LL Cool J Gives Fans an NYC Rap History Crash Course in ‘Hip Hop Was Born Here’ Trailer

LL Cool J has joined forces with NFL legend Peyton Manning to executive produce the upcoming Hip Hop Was Born Here series, which is slated to land on Paramount+ on July 22.

The five-episode series released its first trailer on Friday (June 27). The clip finds LL on a journey through NYC rap history as the Queens-bred MC speaks to an array of New York rappers — from both the new school and the old — to paint a cinematic picture of how the mecca of hip-hop came to fruition.

“To understand the power of hip-hop today, you gotta go back to where it all started,” LL Cool J narrates the clip as he walks the blocks of The Bronx where DJ Kool Herc once spun in the ’70s.

“We were lucky to partner with [LL Cool J], Rock the Bells, and Paramount on Hip Hop Was Born Here,” Manning, who executive produces through his Omaha Productions company, said in a statement. “Music is far from my area of expertise, but sports and music have a lot of similarities. Both require hard work and commitment, and at their best, both bring people together.”

The iconic NFL quarterback continued: “The story of hip hop, especially in New York City, is an important one to tell, and there’s no one better than Todd to tell it.”

There are plenty of guest appearances from NYC rap titans such as Big Daddy Kane, Doug E. Fresh, Method Man and Rev Run. Fans can also expect cameos from the likes of Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, Roxanne Shante, Lady London, Bimmy, Marley Mar and Grandmaster Caz.

Watch the trailer above. Look for Hip Hop Was Born Here to arrive on July 22.