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Source: Blavity / @blavity
In an exclusive Blavity feature, the cast of the hit series Power Book II: Ghost sat down to discuss the show’s legacy and the bonds they’ve formed during the series.
In 2014, a new show premiered on the Starz network, becoming a fan favorite and changing the landscape of television in the process. That show was Power. Ten years later, its spinoff Power Book II: Ghost has attained the same levels of fan loyalty as its final season is set to begin. The cast members of Power Book II: Ghost sat down for a cover profile story with Blavity and Shadow and Act, and spoke about the journey of the show and how they’ve grown closer as a cast.
Michael Rainey Jr., who plays Tariq St. Patrick, revealed that he had some misgivings about the spinoff before it was officially announced. “When they first told us what it was going to be, [or] when they first told me at least, I was like, ‘No, what are you all thinking? This is not going to work.’” He would expound on his initial thoughts: “I’m not saying that because I didn’t trust Courtney and her writing and stuff. I just know the fans really stand on business, and they was not liking Tariq. So I’m like, ‘I don’t know how it’s going to work.’ But it worked.” It also was bolstered by Gianni Paolo, who plays Brayden Weston, and Alix Lapri, who plays Josefina “Effie” Morales as original Power actors being part of the Book II cast.
The addition of superstar Mary J. Blige to play Monet Tejada, along with The New Edition Story star Woody McClain and LaToya Tonodeo and Lovell Adams-Gray as Lorenzo “Cane” Tejada Jr., Diana Tejada and Dru Tejada respectively filled out the show’s universe and added more depth to the show. The cast also spoke about their closeness on and off set. “Just literally coming to work and looking forward to working with people that I’m super close with, super cool with, and just super comfortable with,” Rainey said. “That, within itself, just makes work so much easier and so much more comfortable.” The legacy is also something they spoke about distinctly and feel proud about as actors of color. “We make changes. We make things happen. So I hope that it continues to influence those that need to be influenced,” Tonodeo stated.
Read the full story right here.
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Looking for something new to watch? The streaming service Hulu offers add-ons to premium networks, such as Starz. This is a good way to add more value to your Hulu subscription, while making it easier to access more hit movies and TV shows — such as the second half of Power Book II: Ghost season four, which drops on Friday (Sept. 6) — without leaping from app to app.
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For just an additional $9.99 per month, you can add Starz to Hulu, so you can watch Starz originals, along side Hulu originals, in one and convenient app.
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Starz has hit originals, including Power Book II: Ghost, Mary & George, Party Down, P-Valley, Outlander, Minx and more.
In addition, Hulu is the home to critically acclaimed originals such as The Bear, The Handmaid’s Tale, American Horror Stories, Only Murders in the Building, Solar Opposites, Shōgun and others.
Hulu prices start at $7.99 per month — or $79.99 per year for the commercial-supported plan — while you can go without commercials for $17.99 per month. The service also offers Hulu + Live TV, which lets you stream nearly 100 broadcast and cable networks starting at $76.99 per month.
Meanwhile, Starz on Hulu is compatible with all sorts of devices, such as smart TVs, Apple iPhone and Apple iPad, Android smartphones and tablets, web browsers, gaming consoles, Fire TV, select cable boxes and other web-based devices.
At an additional $9.99 per month, you can add Starz to your Hulu subscription — which starts at $7.99 per month — so you can watch the latest and greatest that the premium cable network has to offer. And along with the best and brightest on Hulu, you can stream Starz and Hulu originals all in one place.
Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
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Source: Hip-Hop Wired / HHW
Fat Joe is taking his talents back to television. Starz Network has tapped him to host a forthcoming interview series.
Deadline is reporting that the Bronx, New York native will put use his charisma and signature humor to the network. Titled Fat Joe Talks, the show will “give viewers unique access into the lives of today’s most influential personalities who drive the cultural zeitgeist.” During the 30-minute episodes the “Lean Back” MC will travel the country and meet with different personalities.
Starz expressed their enthusiasm about the project in a formal statement. “Fat Joe Talks is an exciting foray into talk, and who better than Joe—a legend in and of himself—to drive provocative conversations that tap into the zeitgeist and matter to our audience,” said Kathryn Busby, President of Original Programming. “We are thrilled to be working with Joe and our partners at SpringHill and Embassy Row to launch this incredible show, offering authentic, backstage, rare access to these cultural icons.” Fat Joe gained popularity as a media personality with his Instagram Live show. He has gone on to be a guest host for The Wendy Williams Show and host the BET Hip-Hop Awards two consecutive years.
