Global production company Neo Studios has inked a co-pro deal with Quincy Newell-founded content company TwentyOne14 Media to create unscripted projects. The partnership’s first project is “All Hip-Hop” (working title), with director, producer and composer Quincy Jones III (“QD3”) attached.
“All Hip-Hop” is a four-part series depicting the story, legacy and impact of AllHipHop, a hip-hop news site created by Greg “Grouchy” Watkins and Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur in 1998. Since its inception, the site has provided news for hip-hop consumers. The series will show the site’s evolution and how it reflected hip-hop and affected the genre. Celebrities and music journalists will join Watkins and Creekmur as the series chronicles headlines that impacted the industry.
“We are thrilled to partner with QD3, Neo Studios and TwentyOne14 Media to tell the incredible story of AllHipHop and showcase how we laid the blueprint for the modern era of hip-hop websites and influencers, and brought the culture into the digital age,” said Watkins and Creekmur in a joint statement. “For 25 years, the site has been the go-to for exclusives, and we look forward to sharing the stories behind the stories.”
Jones has worked on projects including the documentary “The Carter” about Lil Wayne, the biopic “Tupac Shakur: Thug Angel” and Netflix’s “The Art of Organized Noise.”
“As an early adopter of digital media, I have been an avid fan of AllHipHop since they launched in the late ’90s,” Jones said in a statement. “They were the CNN of hip-hop, and prior to social media, AllHipHop was the place where the culture, including me, went to discuss and debate hip-hop. They were a big part of building the bridge for hip-hop to cross into the digital age. As someone who was hugely informed and inspired by AllHipHop, it’s an honor to document their rich story, which features a who’s who of hip-hop icons. Full circle moment.”
Neo Studios’ credits include “In the Shadow of Greatness” and “Life After.” Newell worked on “Shaq All Star Comedy Jam,” “Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy” and“Comedians and Cocktails” (with TwentyOne14). TwentyOne14 has projects such as “Jonesy,” “The Adventures of Skelly” and “Simone.”
“We first planted our flag as sports-centric producers, and now, like sports, we’re expanding into all areas of culture and entertainment,” said Neo Studios U.S. president Melanie Capacia Johnson. “We’re thrilled to partner with TwentyOne14, AllHipHop and QD3 to highlight the inspirational talent and stories that shaped hip-hop and influenced the world.”
Neo Studios is represented by APA.
