LL Cool J’s Rock The Bells Signs First Look Deal With Paramount Global, Leads $15 Million Funding Round

Apr 17

Rock the Bells, a hip-hop platform founded by LL Cool J in 2018, has secured $15 million in a series B funding round led by Paramount Global, Raine Ventures, and Irving Azoff of Iconic Artists Group. Other investors in the round included Amex Ventures, Wildcat Capital Management, and Capstar Ventures. The funds raised will be used to scale the business's three pillars of content, commerce, and experiences, including launching retail partnerships and experiential events, expanding in Europe, and growing its annual Rock the Bells Festival.

Rock the Bells is a multi-faceted platform that features Rock the Bells Radio on SiriusXM, a content platform at RockTheBells.com, licensing and merchandising partnerships with mass retailers, and curated experiences and activations with partners globally. The company's brand partners include Target, Walmart, PepsiCo, and Procter & Gamble.

In addition to the funding, Rock the Bells has also signed a first-look deal with Paramount Global, which covers feature films and scripted and unscripted content, as well as the opportunity to livestream the upcoming 2023 Rock the Bells Festival that will celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. They'll collaborate on identifying and developing co-branded merchandise opportunities from Paramount IP.

“This Series B round is a reflection of the confidence that our investors have in Rock the Bells as a global platform,” said LL Cool J. “Hip-hop is an art form that many people doubted from day one, but our culture continues to rise to higher heights. … This is just the beginning.”

Bruce Gillmer, President of Music, Music Talent, Programming & Events at Paramount Global, expressed his excitement about the partnership, saying, "We look forward to working with him to shine a spotlight on Hip-Hop culture and icons through music, events and diverse content."

With the fresh funding, Rock the Bells is poised for growth and expansion, as it continues to elevate the hip-hop genre and culture.