At this time there no set premiere date for Fat Joe Talks.
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Source: Starz / BMF
We’re only one episode into season 3 of BMF, and we already know it won’t be last.
Ahead of the hit crime drama’s season three premiere episode, Starz announced the Flenory brothers’ story will continue when BMF returns for a fourth season.
The show returned on March 1 at the stroke of midnight via the Starz app and will premiere on the Starz channel Friday, 8 PM ET. It remains one of the network’s more popular shows, not named Power, averaging 10.6 million viewers in multiplatform viewing.
“Fans can’t get enough of the history in the making that is ‘BMF,’” said Kathryn Busby, president of Programming for Starz. “We’re thrilled to start working on a new season that will continue bold storytelling of the legend of the Flenory brothers that has proven to resonate so deeply with our viewers.”
Production on season 4 begins this spring in Atlanta.
Returning for season 3 includes Demetrius “Lil Meech” Flenory Jr. as Demetrius Flenory, Da’Vinchi as “Terry Flenory, Russell Hornsby as Charles Flenory, Michole Briana White as Lucille Flenory, Steve Harris as Detective Bryant, Kelly Hu as Detective Jin, La La Anthony as Markisha, Sydney Mitchell as LaWanda, and Laila D. Pruitt as Nicole Flenory.
Like the previous season that saw Hip-Hop star Yung Miami show off her acting chops, this season’s special guests include NE-YO, 2 Chainz, Saweetie, Cynthia Bailey, and Dominique “Lil Baby” Jones, who is making his acting debut on the show.
The synopsis for season 3 reads:
“BMF” continues the story of the inspiring true legends, brothers Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory (Demetrius Flenory, Jr.) and Terry “Southwest T” Flenory (Da’Vinchi), who founded one of the most influential crime families in the country, the Black Mafia Family. We parachute into the early ’90s in season three, with Meech moving to Atlanta, hoping to grow the BMF empire in the south and rise to the top of the Atlanta drug scene.
At the same time, Terry remains in the “D,” handling business there, not yet aware of all the dangers lurking around the corner. Charles Flenory (Russell Hornsby) and Lucille Flenory’s (Michole Briana White) marriage remains on the rocks, and Detective Bryant (Steve Harris), on probation from work, and Detective Jin (Kelly Hu) find themselves on opposite sides of the law, but might find common ground in their determination to take down BMF. Additionally, season three includes special guest stars recurring throughout the season, who cross paths with Meech and Terry in this next phase of their unbelievable journey.
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Source: Scott Dudelson / Getty / Yung Miami
Twitter is screaming CARESHA PLEASE after watching Yung Miami’s acting debut in BMF.
BMF Fridays are in full effect, and Twitter has much to say about the latest episode. Yung Miami has caught the acting bug, appearing in the Netflix film You People and now with her highly-anticipated debut in the Starz original drama series.
Unfortunately, instead of receiving praise for her role as Deanna Washington in season two of BMF, many have taken to Twitter to call out Yung Miami for what they feel is TUBI quality acting.
“Yung Miami better thank God for colorism and “pretty privilege,” because talented she is NOT! There are too many great actors for y’all to be hiring the likes of Caresha and LaLa!!,” one Twitter user wrote in the caption of tweet with a video of Joe Budden.
“Uno I love me some Yung Miami but this scene was terrible I wasn’t convinced hopefully she improves #bmf,” another Twitter user wrote.
Yung Miami was well aware of the hate coming at her and took to social media to respond to the BMF watchers who thought her acting was real bad.
“The more they hate the more opportunities come!! It’s only the beginning for me!” the rapper wrote in reply to a tweet defending her acting debut.
Showing that she has a sense of humor, Diddy’s former boo wrote, “it wasn’t funny,lol,” in response to a tweet that read, “Caresha had me screaming on BMF last night she’s mad funny.”
She Can Hit La La For Some Advice
We hope Yung Miami keeps at it and doesn’t let the haters get to her. You don’t become a great actor overnight. If she needs to talk to anyone, she can hit up La La, who also felt the wrath of Power watchers for years.
So That’s How Meech Got The Big Nickname
That wasn’t the only thing that BMF fans, specifically the ladies talking. The thirst is real on Twitter because of a sex scene featuring Demetrius “Lil Meech” Flenory Jr. flashing his goods.
