Google Kicks Off Black History Month With Hip-Hop Doodle

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Google is rolling out a range of Black History Month programming across its various products and services in the US, including a hip-hop-themed Google Doodle featuring a custom beat by Detroit rapper, singer, and producer Illa J. The campaign also includes curated hubs on Google Play and Google TV featuring apps, games, books, and programming tied to Black history, Afrofuturism, and cultural icons.

Why it matters

Google's Black History Month initiatives aim to spotlight Black creators, developers, and businesses, influencing discovery, attention, and purchasing behavior on its platforms. This comes after the company faced backlash last year for removing default references to Black History Month and other cultural observances from Google Calendar.

The details

The hip-hop-themed Google Doodle sets the tone for the company's Black History Month programming, which extends across Search, Play, TV, YouTube, Chrome, Meet, Maps, and Arts & Culture. Google says the effort is part of its ongoing work to increase Black visibility, pointing to initiatives like the Chrome Black Artists Series, Black History Month backgrounds in Google Meet, and tools to help users find Black-owned businesses.

• Google launched the Black History Month campaign on February 4, 2026.