Netflix isn’t shying away from marquee names for its first music competition. The streamer has landed Cardi B, Chance the Rapper and T.I. for Rhythm + Flow, a 10-part hip-hop talent search that is set to debut in 2019.
The project has an impressive musical pedigree, also hailing from John Legend and his Get Lifted Film Co.
Cardi B, hip-hop’s current reigning queen, is no stranger to reality television. The 26-year-old performer rose to fame on VH1’s Love & Hip Hop: New York. Chance the Rapper has also been expanding his portfolio beyond just recording, starring in the 2018 horror-comedy Slice and hosting an episode of NBC’s Saturday Night Live. (For his part, T.I. is also something of a reality fixture, having appeared in a variety of vehicles across the Viacom portfolio on MTV, VH1 and BET since 2009.)
The reality push at Netflix has been a significant one, with hits such as Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, but it has thus-far skirted shiny-floor shows like the ones that have dominated traditional TV for the better part of the last decade. That seems to be changing: In addition to Rhythm + Flow, the streamer also has a big culinary competition on deck with The Final Table.
Rhythm + Flow comes to Netflix from executive producers Legend, Jeff Gaspin, Jesse Collins, Nikki Boella, Jeff Pollack, Mike Jackson and Ty Stiklorius. The series intends to find and foster undiscovered hip-hop talent in multiple cities. Cardi B, Chance the Rapper and T.I. will serve as the three main judges, though additional artists and industry personalities will be announced in the run-up to the premiere.
Rhythm + Flow is being produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment, Get Lifted Film Co. and Gaspin Media. The three main judges also will receive exec producer credits.
