TV ONE SLATED TO AIR THE FINAL INTERVIEW CAPTURED WITH THE LATE ICONIC RAPPER DMX IN THE UNCENSORED DOCU-SERIES ON SUNDAY, 5/16 AT 8 PM ET/7C
Followed By the UNCENSORED: DMX Special Episode TV One’s Annual URBAN ONE HONORS at 9 p.m. ET/8C
Memphis, Tennessee - April 30, 2021 - Urban One Founder and Chairwoman Cathy Hughes announced TV One will air a special episode of its hit autobiographical series UNCENSORED featuring the late rapper DMX. Hughes made the exclusive announcement on the URBAN ONE HONORS: Virtual Press Conference on Wednesday, April 28.
The special is slated to air on Sunday, May 16 at 8 p.m. ET/7C, immediately followed by the annual URBAN ONE HONORS hosted by Erica Campbell and Roland Martin at 9 p.m. ET/8C. It will feature an interview with DMX just three weeks before his passing and is confirmed to be his final and most transparent to date.
"DMX sat down with our team and was completely UNCENSORED,” said Cathy Hughes. “We have one hour with the late rapper in his own words. For DMX to be with us just three weeks before God called him home, I believe it's truly divine intervention. I thank Nikki from SWIRL films for staying the course because he kept telling her 'no', but thankfully we were able to make it happen. His family, fan club, friends, and supporters will be happy with the way he told his story for the last time. The two-part special will air directly before the annual Urban One Honors. I'm particularly excited because I feel like this will be the biggest night in TV One History."
The hit autobiographical series UNCENSORED explores the lives of popular personalities as they provide first-hand accounts of their success and the obstacles they faced throughout their careers. This episode will highlight the rapper in his own words as he discusses his more than 30-year career and legacy in hip hop. Raised in Yonkers, New York, by his mother, DMX was considered a “problem” as early as kindergarten. A tumultuous relationship with his mother caused him to bounce between boys’ homes and eventually detention centers.
However, battle rapping solidified his love for the art, and his first break was a feature in The Source Magazine’s Unsigned Hype column in 1991. In 1992, he was signed to Ruffhouse Records. His debut album, It’s Dark, and Hell is Hot, didn’t arrive until 1998, but it peaked at No.1 on the Billboard 200. He quickly followed up with his second album, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood, making him the first living artist to release two chart-topping albums in the same year. He eventually released six more studio albums, with three more reaching No. 1 and one reaching No. 2. His success in music primed him for acting. He starred in Hype Williams’ hip hop classic Belly and followed that success with roles in Romeo Must Die and Exit Wounds.
UNCENSORED is produced for TV One by Eric Tomosunas, Keith Neal, James Seppelfrick and Paul Hall (Executive Producers), Jay Allen (Co-Executive Producer), and Nikki Byles (Producer) of Swirl Films. For TV One, Jason Ryan is Executive in Charge of Production; Donyell Kennedy-McCullough is Senior Director of Talent & Casting; and Robyn Greene Arrington is Vice President of Original Programming and Production.
The Annual Urban One Honors
URBAN ONE HONORS is an annual tribute show that heralds the exemplary accomplishments of African Americans. The theme of this year’s awards show is Women Leading the Change and will pay homage to dynamic ladies whose extraordinary contributions in business, media, health, and politics have had a profound impact across the country and the world. URBAN ONE HONORS will premiere on Sunday, May 16, 2021, at 9 p.m. ET/8C on TV One. It will be simulcast for the first time on its sister network CLEO-TV.
Grammy-Award-winning gospel artist, author, and syndicated radio personality Erica Campbell and award-winning journalist and author Roland Martin will host the event. URBAN ONE HONORS was created to acknowledge and celebrate individuals and organizations whose work significantly impacts society and culture.
