Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson on the new prequel to his crime drama Power
The rapper and actor is a producer on the show, writes Danielle de Wolfe
For many, the pandemic has been a time to reassess priorities. For platinum selling hip-hop artist-turnedactor 50 Cent, that decision was to leave New York City in favour of a new life in the Lone Star State of Texas.
Hailing from an area of Queens known as South Jamaica, 50 Cent – real name Curtis James Jackson III – has spent a large portion of his life in and around the frenetic East Coast city.
Now, though, the rapper says he’s moved cross-country to a locale he describes as “a little more hospitable” than the city that saw him receive nine gunshot wounds and two broken legs outside his grandmother’s house in 2000.
“I moved down to Texas. Down to Houston, Texas,” says Jackson, 46, with a nod.
“The lifestyle down there is nice, the nightlife is good. It’s cool. Restaurants, different places to go out to eat – it’s just good energy down there.
“New York was a little more like, ‘OK, go ahead, mind your business, because I ain’t saying nothing to you. You do what you do and I’m doing what I’m doing’.”
It’s a move that follows Jackson’s 2017 emergence from bankruptcy after repaying debts of more than $22 million (£17.6m) nearly five years earlier than was ordered by a Connecticut court.
It was a ruling made midway through the artist’s stint in hit US crime drama Power; Jackson says the success of the series “exceeded expectations”.
“It made it to being the number one show for African Americans, Latinas and was continuing to grow,” declares the Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ hitmaker.
A collaboration between producer Courtney A Kemp and Jackson, the series centres around wealthy nightclub owner James ‘Ghost’ St Patrick living a double life as a drug kingpin.
Depicting the intertwined lives of Ghost (Omari Hardwick), his partner in crime Tommy (Joseph Sikora) and their wider crew, Jackson’s on-screen involvement comes in the form of antagonist Kanan.
Released this month is Jackson’s latest project, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, which is every inch the show’s prequel.
Born off the back of six series of Power, Power Book III unveils Kanan’s backstory, with Mekai Curtis (Arrested Development) stepping into the shoes of young Kanan and Jackson taking on the role of executive producer.
“I think for the first time, you’ll see a spin-off outperform the original,” says Jackson.
Drawing on Jackson’s upbringing in South Jamaica, the show abandons the Tv-friendly, sugar-coated depiction of hip-hop culture in favour of an altogether rawer reality.
Jackson points out artists like rapper Cardi B are increasingly using language that pushes the boundaries of censorship.
“I was saying, ‘I’ll take you to the Candy Shop’, and she’s singing, .W.A.P.’” he says.
“Our culture’s so uncut, it’s raw, and I want it to feel like it actually is – not a PG-13 version of it or some sort of remake of what happened.”
● Power Book III: Raising Kanan is on STARZPLAY