What do a hip hop pioneer and an NFL legend have in common? Apparently, a shared passion for culture and storytelling.
LL Cool J and Peyton Manning have teamed up to co-create Hip Hop Was Born Here, a new five-episode docuseries exploring the roots, rise, and global impact of hip hop. Hosted by LL himself, the series drops July 22 on Paramount+ in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, and Brazil, with an international rollout in Europe and Australia following on July 23.
The series marks a new venture for Manning’s Omaha Productions—his first non-sports project with CBS/Paramount—and brings together his production company with LL’s Rock The Bells and MTV Entertainment Studios. And while sports might be Manning’s lane, he’s stepping into the world of music with major respect. “Music is far from my area of expertise,” Manning said, “but sports and music both bring people together. The story of hip hop, especially in New York, is one worth telling—and no one’s better than Todd [LL Cool J] to do it.”
Hip Hop Was Born Here is more than a nostalgic trip down memory lane. It goes beyond the beats and bars to explore the culture’s origins, the neighborhoods that birthed it, and the people who shaped it—from the block to the boardroom.
Each episode blends archival footage with new interviews featuring a wide range of artists and trailblazers including Big Daddy Kane, Method Man, Remy Ma, Doug E. Fresh, Jadakiss, Salt (of Salt-N-Pepa), Roxanne Shanté, Sheek Louch, Lady London, Grandmaster Caz, Rev Run, and more.
From Bronx street corners to iconic studios, the series captures hip hop’s birth, evolution, and the fire that keeps it moving. Artists break down their favorite tracks and reflect on their personal journeys within the culture—making this not just a celebration of the past, but a spotlight on the voices still shaping hip hop’s future.
The project also comes on the heels of LL Cool J’s own cultural renaissance. In 2024, the Grammy-winning icon dropped THE FORCE (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy)—his first album in over a decade—executive produced by Q-Tip. He also made history as the first hip hop artist with Billboard entries across five decades.
Now, with Hip Hop Was Born Here, LL Cool J continues his mission through Rock The Bells to preserve and elevate the stories of hip hop’s originators while spotlighting the new generation picking up the torch.
All five episodes of Hip Hop Was Born Here will be available to stream on Paramount+ starting July 22.