Hustle & Flow Soundtrack Set to Heat Up Summer  6/20/05

"Hustle & Flow" Set to Heat Up Summer: Sizzling Hip-Hop Soundtrack Due July 12th; Award-Winning Paramount/MTV Film Opens July 13th; "I'm A King" by P$C (Feat. T.I. & Lil Scrappy) Is 1st Single; All-Star Hollywood Concert Set for June 27th

NEW YORK, NY -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 06/20/05 -- Grand Hustle Entertainment and Atlantic Records have set July 12th for the release of "MUSIC FROM AND INSPIRED BY THE MOTION PICTURE HUSTLE & FLOW," the sizzling soundtrack to the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award-winning hip-hop drama. The Paramount Classic/MTV Films release is due in theatres across North America on July 13th.

The summer's hottest hip-hop collection, the "HUSTLE & FLOW" soundtrack features an extraordinary line-up of the coolest hip-hop and urban artists, including T.I. & P$C, Juvenile, Trina, Mike Jones, Paul Wall, Boyz N Da Hood, Webbie, 8Ball & MJG, Lil Scrappy, Trillville, and many others. The album also includes the film's star, Terrence Howard ("Crash," "Ray"), performing tracks in his lead role as the street hustler-turned-rapper known as DJay.

The first single from the soundtrack will be "I'm A King" by P$C (feat. T.I. and Lil Scrappy). The track -- produced by the King of Crunk himself, Lil Jon -- is set to impact at multi-format radio on June 27th. The single's companion video, directed by Benny Boom, was shot last week in Atlanta, with BET on hand to cover the shoot for "Access Granted."

To keep the heat on, the album's second single has already been slated -- a killer remix of newcomer Webbie's "Bad B**ch," featuring hip-hop diva Trina. Webbie, who hails from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is currently bulleting to the top of the urban charts with "Give Me That" (Asylum/Trill). The "Bad B**ch" companion video was shot last week in Miami. Directed by Dr. Teeth, it will be the subject of a "Makes A Video" episode on MTV2.

The soundtrack also introduces national audiences to the crunk sounds of Al Kapone. Kapone is a longtime Memphis rapper who found a fan in "Hustle & Flow" writer-director Craig Brewer; Brewer insisted that Kapone was the guy to write DJay's raps, to give them a distinctly Memphis sound. Kapone contributes to the soundtrack with two of DJay's raps, "Whoop That Trick" and "Hustle And Flow (It Ain't Ovah)," and one of his own, "Get Crunk, Get Buck."

A number of major events will be held to celebrate "HUSTLE & FLOW," highlighted by a June 27th all-star show at Hollywood's House of Blues, hosted by Trina. The evening will feature a number of the soundtrack's stars -- including T.I. & P$C, Juvenile, Lil Jon, Mike Jones, Paul Wall, Boyz N Da Hood, Webbie, Lil Scrappy, and Trillville.

In addition, "HUSTLE & FLOW" artists will make personal appearances at several special movie screening events: On July 6th, Paramount will host a major screening in Memphis, the city where "Hustle & Flow" is set -- with T.I., P$C, and Trina slated to attend. The following day, July 7th, an event will be held at the Fort Hood U.S. Army base in Killeen, Texas -- featuring a screening, an autograph signing by T.I. and Trina, and a live performance by T.I.

MTV will feature "Hustle & Flow" and its soundtrack in a variety of its programming, including a half-hour special entitled "How To Be A Music Hustler" -- featuring exclusive live performances recorded at a recent "MTV $2 Bill" concert in Chicago, along with interviews with T.I., Juvenile, Paul Wall, Mike Jones, and Webbie. "Hustle & Flow" will also be featured in a special installment of "Direct Effect," slated to air on July 13th and featuring soundtrack and movie talent.

On Sunday, July 3rd, Anthony Anderson will host a special "Hustle & Flow" edition of "Sucker Free Sunday" -- MTV2's all-day lineup of hip hop-related programming. Included will be a half-hour news special entitled "My Block: Memphis," which will focus on rappers from Memphis -- the hometown setting for "Hustle & Flow." MTV2 is also featuring the film this week during its "Summer's Hottest" series of vignettes.

In addition, soundtrack artists including Juvenile, Paul Wall, and Webbie will take part in the "Sucker Free Sunday Tour," with dates booked throughout July in such cities as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and New Orleans.

The entire "HUSTLE & FLOW" album can be heard via "The Leak" on both MTV.com and MTV2.com for a full week leading up to the album's July 12th street date. The album will also be highlighted across all MTV platforms, including MTV Jams and mtvU, which also featured the film in its recent story on "Summer Essentials."

Written and directed by Craig Brewer, the critically acclaimed "Hustle & Flow" is the redemptive story of a streetwise Memphis hustler trying to find his voice and realize his long buried dream of becoming a respected rap artist. Winner of the prestigious Audience Award at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, the film stars Terrence Howard, Anthony Anderson ("The Shield," "Barbershop"), Taryn Manning ("8 Mile," "Cold Mountain"), DJ Qualls ("Road Trip," "The New Guy"), and Ludacris ("Crash," "2 Fast 2 Furious"). "Hustle & Flow" is produced by John Singleton ("Boyz N The Hood," "2 Fast 2 Furious," "Four Brothers") and Stephanie Allain.

(TRACK LISTING ATTACHED)

"MUSIC FROM AND INSPIRED BY THE MOTION PICTURE HUSTLE & FLOW"

Track Listing

1. P$C (Feat. T.I. & Lil Scrappy) - "I'm A King (The Remix)"

2. Lil' Boosie & Webbie - "Swerve"

3. Terrence Howard (DJay) Feat. Taraji P. Henson (Shug) - "It's Hard Out

Here For A Pimp"

4. 8Ball & MJG - "Tell Me Why"

5. E-40 (Feat. BoHagon & Lil Scrappy) - "P***y N***az"

6. Terrence Howard (DJay) - "Whoop That Trick"

7. Trillville - "Man Up"

8. Boyz N Da Hood - "Carbon 15's, A.K.'s & Mac 11's"

9. Chopper - "Lil' Daddy"

10. Nasty Nardo - "Let's Get A Room"

11. Juvenile (Feat. Skip & Wacko) - "Booty Language"

12. Webbie (Feat. Trina) - "Bad B**ch Remix"

13. Terrence Howard (DJay) - "Hustle And Flow (It Ain't Ovah)"

14. Mike Jones (Feat. Nicole Wray) - "Still Tippin' (It's A Man's World

Remix)"

15. P$C - "Murder Game"

16. Al Kapone - "Get Crunk, Get Buck"