URBAN ONE HONORS is executive produced for TV One by Eric Tomosunas, Robert Boyd of Swirl Films, and Jazz Smollett. Susan Henry serves as Executive Producer in Charge of Production for TV One. Kashon Powell, Vice President of Programming for Radio One, and Donyell Kennedy-McCullough is Senior Director of Talent and Casting. Robyn Greene Arrington is Vice President of Original Programming and Production.
For more information, visit www.UrbanOneHonors.com and visit TV One’s Youtube Channel to check out exclusive behind-the-scenes content for Urban One Honors and UNCENSORED. TV One viewers can also join the conversation by connecting via social media on Twitter, Instagram , and Facebook (@tvonetv) using the hashtag #URBANONEHONORS. Be sure to follow UNCENSORED on Facebook and Instagram(@UncensoredTVOne) using the hashtag #UncensoredTVOne.
ABOUT SWIRL FILMS
Swirl Films is one of the leading independent TV & Urban Film Production companies in the country, based out of Atlanta, Georgia, and founded by Eric Tomosunas in 2001. Swirls project slate includes the wildly popular original drama series, Saints & Sinners, and as well as high-quality films and series produced for TV One, BET, Bounce, Lifetime, Hallmark, Reel One, Netflix & Up TV. Swirl Films provides services and content across various areas of production spanning from script to screen, for movies, biopics, scripted series, award shows, and documentaries. Purchased in 2019, Swirl Films owns and operates its own 100,000 square foot film studio in Atlanta.
ABOUT URBAN ONE, INC.
Urban One, Inc. (urban1.com), together with its subsidiaries, is the largest diversified media company that primarily targets African-American and urban consumers in the United States. Urban One is the parent company of Radio One, Reach Media, Inc. (blackamericaweb.com), TV One (tvone.tv), CLEO TV (mycleo.tv), iOne Digital (ionedigital.com), and One Solution. Formerly known as Radio One, Inc., the company was founded in 1980 with a single radio station and now owns and/or operates 60 broadcast stations (including HD and low power television stations) in 14 urban markets in the United States, making it one of the nation's largest radio broadcasting companies. The Company's growth led to diversification into syndicated radio programming, cable television, and online digital media. As a result, in 2017, Radio One, Inc. was renamed Urban One, Inc. to better reflect the Company's multi-media operations. While the Company was renamed Urban One, Radio One remains the brand of the radio division and all of its radio assets. Through Reach Media, Inc., the Company operates nationally syndicated radio programming, including the Rickey Smiley Morning Show, the Russ Parr Morning Show, and the DL Hughley Show. TV One is a national cable television network serving more than 59 million households, offering a broad range of original programming, classic series, and movies designed to entertain, inform and inspire a diverse audience of adult Black viewers. Launched in January 2019, CLEO TV is a lifestyle and entertainment cable television network targeting Millennial and Gen X women of color. iOne Digital is a collection of digital platforms providing the African American community with social, news, and entertainment content across numerous branded websites, including Cassius, Bossip, HipHopWired, and MadameNoire branded websites. One Solution provides award-winning, fully integrated advertising solutions across the entire Urban One multi-media platform. Through its national, multi-media operations, the Company and One Solution provides advertisers with a unique and powerful delivery mechanism to African American and urban audiences. Finally, Urban One owns a minority interest in MGM National Harbor, a gaming resort located in Prince George's County, Maryland.
About TV One
Launched in January 2004, TV One serves 59 million households, offering a broad range of real-life and entertainment-focused original programming, classic series, movies and music designed to entertain and inform a diverse audience of adult black viewers. The network represents the best in black culture and entertainment with fan favorite shows Unsung, Uncensored, ATL Homicide, Fatal Attraction and Urban One Honors. In addition, TV One is the cable home of original blockbuster films including When Love Kills: The Falicia Blakely Story, Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story, Bobbi Kristina and The Bobby DeBarge Story. TV One is solely owned by Urban One, Inc., formerly known as Radio One, Inc. [NASDAQ: UONE and UONEK, www.urban1.com], the largest African-American owned multi-media company primarily targeting Black and urban audiences.
G.H.05.01.2021
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