MuchVibe, a music-video channel for fans of hip hop and R&B, promises "dope beats," "soul sisters" and "fresh MCs" in the slick ads running on its parent music station, MuchMusic.

The new digital channel will run videos - as well as concerts and specials - that fall into the vague category that the music industry has taken to calling "urban," which refers to black music across a spectrum that runs from rap to hip hop to reggae to R&B to soul.

And while hip-hop fans have long got their fix in measured doses on the main channel, especially on the show RapCity, they will now be able to watch gesturing MCs and scantily clad, gyrating women 24 hours a day.

David Kines, vice-president and general manager of MuchMusic, MuchMoreMusic and the new channel, said MuchVibe will start small, adopting a "video flow" format with no on-air hosts of its own, at least at first.

And he said the new channel will not affect how much hip-hop you see on MuchMusic.

"MuchMusic will continue to play all the genres. We're not shedding urban programming," Mr. Kines said, adding that "there's a real need and a home for urban, 24-7."

He said the new channel will please dedicated fans of the genre who don't want to watch pop or rock videos while waiting for the latest track from Kardinal Offishal.

"It's super-serving the population, you know, the people that want that stuff that don't want to sit through the Offspring or 'N Sync. ... People have certain likes of music. MuchMusic tries to be a little bit of everything to everybody, but it can only do so much," Kines said.

He predicts the station will have a broad appeal, although it is aimed at the coveted 18-34 demographic.

"I think urban, in particular, is quite a phenomenon, of how that's exploded in popularity and crossed over," he said, saying that young teenagers may also prove to be a big audience for the channel.

MuchVibe will have to play 30-per-cent Canadian content - the same rule applies to all of the music channels - and Kines says it will be better able than Much to expose new urban artists.

MuchVibe will share resources with its Much parent, and two shows from MuchMusic, the long-running RapCity and the dance music show Da Mix, will also run on MuchVibe.

But long-time Much VJ Tony (Master T) Young will not be involved in the new channel, despite his major role in pushing MuchMusic to play more black music over the years and his stature in the Toronto hip hop community.

The 40-year-old Young, who was to quit after 11 years on MuchMusic on Aug. 25, has not been offered a job at MuchVibe. Kines said the channel's tiny budget was at fault.

"I just don't have the resources. ... I'd love to have him or some personality and a camera and an editor and, you know, be cranking out extra programming just for this channel, but I just don't have those resources at the moment.

"That could change in weeks or months or years, I just don't know when, but today ... I don't have them," Kines said.