Plot Synopsis

UNSUNG PRESENTS: MUSIC & THE MOVEMENT is a two-part documentary that highlights the artists and songs that have provided the soundtrack to the fight for justice and equality. On hand to provide commentary about the new musical genre that emerged during pivotal movements in Black Americans tumultuous past and troubling present are Erica Campbell, Big Gipp, Raheem DeVaughn, Rev. Al Sharpton, Isaac Hayes III, Ronda Racha Penrice, Headkrack, Shante Paige, DJ Kemit, Dyana Williams, Angie Ange, Colby Colb, Rickey Vincent, Steve Ivory, Delores Thompson, Dave Washington, Billy Johnson, Jr., Kenny Gamble, P. Frank Williams, Keith Murphy, DJ Yella, Battlecat, Soren Baker, and Felicia "Poetess" Morris.

Both parts of the documentary premiere back-to-back on Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2021 (Monday, January 18) from 8-10pm ET/PT on TV One, incorporating first-hand accounts, interviews with artists and media, coupled with archival footage from memorable speeches, soul-stirring vocal performances, and more. Moments of Black auditory dissent featured in the special spans centuries and includes themes of Negro spirituals, like "Swing Low Sweet Chariot," which provided both a distraction from the harsh conditions of slavery and communication tools for the enslaved as they plotted their escape to freedom; to soul and funk anthems during the Black Power movement performed by Aretha Franklin ("Respect") and Curtis Mayfield ("People Get Ready") demanding an immediate change to the political landscape and that civil rights be upheld; to the heart-wrenching viral music videos by young, contemporary artists -- like Keedron Bryant's captivating single "I Just Want to Live" -- creating rallying mixtapes for the current Black Lives Matter movement which, this past summer, saw a melting pot of cultures across the globe who marched in solidarity, to protest police brutality. he two one-hour specials serve as a re-examination of the power that music has had to transform a cultural moment into a movement.

Additionally, UNSUNG PRESENTS: MUSIC & THE MOVEMENT features the broadcast debut of the original track "KliKKK KlaKKK" by Sunny Dizzle and the group Steaksawse, recently announced as the winner of Reach Media's "The Song" contest. Presented in partnership with Kevin Liles and 300 Entertainment, the contest was designed to provide an opportunity for an independent artist to create music that reflects the current climate, elevates the collective consciousness, and promotes hope and change. The single will have its global release on Friday, January 15, 2020 and will be featured across Reach Media radio stations.