Netflix unveiled a new cast for the second season of its Hip-Hop competition series Rhythm + Flow on Thursday (January 18). The streaming service announced Latto, Ludacris and DJ Khaled as the new judges with Eminem joining as a special guest judge.
“We are taking things up a notch with a new cast of global hitmakers in our judges and a new pool of undiscovered artists,” Netflix Vice President of Nonfiction Series Brandon Riegg said. “Hip-Hop continues to evolve, so it’ll be thrilling to see Ludacris, Latto, and DJ Khaled mentoring contestants during their journeys, along with legendary guest judges like Eminem providing their own brand of insight and advice. We saw this type of life-changing mentorship play out with past contestants whose musical geniuses reached massive audiences across our global platform.”
Latto, Ludacris and DJ Khaled replaced Cardi B, Chance the Rapper and T.I. as the show’s judges. Production for the second season is underway with a premiere slated for later this year.
“In this significant moment for the genre, the focus extends beyond the music alone,” executive producers Jesse Collins and Dionne Harmon said. “We’re seeking unconventional voices and authentic stories that peel back layers and invite fans to immerse themselves in the contestants’ world as we spotlight the continually evolving spirit of Hip-Hop.”
Rhythm + Flow debuted on Netflix in 2019. Grammy Award nominee D Smoke won the show’s first season.
“I was extremely competitive on Rhythm + Flow,” D Smoke told AllHipHop in 2021. “And, you know, a lot of people believed in me from the jump, but from my perspective, it was like, if I didn’t pull out all stops at every point in time, it was anybody’s to take. So, those things definitely played a role in me having this opportunity now to be on a global platform.”
Watch the teaser for Rhythm + Flow’s second season below.