Plot Synopsis

HIP HOP 50 is a three-year celebration with original series, films & experiences, leading up to the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop in 2023. HIP HOP 50 takes an all-encompassing look at an everlasting movement driven by the most foremost names in the genre. The collection includes:

WU-TANG CLAN: OF MICS AND MEN: A four-part documentary series that looks back on the group's career, combining intimate and reflective interviews from each of the nine living members with never-before-seen archival footage and performances. Their ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit brought them together to overcome the poverty, violence and oppression of their New York neighborhoods. But it was music and their shared lyrical genius that allowed them to form the most recognized musical movement in the world, all while walking the tightrope that links business with brotherhood.

SHANGRI-LA: A four-part documentary series that focuses on creative conversation and the emotional side of music-making, using legendary music producer and Def Jam Records co-founder Rick Rubin's iconic Malibu, CA studio as the backdrop.

SUPERVILLAIN: THE MAKING OF TEKASHI 6IX9INE: A three-part documentary series that examines manufactured celebrity through the lens of 6ix9ine's controversial artistry, personal demons and mastery of social media, as a reflection of our times and the complicity of culture today.

YOU'RE WATCHING VIDEO MUSIC BOX: A 91-minute special that chronicles the untold story of the world's longest running video show, Video Music Box. A hip hop mainstay since 1983, VMB gave a platform to artists like Jay-Z, Nas and Mary J. Blige before they hit it big. Host Ralph McDaniels' archives -- amassed over 40 nearly years -- reveal the show's importance to numerous big-name musicians, as well as to the kids that grew up watching.

RICKY POWELL: THE INDIVIDUALIST: A 106-minute special that documents the life of famed street photographer Ricky Powell, who made a name for himself taking wild portraits of New York City's who's who in the 80s and 90s. From the Beastie Boys to Basquiat, Powell's lens captured the grit and glamour of the city's downtown scene like never before. Powell and some of his notable subjects reflect on his fascinating life and work -- as well as the demons that shaped him.

ROLLING LIKE THUNDER: Before street art became mainstream, the anonymous outlaws of "freight writing" put graffiti on the map. One of the most extreme and risky iterations of the art form, freight train graffiti culture has a rich history, laden with myth-like artists, remarkable romances and competitive graffiti crews. Delving into the underground subculture reveals the deep connection between graffiti and the American landscape, as well as the artists' obsession with putting life and limb on the line to make their voices heard.

LA MADRINA: THE SAVAGE LIFE OF LORINE PADILLA: An 80-minute documentary about a beloved South Bronx matriarch and former "First Lady" of the Savage Skulls gang struggling to remain visible in a rapidly gentrifying community she helped rebuild in the 1980s. With one foot firmly grounded in the outlaw life and the other as an activist and spiritual advisor, Lorine Padilla straddles the complexities of multiple worlds.

CYPRESS HILL: INSANE IN THE BRAIN: An 98-minute documentary about trailblazing hip-hop group Cypress Hill. Director Estevan Oriol uncovers a treasure trove of never-before-seen archival footage to show the brotherhood of hip-hop artists -- B Real, DJ Muggs, Sen Dog and Eric "Bobo" Correa -- who built a musical movement rooted in true authenticity. Cypress Hill's genre-defying blend of Latin roots and West Coast style has withstood the test of time to create a truly original, everlasting legacy whose flame still burns bright today.