Comedian Marlon Wayans to Host VH1's PHILLY 4TH OF JULY JAM

Actor and comedian Marlon Wayans has been named the host of the fourth annual Philly 4th of July Jam as part of the WaWa Welcome to America Festival. In addition, the event will be simulcast on VH1 and Palladia on Friday, July 4 from 8-11PM ET and live streamed on PhillyJam.VH1.com the VH1 App. Four-time Grammy award winners and hometown favorites The Roots, will perform and serve as the house band with this year's lineup, including: Nicki Minaj, Ed Sheeran, Jennifer Hudson, Ariana Grande and Aloe Blacc. Capping off the musical event, the evening will include a spectacular fireworks display over the iconic Philadelphia Museum of Art.

In addition to hosting the fourth annual Philly 4th of July Jam, the actor and comedian can currently be seen presiding over the TBS comedy

competition series, "Funniest Wins," which just premiered on June 20th and will run for eight episodes, Fridays at 10 PM. Most recently, Wayans produced and starred in Open Road Film's comedy A HAUNTED HOUSE 2, the sequel to the hilarious and successful film, A HAUNTED HOUSE, which had a budget of $1.7-MILLION and grossed $18.1-million on the opening weekend. More information on Marlon can be found on his Facebook, Instagram and Twitter page.

Billed as the "Largest Free Concert in America," the Philly 4th of July Jam is a celebration of freedom and music. The Philly 4th of July Jam is an unforgettable, entertainment-filled night that has featured some of the top artists in the musicindustry. This is a one-of-a-kind concert, free of cost and fun for all ages, located right in the heart of the City of Brotherly Love. With 500,000 people jamming out on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway--- there is no other place to spend the Fourth of July.

The Jam is coordinated by Welcome America, Inc. and its Executive Director Desiree Peterkin-Bell, along with Executive Producers Scott Mirkin and Shawn Gee. Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson and Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter of The Roots serve as musical directors for the Jam. Executive producers for VH1 are Lee Rolontz, Rick Krim and Keshia Williams.

The Philly 4th of July Jam takes place during Wawa Welcome America!, a multi-day festival that celebrates America's birthday in America's birthplace, Philadelphia.

About VH1

VH1 delivers the ultimate mash-up of music, pop culture and nostalgia for adults who still want to have fun. VH1 is available in 99 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital channels and services including VH1 Classic, VH1 Soul, the VH1 App, VH1.com and @VH1, the HUB for all things music and pop culture. Fans may also access current and retro VH1 programming via the VH1 App, thenetwork's three-in-one video, new form content and co-viewing app, available for free on iOS and Android platforms. VH1 is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.