NEW YORK, NY (MTV) - MTV:
Music Television invites the biggest names in hip hop to celebrate "Sucker Free Week on Direct Effect" beginning Monday, April 10th at 7pm ET/PT through Friday April 14th. "Sucker Free Week" will present a full line-up of appearances, video premieres and more each night during the week.
Catch Direct Effect all week as it goes one on one with a few of your favorite rappers and brings you exclusive interviews. Artists set to appear include Ludacris, T.I., LL Cool J, Nas, 50 Cent, DMX, Young Jeezy, Keyshia Cole, Christina Milian, Mobb Deep, Nick Cannon, Rick Ross, Olivia and more. During the week, Direct Effect will also premiere new videos from DMX - "We In Here", Rick Ross - "Hustlin", " Too Short - "Blow The Whistle," 50 Cent Featuring Olivia - "Best Friends," DJ Khaled - "Holla At Me," Mariah Carey Featuring Snoop Dogg & Pharrell - "Say Somethin," Mary J Blige - "Enough Cryin," Kelis - "Bossy," Chris Brown Featuring Lil Wayne - "Gimme That," Field Mob Featuring Ciara - "So What" and more.
MTV2 celebrates "Sucker Free Week" with daily Unleashed videos featuring a different celebrity host each day with LL Cool J, T.I., Kelis, Mary J Blige and Ying Yang Twins. Special editions of "Makes The Video featuring DJ Khaled and E40, a special "My Block: Puerto Rico" hosted by Daddy Yankee and a new episode of "Rhythm and Reggaeton" will also be featured. In addition catch daily video premieres by: Too Short featuring E-40, DJ Khaled featuring Lil Wayne, Paul Wall, Fat Joe, Pitbull, Rick Ross, Kelis featuring Too Short, Mary J Blige featuring 50 Cent and Lupe Fiasco. MTV2 will also premiere original programming blocks of "What's Up LL" with Ne Yo, E40 and Ghostface, "What You Know" hosted by T.I., "Boss Rhymes" hosted by Kelis and "Mary J & Co" hosted by Mary J Blige and more.
MTV.com and MTV Overdrive the network's broadband video channel kicks off "Sucker Free Week" by featuring LL Cool J's new album on MTV.com's "The Leak" starting Tuesday, April 4th before Sucker Free week and leading into that week. MTV.com's Videogames will program a Sucker Free-themed games show in Overdrive, featuring segments on EA Games' The Godfather, the Hip-Hop Gaming League, Marc Ecko's Getting Up game, and more. MTV.com's Style will feature fashion picks from T.I., Black Eyed Peas and Kelis; Style will also run an exclusive segment on The Shop featuring the boys talking fashion and style. MTV Overdrive will also offer sneak peeks of the full performances from both Life & Rhymes shows a full week before they air on TV plus bonus performances immediately after the shows' air. Overdrive will also debut a new episode of its original biography series, A.D.D. Bio on Oscar winners 3-6 Mafia as well as over a dozen music-video-based shows, new and exclusive hip-hop videos premiering that week as well as hot hip-hop videos from our archives.
MTV2.com keeps "Sucker Free Week" hopping with daily Unleashed, "Makes A Video," exclusive content from "My Block," content and segments from special editions of daily "Sucker Free Week" and Sunday's Sucker Free and more.
MTV News will also presents a multiplatform feature: "The Greatest Hip-Hop MC's of All Time" in news segments on-air, on Direct Effect, MTV Overdrive and MTV.com. In this special MTV News profiles the ten best MC's ever to wield a microphone, as voted by MTV's hip-hop brain trust including MTV News correspondent Sway and MTV News Hip-hop editor Shaheem Reid. MC's 10 through 5 will be revealed Monday April 10th with a countdown during the week to proclaim the greatest MC of all time on Friday, April 14th during Direct Effect.
Wireless will feature edited-for-mobile video excerpts from The Life and Rhymes of LL Cool J and The Life and Rhymes of Mary J Blige specials that will also promote the on-air premieres of the full-length programs on MTV. Mobile video viewers will also be able to view a collection of short-form videos, Sucker Free-themed MTV2 Sharts. MTV.com will play host to a Sucker Free ringtone storefront featuring top-selling tones from a variety of Sucker Free artists.
