Starting today Russell Simmons is hijacking MySpace to host the ‘Hip-Pop Challenge’- a search for the best musicians in hip-hop and pop. Simmons has sifted through the unsigned bands and artists of MySpace and selected 5 hip-hop acts and 5 pop acts. The MySpace community will get to vote on their favorites in each category and the winner gets a mentoring session with the entertainment mogul himself.
“There seems to be a white space in the American entertainment spectrum. The gatekeepers are getting older and don’t recognize that a great number of American youth aspire to live in a post-racial world. Those gatekeepers that are intent on keeping the walls up present me with the great opportunity of ushering in a glimpse of the next America,” says GlobalGrind.com Founder, Russell Simmons. “Through strong partnerships with pioneering platforms such as Myspace, this Hip-Pop phenomenon continues to come to life.”
Russell will also be in control of the Myspace homepage and Music homepage. In addition to sharing his biggest music influences and Def Jam classics, he’ll be sharing political and culture commentary from GlobalGrind.com, and exclusive excerpts from his new book “Super Rich: A Guide To Having It All.”
Simmons will also kick-start the Myspace curators program. This program aims to highlight leaders on specific topics who demonstrate knowledge and influence. Simmons will be choosing Myspace’s new official hip-hop curator. In a six-month contest, users will upload videos explaining why they should be chosen.
“Russell is a true visionary and I am personally excited to offer him our site as a platform to discover new talent and express his passion for the Hip-Pop culture,” Said Myspace CEO Mike Jones. “He is the definition of a true curator.”
This isn’t the first time MySpace has been hijacked. The Black Eyed Peas kicked off the program towards the end of last year and Jack Black followed soon after. The Hijacks program is designed to offer MySpace users around the world access to exclusive content and creative programming curated by the celebrities, musicians, television and film personalities they care about.