iHeartMedia is celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop with a year-long celebration. “iHeartRadio Presents: 50 Years of Hip-Hop” is the theme that will reach across all of the company’s platforms, including broadcast radio, streaming, podcasts, and events.
Beginning in February, the company will launch a yearlong, 12-part iHeartPodcast series “50 Years of Hip-Hop” hosted by hip-hop pioneer Fab 5 Freddy, who will share the stories of the people and events that changed the culture.
The celebration will also include custom vignettes featuring 50 Cent, Diddy, E-40, French Montana, GloRilla, Ice Cube, NLE Choppa, T.I., Toosii, Young Dro, and more, sharing personal stories of what made them fall in love with hip-hop that will air across its broadcast stations and on the iHeartRadio App. The vignettes will air throughout February, coinciding with Black History Month.
In March, during the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards, the audio giant will pay a special tribute to Def Jam Records, the world’s first hip-hop record label. Additionally, in March, iHeartRadio will shine a light on the women of hip-hop as part of its celebration of International Women’s Day set to air on March 8.
Throughout the spring and summer, and in conjunction with Black Music Month in June, iHeart will produce vignettes highlighting how hip-hop has inspired some of today’s biggest artists to air across broadcast stations and the iHeartRadio App.
In August, “iHeartRadio’s Living Black!” returns, celebrating the power of Black culture and its impact on the world. The celebration culminates with an hourlong special produced by Emmy and Grammy Award-winning, Rikki Hughes. The event will be promoted on over 550 stations, honoring the Black community and paying homage to modern-day history makers and trendsetters who have shaped culture, along with performances from some of the biggest names in music.
The yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop will culminate with special tributes and performances at the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Festival in September and at the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour 2023 in December.