We're also keeping it fresh with special themed shows everyday including new installments of "The Life & Rhymes" featuring Mary J Blige and LL Cool J. Check out programming schedule for MTV and MTV2.
MTV's "Sucker Free Week" line-up is as follows:
Monday, April 10th
Making The Video: Daddy Yankee (6:30pm-7pm ET/PT) - Feeling like you need some Gangsta in your life? (Oh, of course!) Then, please do tune-in to the Making of Daddy Yankee's video "Gangsta Zone,"
Direct Effect - "Straight From The Streets" (7pm-8pm ET/PT) - We pop off big on Monday with Straight from the Streets. The number one street representative will be in the building: DMX. X is bringing the heat - his long-anticipated comeback premiere. Plus meet Jay-Z's favorite new rapper, Rick Ross, who'll hit us off with his Def Jam premiere. Put your ears and eyes to the streets with our ground-level countdown and off-the-radar premiere from Eminem's boy Obie Trice featuring Akon.
The Life & Rhymes of LL Cool J (11pm-11:30pm ET/PT) - LL Cool J will keep the audience sweating and on their feet by performing the hits that made him a household name, such as "Mama Said Knock You Out," "Headsprung," and the current hit featuring Jennifer Lopez, "Control Myself."
Tuesday, April 11th
Diary of Pharrell (6:30pm - 7pm ET/PT) - Get your invitation into the life of musical genius Pharrell. Tune in as he takes you from his home, personal life, to on the road experiences attesting to an uncensored reality, see the moments of his life as they happens.
Direct Effect - "Kings Day" (7pm-8pm ET/PT) - It's all hail the kings as we salute rap royalty. The G.O.A.T. LL Cool J graces the set and gives us the word on his brand new album. T.I. will be here to break down exactly why he's the king of the South. Bow down for premieres from regggaeton ruler Daddy Yankee and the pimp king Too Short. All eyes will be on our exclusive interview with the lyrical imperial Nas, when he'll reveal his top-secret plans for his new Def Jam album. And of course, our Kings Day countdown strictly features artists on top of their game.
Wednesday, April 12th
Direct Effect - "Collabos Day" (7pm-8pm ET/PT) - We hook it up a notch with a show dedicated to the tightest collabos in the country. G-Unit takes over with Mobb Deep and Olivia rolling through and 50 Cent checking in to premiere his latest. We'll also serve up the crazy new link up between Mariah, Snoop and Pharrell and a top five of the flyest collaboration videos.
Thursday, April 12th
Direct Effect - "Ladies First" (7pm-8pm ET/PT) - The kings had their shot, and today, the queens get theirs. On our Ladies First show, we hold it down with music from the ladies and for the ladies. Keyshia Cole and Christina Milian strut in, and Nick Cannon stops by to pay homage to all the females. Plus, we roll out premieres from her highness Mary J Blige and Nas' queen, Kelis.
The Life & Rhymes of Mary J Blige (11pm-11:30pm ET/PT) - The "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul", Mary J Blige, will mesmerize music fans with her soulful live renditions of hits like "No More Drama", "My Life" and "Be Without You." This beautiful and intimate experience is not to be missed and will leave no doubt on why Mary J Blige is at the top of her game.
Friday, April 14th
Flash Mobb Pink in NY (5:30pm-6pm ET/PT) - Tune in for this special that documents what happens when Pink gives an impromptu concert in New York.
Direct Effect - "Reppin' The Derrty South" (7pm-8pm ET/PT) - We're repping the Derrty South with ATL's newest Bad Boy, Yung Joc. We'll catch up with Young Jeezy, Ludacris and Field Mobb in the studio for an exclusive inside look at what's new with the DTP camp. Plus we'll hit you with premiere from Field Mobb featuring Ciara along with the brand new one from Chris Brown with Lil Wayne and Fire!
MTV2's "Sucker Free Week" Line-up is as follows:
Monday, April 10th
What's Up LL (5:30pm-6pm ET/PT) - Join NeYo, E40 and Ghostface as they ask LL various lifestyle and music questions. Tune in for this 1/2 hour of learning about one of the biggest rappers of all time.
Sucker Free (6pm-7pm ET/PT) - LL Cool J hosts MTV2's weekly count down show of the top 20 hip hop videos of the week, number of the video this week compared to last week and how many weeks spent in the countdown
Tuesday, April 11th
DJ Khaled Makes A Video (10am-10:30am ET/PT) - Go behind the scenes and see what goes into the making of DJ Khaled's latest video for "Holla At Me."
What You Know (5:30pm-6pm ET/PT) - This half hour special hosted by T.I. focuses on all the artists newest singles you should know.
Sucker Free (6pm-7pm ET/PT) - T.I. hosts MTV2's weekly count down show of the top 20 hip hop videos of the week, number of the video this week compared to last week and how many weeks spent in the countdown
Wednesday, April 12th
E40 Makes A Video (5pm-5:30pm ET/PT) - Take an inside look into the making of the video "Tell Me When To Go" with E40 and Keak Da Sneak, as contextualized within the San Francisco Hyphy movement vibe.
Boss Rymes (5:30pm-6pm ET/PT) - Kelis hosts this special that talks about a system of the hottest rhymes and artists coming out of NYC, like Kelis herself!
Sucker Free (6pm-7pm ET/PT) - Kelis hosts MTV2's weekly count down show of the top 20 hip hop videos of the week, number of the video this week compared to last week and how many weeks spent in the countdown.
Thursday, April 13th
Mary J & Co. (5:30pm-6pm ET/PT) - Mary J Blige hosts this half hour of music by artists with whom she's worked and collaborated
Sucker Free (6pm-7pm ET/PT) - Mary J Blige hosts MTV2's weekly count down show of the top 20 hip hop videos of the week, number of the video this week compared to last week and how many weeks spent in the countdown.
The Life & Rhymes of LL Cool J (11:30pm-12pm ET/PT) - LL Cool J tells the stories behind the lyrics from some of his biggest hits while performing in front of a packed live audience. He explains in depth what inspired him and helped him to create his music.
Friday, April 14th
Diary of Pharrell (5:30pm-6pm ET/PT) - Get your invitation into the life of musical genius Pharrell. Tune in as he takes you from his home, personal life, to on the road experiences attesting to an uncensored reality, see the moments of his life as they happens.
Sucker Free (6pm-7pm ET/PT) - Ying Yang Twins hosts MTV2's weekly count down show of the top 20 hip hop videos of the week, number of the video this week compared to last week and how many weeks spent in the countdown
Sunday, April 16th
My Block: Puerto Rico (2pm-2:30pm ET/PT) - My Block has been to the Yay area, scoured South Beach, and invaded H-town. Now, MTV News heads to one of the hardest, rawest and roughest hoods in My Block: Puerto Rico. From San Juan to Loiza, My Block spread out across the island to find the heart of Latin hip hop and Reggaeton. An A-list of Puerto Rico's biggest stars - Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Tego Calderon and many, many, more - give Sway a members-only tour of hip-hop's hottest block.
Rhythm & Reggaeton (2:30pm-3pm ET/PT) - Daddy Yankee hosts a new episode of "Rhythm & Reggaeton," as we get deeper into the community or reggaeton artists and hits that are impacting across the country.
5 Greatest MC's (3pm-3:30pm ET/PT) - Is it the lyrics? Their impact? The undeniable swagger? What is it that makes a great MC? Of the thousands who've picked up a microphone, only a handful can be considered some of the greatest of all time. MTV News goes even further and looks at the 5 greatest of all time on "Unveiling The Kings: The 5 Greatest MCS Of All Time." One by one, we unveil the rankings, examining each artist's skill, style and inventiveness, and what distinguishes each from every other rapper in hip-hop. Plus, we let viewers peak behind the curtain to see how MTV's hip-hop "brain trust" debated, diced, parsed and argued to come up with the ultimate pantheon of rap royalty.
MTV's Sucker Free Week is sponsored by Gillette and Skechers.
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