDS NICE: A TRUTH ABOUT WOMEN AND HIP HOP. The documentary will premiere on August 30th at 10:00 PM EDT on BET.

The documentary is an appealing, inside look at how women have affected rap music, and in turn how rap music affects female MCs of past and present. Artists such as MC Lyte, Missy Elliott, and Queen Latifah contributed significantly to the shaping of hip hop music, bringing new sounds to the record labels. With the emergence of a younger generation of women in hip-hop including Nicki Minaj and Diamond, MY MIC SOUNDS NICE: A TRUTH ABOUT WOMEN AND HIP HOP serves as a commentary for how hip hop music is influenced by women and vice versa. This documentary examines gender-specific differences in artistry, marketing, promotion and economics, explores why there are far fewer female than male MCs, and discusses whether there's still a place for women in hip-hop.

"This is a story that could not be told by one voice. It required a chorus. And although this story is comprehensive, it is still likely one of many truths about the role of women in hip-hop," said Stephen Hill, President of Music Programming and Specials.

MY MIC SOUNDS NICE: A TRUTH ABOUT WOMEN AND HIP-HOP features revealing interviews with journalists, executives, and rappers, including Missy Elliott, EVE, Trina, Rah Digga, MC Lyte, Yo Yo, Questlove, along with hip-hop moguls Jermaine Dupri, Russell Simmons, Kevin Liles and many more.

In the spirit of all things hip-hop, the fifth annual BET Hip Hop Awards returns on October 16th. Hosted by Mike Epps, the awards show pays homage to urban music artists at the top of their game.

MY MIC SOUNDS NICE: A TRUTH ABOUT WOMEN AND HIP HOP is directed and produced by Ava DuVernay.

For more information, please visit www.bet.com.

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 90 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; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - 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 Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, 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.