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Real Players
Honor the sound.
Define the culture.
Real musicians.
Real stories. Real Impact.
Host
MC Lyte
MC Lyte is an iconic trailblazer in Hip Hop, celebrated as both a legendary rapper and DJ.
With a groundbreaking career spanning over 30 years, she made history as the first female solo rapper ever nominated for a Grammy Award.
Her contributions have earned her numerous accolades, including BET's I Am Hip Hop Award, honors from ADCOLOR, BET Her, the National Urban League, and the Black Music Collective.
Recently, she received the Pioneers of Hip-Hop Honor from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the BET Her Hip Hop Legend Award, AARP's Living Legend Award, and the 2023 Culture Icon Phoenix Award from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, presented by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
MC Lyte is the first rap artist to perform at Carnegie Hall and the first female rapper to achieve a gold-certified single. A leader in the music industry, she has also performed at the Kennedy Center Honors and the White House for President Barack Obama.
In addition to her legendary artistry, MC Lyte has served as a National Trustee and President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Recording Academy for over eight years. She is also a distinguished member of the Kennedy Center’s Hip Hop Culture Council, where she partners with the Center to produce the annual "I AM WOMAN" event — a powerful celebration honoring the contributions of women in Hip Hop.
This is a Movement.
Real Players shines a light on today's chart-topping artists who defy labels.
They don’t just perform — they create, compose, and craft the sounds that define generations.
The Story is in the Stats.
90%
chart-topping artists today started with formal or informal music education
60%
Artists who play an instrument are 60% more likely to produce and write their own music.
25%
Only 1 in 4 U.S. schools has a dedicated music program....
Real Players aims to change that.
Featured Stories
The Artists Who Define an Era.
Real Players brings together the most influential voices and
creators of today — not just performers, but cultural architects.
Today’s artist who have topped the charts and are heavily influenced by hip hop.
Yet hip hop does not define who they are.
These artists are musicians often times multi-instrumentalist and uber talented.
The real players not only sing, write and produce, they also play instruments.
Real players is a series that shines the light on the musical genius of the cultures most compelling artists.
Alicia Keys started playing classical piano at just 7 years old — by age 12, she was composing her own songs and by 14, she was signed to her first label.
(She still credits Beethoven as one of her biggest musical influences.)
PJ Morton is a Grammy-winning artist who was also a full-time keyboardist for Maroon 5, seamlessly blending his gospel roots with pop, soul, and R&B.
(He calls Stevie Wonder his biggest influence — and now Stevie calls him a peer.)
Jamie Foxx was a classically trained pianist and received a college scholarship for music before he ever touched a comedy stage or film set.
(He actually aspired to be a professional musician before becoming a superstar actor.)
John Legend started playing piano at 4 years old and was offered scholarships to Ivy League universities for his musical abilities.
(He played piano on Lauryn Hill’s “Everything Is Everything” before launching his solo career.)
Pharrell played the drums in his school band — a music teacher spotted his natural rhythm early, helping ignite his journey toward becoming one of the most celebrated producers of all time.
(His first instrument? The snare drum.)
Lauryn Hill taught herself to play guitar as a teenager, adding to her skills as a singer, rapper, songwriter, and actress — a quadruple threat at a young age.
(During her MTV Unplugged performance, she played all the guitar parts herself.)
Theme, Elements & Moments
We’ll highlight old photos and footage of performances before the fame, church performances, talent shows and or recitals.
Each episode will feature intimate interviews during which the real players will reveal the legends that influenced them.
We’ll end each episode with an impromptu performance piece.
The real players will share why they chose their particular instrument, the first song they played and how they felt the first time they performed in front of an audience.
Why the time is now.
Reasons Real Players Is the Docuseries the Culture Demands
[1]
Demand for Diverse Media Content
Black audiences are power TV users, spending 31.8% more time with TV each week than the general U.S. population.
— Nielsen, 2024 (SOURCE LINK)
[2]
Music Education Enhances Academic Performance
Students involved in music education have higher academic achievement and lower substance abuse rates.
Shelly Suarez is CEO of Learn Now Music, Inc.(SOURCE LINK)
[3]
Gen Z and Millennials Seek Authentic, Inspirational Content
Gen Z and Millennials are drawn to content that is authentic and inspirational, often favoring documentaries and real-life stories.
“Streaming accounts for the majority time spent with TV.” - Digital Content Next, 2022
[4]
Music Documentaries Are Gaining Popularity
Music documentaries have seen a surge in popularity, with audiences seeking deeper insights into artists' lives and creative processes.
"Music transcends boundaries, uniting souls in a symphony of shared humanity"