Hip Hop Squares

This is chronicling the hip-hop version called ***Hip Hop Squares***.

## Gameplay

Just like in *Hollywood Squares*, the object of the game is to get tic-tac-toe: that's three squares in a row, either across, up & down or diagonally; or be the first contestants to capture five of the squares to win. Xs are always represented by a male contestant. Os are always represented by a female contestant.

### MTV2 Version

The two competing contestants take turns picking off each of the nine hip hop stars seated in a great big tic-tac-toe board. On each star, the host asked a question to that star after which the star would usually give a crazy untrue answer (classified as a zinger) followed by his/her real answer. After hearing the real answer, the contestant in control decided to either agree (meaning the star is correct) or disagree (meaning the star answered with a bluff). If the contestant's judgment was correct, he/she gets the square (hence the phrase X or circle gets the square); if the contestant's judgment was wrong, his/her opponent gets the square unless it would mean a win; when that happens nothing would be placed in that square because a win had to be earned by the contestant in control.

The secret square was played the same as always in *Hollywood Squares* but it's been renamed the "G-Spot". All "G-Spot" questions are worth $1,000 which does not count toward their final scores. If the "G-Spot" was not chosen in the second game, it is carried over into the next game. On some episodes, winning the "G-Spot" also won a prize for the studio audience.

The first two games are worth $500 and the third game is worth $1,000. If time ran out in the middle of a game, the contestants received $100 for each square captured. The player with the most money won the match and went on to play the bonus round.

#### Bonus Round

In this bonus game, the winning contestant chose which row of three stars to play with, either the top, middle or bottom. Host Rosenberg asked one question to the three stars in that chosen row: one of the them gave the correct answer; the other two gave bluffs. Choosing the correct answer won an additional $2,500, but choosing a bluff answer won nothing extra.

### VH1 Version

VH1 has recently revived the show with DeRay Davis as the new host and Ice Cube as the executive producer. Ice Cube is also the announcer and part time center square (unlike Whoopi Goldberg). In addition, Davis was a former panelist on the original MTV2 version before becoming the host for the VH1 version.

In this version, two hip hop celebrities compete to win money for their fans in the studio audience. Other than that, the game is the same as it has always been, but with this one exception: to make a decision, the star in control presses one of two buttons in front of him/her. Green to agree, red to disagree.

The first game is worth $1,000 ($500 in some episodes) and the second game is worth $2,000 ($1,000 in some episodes). In addition, each captured square is worth a random cash amount revealed when a star is chosen. In Season 1, cash amounts range from $300 - $900 ($100 - $500 in some episodes) in game 1 and $500 - $1,500 ($300 - $900 in some episodes) in game 2. Starting in Season 2, cash amounts range from $500 - $1,500 in game 1 and $500 - $2,000 in game 2. The Secret Square returned in Season 3 (renamed the "Hidden Square)", played in game 1. As before, picking that square and giving a correct judgement wins a bonus prize.

The star with the most money after the second game (or when a sounder alerts that time in the entire game is up, no matter which round of the game is being played) wins the game and plays the bonus round with their designated audience member.

#### Bonus Round

**Season 1 (3-in-a-Row):** The nine squares will flash around the board. The winning fan stops the board by hitting a button in front of him/her. When it stops on a square, the winning star's symbol gets placed there. Unlike *All-Star Blitz's* bonus round, a spin of the board cannot land on a square occupied by a symbol. The winning team has five spins to make a tic-tac-toe. If the winning team succeeds, their winnings are doubled.

**Season 2 ("Pick That Dough"):** Each star has a record sleeve containing a disc. Eight of the discs have cash amounts ranging from $1 to $5,000 while the final disc has a grand prize, either a tropical vacation, a new car or, in one episode sponsored by Burger King, an additional cash prize of $25,000. The winning fan picks three stars in a tic-tac-toe pattern and wins the prizes revealed. If the grand prize disc is not chosen by the player, the identity of the disc's holder is revealed at the end of the show.

**Season 3 ("Square Secrets"):** Before the show, each of the nine celebrities were asked to reveal a secret about themselves. The winning fan is asked to pick three of the squares in a tic-tac-toe formation. Once chosen, the host reveals a secret that is attributed to only one of the three celebrities and asks the winning fan to choose the celebrity to whom it is attributed. If the winning fan is correct, he/she receives an additional $10,000 or in some select episodes which are sponsored, the winner receives an additional $25,000.

## Merchandise

Prior to this, Sonic Branding Solutions (now Sonic Boom Inc.) released the game *Hollywood Squares: Hip Hop Edition* for mobile phones on April 1, 2006. Featuring caricature-like appearances of Method Man, Redman, Bizarre from D12, Trina, Biz Markie, Cee-Lo (Green), Pitbull, Teairra Marie and many more.

## Trivia

* Both DJ Ms. Nix & Peter Rosenberg appeared as Friday DJs on the venerable ABC's Good Morning America.
* This is the second spinoff series to have a reboot on its own, the first was *Celebrity Family Feud* in 2015.

## Links

Official Site (MTV2)

Official Site (VH1)

### YouTube Videos

**Episode 18**

Part 1

Part 2