Simmons: Glam's
gateway to hip-hop

Female content network Glam Media has formed a partnership with Global Grind, a social network funded by Accel Partners and hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, founder of clothing brand Phat Farm and the Def Jam music label.

Global Grind is a space where hip-hop fans can share, comment on and vote for one another's content. As with sites like Digg, prominent content is the result of many votes, or "grinds." Users "trash" articles they would typically "bury" on Digg.

Global Grind and Glam will launch "Be Discovered," a hip-hop talent competition, this October. The hip-hop liaison will also make use of GlamTV, a service Glam went live last week.

CEO Navarrow Wright of Global Grind says over 24 million people in the US identify as members of the hip-hop community. In March, and likely as a nod to its growing preoccupation with the lifestyle, Glam purchased street fashion social network StyleMob.