Universal Music Group (UMG) has announced a partnership with hip-hop pioneer and multi-hyphenate entrepreneur Russell Simmons to become a lead producer of THE SCENARIO, a new stage musical with an original story set to the greatest hits from a three-decade span of hip-hop. The show prepares to launch its world premiere in New York City, with a subsequent 30-city North American tour in the 2017-18 season.

With Simmons at the helm, The Scenario promises “a celebration of hip-hop” from “Run DMC to Kanye West” in stage musical form.  Tony Award-winning producer Scott Landis (Pajama Game, Nice Work If You Can Get It, An Act of God), UMG’s special advisor on theatrical development and production, will represent Universal Music on the producing team, alongside Simmons, Jake Stein for Def Pictures, and Tony-winning Broadway producers Scott Prisand, Jamie Bendell & Kenny Solomon for Big Block (Rock of Ages, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Heathers).

Big Block is a full-service creative collective responsible for conceiving, producing, and distributing engaging, award-winning content shared by billions across the globe. The studio’s repertoire of work spans across feature films, Broadway productions, branded campaigns, original webisodes, music videos and traditional ads, including Tony and Emmy Award-winning productions.