5 New Series From 50 Cent That Expand His Television Empire
While Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson is one the most decorated and highest-selling rappers in music history, his business acumen is what separates him from most of his contemporaries. At the peak of his success as a rap artist, 50 established G-Unit Records, G-Unit Clothing, and walked off with a cool $150 million when Glacéau was acquired by Coca-Cola, a company he previously invested in. But all of that was just a foreshadowing of his ingenuity, which was on full display when he began building his television empire.
Debuting on June 7th, 2014, Power, which FIifty executive produced with Courtney Kemp, was one of Starz's most highly rated shows and one of cable's most-watched shows during its run. The stories of James “Ghost” St. Patrick, Tommy Egan, Tasha St. Patric, and Angela Valdes made Power must-see TV every Sunday night.
After the success of Power, Fifty signed a new four-year, exclusive deal with Starz worth $150 million. Under the agreement, he will continue to develop new scripted and unscripted projects exclusively for the cable network through his G-Unit Film and Television production company. He also has deals in place with ABC, Lionsgate, and Quibi,
Here's a list of 5 new series that expands 50 Cent’s TV empire.
THE 'POWER' PACK
Power, which aired on Starz for six seasons, captivated audiences with tales of money, drugs, betrayal, and sex. After a suspenseful finale, capped off with a cliffhanging conclusion, Fifty proved his marketing genius once again by announcing several Power spinoffs that will keep his dedicated fans waiting with anticipation to see what happens to everyone.
Power Book II: Ghost
Power Book II: Ghost is set to be the first of the Power sequels. Power Book II: Ghost will follow the life and times of Tariq St. Patrick, who killed his father, James “Ghost” St. Patrick.
Book II also stars Mary J. Blige and Method Man, who will play a lawyer named Davis Maclean and feature a character Cooper Saxe, who managed to lie his way back to a new spot in law enforcement. Set to begin with a run of 10 episodes, Power Book II: Ghost will air on Starz on Sundays, giving fans all the drama they can handle.Power Book III: Raising Kanan
Power Book III: Raising Kanan will feature the story of Kanan, played by 50. The third chapter in the Power saga will showcase the come up of Kanan, who taught James St. Patrick and Tommy Egan the tricks of the drug trade. Kanan served a 10-year bid after being set up by St. Patrick and his wife Tasha. Listed as the Power prequel, Raising Kanan will reportedly star Omar Epps, Joey Bada$, Patina Miller, London Brown, Malcolm Mays, Shanley Caswell, and Toby Sandeman.
Power Book IV: Influence
While the street life is always a dangerous enterprise, it cannot compare to the cut-throat gangsterism of politics. Rashad Tate, played by the ageless wonder Larenz Tate, is a New York City councilman who wants to climb his way to the top of the New York political scene. With his eyes set on being Governor of New York, Power Book IV: Influence will showcase the underside of politics. The fourth installment in the Power franchise will give an account of how Tate rose to power and those who he left behind to get there.
Power Book V: Force
In the final season of Power, Tommy Egan (Joseph Sikora), best-friend-turned-enemy of Ghost, skates out of New York City to start a new life in Los Angeles. After the deaths of Ghost and his girlfriend Lakeisha Grant (La La Anthony), Tommy leaves behind his mother, Tasha, and Tariq. In Power Book V: Force, we will find out if Tommy can make it on his own without Ghost to look after him.
FOR LIFE
Release Date: Feb. 11, 2020
As Power concluded after six seasons, 50 hit the ground running with his latest television project, ABC’s For Life. Written by Hank Steinberg and loosely based on the real-life story of Issac Wright Jr, the legal drama follows the story of Aaron Wallace who is wrongly convicted for a crime he didn’t commit. After receiving a life prison sentence, Wallace becomes an expert in law as a defense attorney. He defends himself and a host of other wrongly convicted inmates who are imprisoned in the criminal justice system. The cast includes Nicholas Pinnock, Indira Varman, Joy Bryant, Mary Stuart Masterson, Dorian Crossmond Missick, Glenn Fleshler, Boris McGiver, and Fifty even makes appearances on the show.
For Life airs on Tuesdays at 10:00 PM EST.
Black Mafia Family
In another partnership with Starz, the cable network has greenlit the series Black Mafia Family, with 50 at the helm as the executive producer. With Randy Huggins serving as writer, Black Mafia Family is inspired by the true story of two brothers who made it from southwest Detroit in the late ’80s and became one of the most notorious crime families in this country. It focuses on two brothers; the charismatic Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory, and the business-minded Terry “Southwest T” Flenory. The story revolves around how their partnership and revenue from the drug trade made them iconic within hip-hop culture. The crux of the series is “love, family, and capitalism in the pursuit of the American dream.”
“I told you Black Mafia Family was coming and it’s going to be the biggest show on television," Fifty explained. “Meech and Terry are legends and I am excited to bring their story to Starz.”
TRILL LEAGUE
If you think that 50 is way too gangsta to be involved in the comic-book world, you thought wrong. The television guru will diversify his portfolio by serving as executive producer of Trill League, a new animated series.
Created by Chicago native Anthony Piper and Jameel Saleem (South Park), Trill League presents remixed versions of DC Comic superheroes such as Wonder Woman, Superman, and Batman. With characters like Trill Robin, Trill League is “a hilarious parody combining the world of superheroes, anime and hip-hop culture.”
In partnership with G-Unit Films and Lionsgate, Trill League will be bringing Black superheroes to the Quibi platform.
INTERCEPTED
When it comes to 50 Cent and Starz, the old adage is true: “If it aint broke, don’t fix it.” G-Unit Film and Television will continue its fruitful collaboration with a new drama entitled Intercepted. Executive produced by 50 and starring his former Power co-star La La Anthony, who also is co-executive producer, the series is based on the best selling novel of the same name by Alexa Martin.
Intercepted centers on Marlee Harper (Anthony) who is the ideal girlfriend of her NFL-star boyfriend. She is fed up with her role and having to put her career on hold. When her relationship abruptly ends, she makes up her mind to never get involved with another athlete again. But soon after the breakup, she is being hotly pursued by Gavin Pope, the new star quarterback of the team and everything goes off the rails from there.
