Hip-Hop To Inspire More TV In 2016
While Netflix and Amazon contend with each other in the race to corner the TV Streaming market, expect Hip-Hop to factor significantly in the race to win the market for original tv content. Netflix has now gone global, streaming to a 130 new countries from today, and simultaneously premiered its new Hip-Hop inspired original tv series.
Amazon’s gamble on Spike Lee’s ‘Chi-Raq’ may also pay off with the film earning just over $2.5 million since opening in cinema’s in the U.S, and an announcement that Amazon Prime viewers will be able to stream the film from the 4th of February.
Although Fox’s ‘Empire’ proved a little less stellar in it’s 2nd season, it still topped rankings in the U.S. TV landscape, so its no surprise that studio executives are banking on bagging big numbers for Hip-Hop inspired shows on TV in 2016. While there’s no date announced for the hotly anticipated 3rd series of ‘Power’ on Starz, 50 Cent is keeping the pre-season hype building through the ‘Kanan Tape‘.
Heading to Netflix in Autumn 2016, the trailer for their new original TV series inspired by the 70’s South Bronx Hip-Hop scene has been unveiled, the ‘The Get Down’ is created by Baz Luhrmann and you can see the trailer below;
VHI also commissioned an original made for TV movie with ‘The Breaks’ inspired by journalist Dan Charnas’ book The Big Payback. Premiered in the U.S this week, the film has already courted controversy from Murder Inc’s Irv Gotti, who called out the creators for their lack of accuracy in the depiction of 90’s Hip-Hop culture – “Watching this Breaks Shit on Vh1. 1st off I didn’t like the commercials they was running playing the Bridge is Over and the part where KRS says Queens Keeps on Faking it!! So now when I’m watching this watered down bullshit which is pissing me off cause they are not portraying Hip Hop Culture accurately!! But they still making my Borough look soft. Let me tell y’all something. I’m from that Purple Part in the pic I posted. And listen. Ain’t nothing weak or soft about QB. And not only that @Vh1. QB has produced more superstar Rappers in hip hop than any other borough or place in the world for that matter. Shit looks like someone who doesn’t know shit about our culture made this shit. And usually I would have kept quiet. But after the commercial and me watching this bullshit shit on my Borough. I had to post something. And to all my Hip Hop Culture people out there. That wants to see REAL depiction of OUR CULTURE. Sit tight. I’m on my way!! And I’m not a hater. At all. None of that is in my DNA. I love to see niggas win. But your not gonna disrespect QB.”
On the big screen, 2016 will be all about the forthcoming awards season with ‘Straight Outta Compton’ still a hot contender for an Oscar nomination. Although overlooked at the Golden Globes, the film has already racked up nominations at the Screen Actors Guild, Producers Guild Awards, Writers Guild Awards and the Critics Choice Awards.
