This
undated image released by Starz shows Sinqua Walls, left, and Curtis
Jackson, better known as 50 Cent, in a scene from "Power," premiering on
June 7. “Power,” a gritty new drama executive produced by 50 Cent,
chronicles both the underpinnings of a brutal drug trade life and the
glamour of the clubs. (AP Photo/Starz)
NEW YORK (AP) — "Power," a gritty new drama debuting next month on Starz, is executive produced by 50 Cent and chronicles both the underpinnings of a brutal drug trade life and the glamour of the clubs.
But its creator, Courtney Kemp Agboh, balks
when it's described as urban entertainment. The Emmy-nominated producer,
whose credits include "The Good Wife," sees the story as one that's
relatable to everyone, even suburban moms.
"In a real sense it's a show about a
universal question," she says. "Does your past dictate your future? Can
you change who you are? ... The show is really about a larger thing."
This undated image released by Starz shows Curtis Jackson, better known
as 50 Cent, in a scene from "Power," premiering on June 7. “Power,” a
gritty new drama executive produced by 50 Cent, chronicles both the
underpinnings of a brutal drug trade life and the glamour of the clubs.
(AP Photo/Starz)
"Power," which premieres June 7, stars Omari
Hardwick as Ghost, a drug dealer who doubles as a successful nightclub
owner to conceal his illegal trade. While it's part gangster drama, it's
also a love story: The married Ghost is also pining for a long lost
love who has made her return. He also seeks to shed his life of crime In
hopes of finally becoming a legit businessman.
While the show is based in part by 50 Cent's
own transformation from drug dealer to rap superstar, Agboh, who
created the show with him, also used her late father as inspiration.
"My dad was an advertising guy, and he was
very invested in the idea that perception is reality and that if you
looked good, and you smelled good and you sounded good, that people
would believe whatever you had to say and you were able to manipulate
people's opinions of you through image," she said. "As a black man he
felt he got access to people and experiences as a result of dressing a
certain way, and sounding a certain way and having a certain educational
background. . When my dad died, I felt like I really needed to write
about him and write about his experiences."
The death of Agboh's father in 2011 was a turning point for her. It was after he died that "Power" began to become a reality.
"This is the first show I ever pitched, the
first show I ever sold, the first show I ever wrote for money," she
said. "Things happened at once."
It's another high point for Agboh, who started off as a magazine writer before leaping into television writing, then producing.
"I wanted to be the first black female editor in chief of Vogue magazine, and that totally didn't work out," she laughed.
This undated image released by Starz shows Curtis Jackson, better known
as 50 Cent, in a scene from "Power," premiering on June 7. “Power,” a
gritty new drama executive produced by 50 Cent, chronicles both the
underpinnings of a brutal drug trade life and the glamour of the clubs.
(AP Photo/Starz)
*
As one of the few black women behind a TV
series, there are obvious comparisons to Shonda Rimes, whom with the
success of shows like "Scandal" and "Grey's Anatomy" has become one of
the most powerful figures on television. But Agboh sees few similarities
besides their race and sex, the significance of which she downplays.
"I don't think it's about the race or
gender of the show runner, I think it's about what's compelling and what
will bring people back," she said. "I'm grateful to Shonda if in fact
her existence allows people to see me in a different way, but I don't
think that we do the same thing or should we be expected to."
Omari Hardwick,Naturi Naughton,Joseph Sikora,Lela Loren,Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson,Lucy Walters,Adam Huss,Andy Bean,Kathrine Narducci , Luis Antonio Ramos, Greg Serano,Sinqua Walls___
http://www.starz.com
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