Hip-hop’s origin story is getting a fresh spotlight thanks to a powerful collaboration between two icons from very different worlds—LL Cool J, the legendary rapper from Queens, New York, and Peyton Manning, the Pro Football Hall of Famer from New Orleans. Together, they’ve co-created “Hip Hop Was Born Here,” a five-episode documentary series set to debut on Paramount+ on July 22 in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, and Brazil, with international release a day later.
Hosted by LL Cool J, born James Todd Smith, the series dives deep into the cultural and musical movement that began in the boroughs of New York City. A pioneer of the genre and founder of the Rock The Bells platform, LL Cool J guides viewers through hip-hop’s birthplaces—block parties, street corners, and basement studios—highlighting the voices and places that helped define its explosive rise. Most recently, LL Cool J has continued to elevate the culture through Rock The Bells Radio on SiriusXM and has been active with the Rock The Bells Festival, keeping golden-era hip-hop alive for new generations.
Manning, best known for his NFL career as a star quarterback, brings his storytelling platform Omaha Productions into new territory with this series. Though not traditionally linked to the music world, his interest in cultural storytelling aligns with the series’ mission. Hip Hop Was Born Here is Omaha’s first major non-sports project with Paramount and represents a significant expansion of Manning’s creative portfolio. His company recently signed a first-look deal with 20th Television, indicating more diverse content is on the horizon.
The series features a lineup of influential artists, including New York natives like Method Man (Staten Island), Jadakiss (Yonkers), and Rev. Run (Queens), alongside other hip-hop icons such as Doug E. Fresh (Harlem), Big Daddy Kane (Brooklyn), and Roxanne Shanté (Queensbridge). Their interviews, along with commentary from names like Grandmaster Caz, Crystal Caines, Lady London, Marley Marl, Salt of Salt-N-Pepa, Sheek Louch, and more, offer both historical perspective and personal reflections on the tracks, moments, and neighborhoods that shaped the genre.
LL Cool J described the project as deeply personal, reflecting on the culture that raised him. Manning echoed that sentiment, stating, “Music might not be my area of expertise, but both sports and music are about passion, hard work, and uniting people. Todd is the perfect person to lead this story.”
Executive producers include LL Cool J and Stone Roberts for Rock The Bells, Manning and Jamie Horowitz for Omaha Productions, and Kirk Fraser, Bruce Gillmer, Vanessa Whitewolf, and Alicia Portugal for MTV Entertainment Studios.
Hip Hop Was Born Here isn’t just a celebration of music—it’s a deep exploration of a movement that changed the world, told by the artists and architects who lived it.
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