Common Sense Media Review
By Jenny Nixon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Music moguls help develop aspiring hip-hop hopefuls.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Signed
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
SIGNED is VH1's new entry into the musical competition/reality show genre, and it aims to find the hottest new talent in the hip-hop/R&B genre. Contestants from all over the country come to Atlanta and step into a recording booth, hoping to impress the show's judges (aka "moguls"): Rick Ross of Maybach Music Group, The-Dream of Radio Killa Records, and Lenny S. of Roc Nation. If they manage to make a good impression, the moguls will help develop these new talents -- putting them through a variety of workshops and performance face-offs to help hone their skills. The grand prize is the opportunity to be signed to one of the moguls' record labels.
Is It Any Good?
The one thing this show has working for it is that the aspiring artists are asked to perform original music. This helps differentiate it from shows like American Idol, where a contestant can get a big reaction just by doing a passable rendition of a well-loved classic song. It could, however, benefit from a sprinkle of The Voice's magic, which places more value on a performer's talent than image. The show claims to be all about "raw talent," but could certainly spend more time showcasing it and less time focused on fights and pettiness. Additionally, one of the show's judges, Rick Ross, is a polarizing figure who once said that the reason he's never signed a female performer to his label is because he "can't trust himself to not sleep with them" -- which doesn't inspire a lot of confidence in terms of his qualifications as a true mentor for these contestants, many of whom are young women.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the history of hip-hop and R&B music, and the culture surrounding it. What kind of messages are prevalent in these musical genres, both good and bad? How does the history and culture influence Signed?
How important are a performer's looks to his or her success? Have you ever heard a song and then been surprised when you saw what the singer looked like? Did this change your enjoyment of the music?
TV Details
- Premiere date : July 26, 2017
- Cast : Rick Ross , Lenny S , The-Dream
- Network : VH1
- Genre : Reality TV
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 17, 2022
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate