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Netflix Odds: Will “Rhythm & Flow” Hit the Mark?

Don Aguero

by Don Aguero in Entertainment

Updated Jan 17, 2018 · 9:38 AM PST

Photo credit: Pop Tech (Flickr) CC License

Netflix has just announced that they’re breaking into the talent-show genre. But, like all things Netflix does, the streaming service is going to it a little differently. John Legend and former NBC executive Jeff Gaspin are developing “Rhythm & Flow,” a hip-hop shiny-floor music competition.

The show will add another player to an already crowded field. ABC, NBC, and Fox all have their own music competitions. There’s “American Idol,” “The Voice,” “The Four,” “The Stream” — the list goes on. Each show is slightly different but they’re all in search of the same thing — the next big music star.

By narrowing the focus to hip-hop, “Rhythm & Flow” is made for a particular audience. Unlike the major broadcasters, Netflix is able to target a specific crowd instead of constantly casting a wide net. Finally, the music competition format might actually get something truly different. Will the show get rich or die tryin’? Here are the odds.

 

 


“Rhythm & Flow” Odds

ODDS “RHYTHM & FLOW” WINNER BREAKS THE BILLBOARD TOP 10: 2/1

Apart from a few big exceptions, winning a music competition show doesn’t usually lead to a ton of success. Especially now with so many shows to keep up with, most winners just fade into obscurity. However, a show like “Rhythm & Flow” has the advantage of appealing to an audience that is already obsessed with hip-hop. Those fans are much more likely to follow the winner to the record store (or more likely the iTunes store) and purchase their hits.

ODDS “RHYTHM & FLOW” IS RENEWED FOR A SECOND SEASON: 1/1

Netflix has a huge budget and an equally large appetite for experimentation. They’re willing to give shows time to find their, um, rhythm and flow. Even if the first season isn’t a huge hit, there’s a decent chance that the cashed-up streaming service will offer Legend and Gaspin another season to find their footing.

ODDS ON “RHYTHM & FLOW” JUDGES

Missy Elliott: 5/1

Kelly Rowland: 5/1

Nicki Minaj: 6/1

Usher: 8/1

Pharrell: 9/1

Chris Brown: 50/1

R. Kelly: 100/1

We’re still in the early days of the show’s development, so there haven’t been any names definitively linked to the project yet. Becoming a judge is a great way for musicians to revive their careers or just earn a bucket-load of cash. Names like Missy Elliott and Kelly Rowland spring to mind, stars of yesteryear who have fallen off the face of the earth. Then there are the big names like Usher and Pharrell, who may be expensive to bring on board but will draw a huge audience.

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