Quickly the jokes and reactions came in, with many agreeing the young actor should change his name from Lil Meech to Big Meech.
LOL.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
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Photo: Scott Dudelson / Getty
2. Howling
3. Sorry Caresha
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Source: Donte Maurice / Jimmy Fontaine / BMF
Starz’s latest hit drama, BMF, shows no signs of slowing up and continues adding big names to its still-growing cast of stars.
We have no idea how long the story of the legendary Flenory brothers will continue in BMF, but it still has legs. Starz has announced that Grammy award-winning artists 2 Chainz and Ne-Yo will join the cast in recurring roles when season 3 arrives.
The two musicians join the likes of Eminem, Serayah, Caresha “Yung Miami” Brownlee, and Snoop Dogg, who have all graced television screens on the gritty Starz drama.
Per Variety:
2 Chainz will play Stacks, an Atlanta-born distributor whose wisdom and stature command respect wherever he goes. “Fiercely loyal and determined to provide for his family no matter the cost, Stacks lives by the street code and challenges Meech’s leadership style,” as Starz describes him.
BMF’s Story So Far
For those who haven’t had the opportunity to watch the latest show in 50 Cent’s drug-dealing cinematic universe, he is building on his on-again-and-off-again partner network Starz; it retells the story of how Big Meech” Flenory (Demetrius Flenory, Jr.) and Terry “Southwest T” Flenory (Da’Vinchi) took over the Detroit streets in the 80s and built their Black Mafia Family from the ground up.
Season two follows the brothers who have split, with Meech looking to expand his drug dealing empire and his brother Terry looking to go legit by focusing more on school and running a car-ride service with his father Charles (Russell Hornsby).
Terry gets sucked back into the drug game, reluctantly linking back up with Meech when things on the streets get hectic.
We can’t wait to see how 2 Chainz and Ne-Yo fit in on the show.
Photo: Donte Maurice / Jimmy Fontaine
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Source: Starz / Starz
Michael Rainey Jr. is back as Tariq—the son of James St. Patrick in Season 3 of the hit Starz series Power Book II: Ghost.
The hit show returns to Starz with new episodes on March 17, St. Patrick’s Day.
Tariq is still running wild in the streets and getting deeper and deeper into the underworld. Working alongside Davis MacLean (Method Man) who has stepped out of the courtroom and into a bigger role in Tariq’s life.
Now that Tasha and the rest of his family are in witness protection, Tariq is invoking his father’s behavior something that his grandmother, Estelle–played by Debbi Morgan expresses her concern in the trailer. “I’m not like my dad; I’m smarter than him,” Tariq replies as the camera pans to show Ghost’s grave marker.
Mary J. Blige is back as Monet and she has her sights on Tariq. Who now even has his own “Tommy” by his side, Brayden (Gianni Paolo), and they’re looking to make Wall Street-level money.
While Tariq has his threats on-screen, on social media Rainey and BMF star, Demetrius “Lil Meech” Flenory are engaged in friendly competition to see who sits on the throne of 50 Cent’s Starz universe—sparked by HipHopWired family site CassiusLife.com’s Michael Rainey Jr. cover story no less.
Looks like it’s gonna be a big season, catch up before March 17– Seasons 1 and 2 of Power Book II: Ghost are currently available to stream via Starz.
Check out the trailer below.
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Source: Courtesy of Starz / BMF
Fans of BMF can enjoy the current second season, knowing there will be more stories to tell.
Spotted on Variety, Starz’s latest hit drama BMF, based on the actual story of Big Meech and his Detroit-based organized crime outfit, the Black Mafia Family, will get a third season.
The announcement came fresh into BMF’s second season, with the cable network noting the show was the most socially engaged drama across all networks during its premiere weekend with an astounding 4.1 million multiplatform viewers.
“BMF captures the essence of Detroit through elevated, gritty storytelling, and our fans have passionately responded to this show more than ever before,” said Kathryn Busby, president of original programming for Starz.
She continues, “Following such a strong debut with season two, we’re thrilled to continue to expand on the incredible story of the Flenory brothers as they change the game by writing their own rules. We can’t wait to see what our extraordinary producers and cast deliver next.”
50 Cent’s Weird Relationship With Starz Continues
With the announcement of the show’s third season, Starz’s often shaky relationship with 50 Cent and his G-Unit Film & Television will continue, despite his constant threats to pull his slate of shows from the network.
The Queen’s rapper is single-handedly bringing the heat to Starz with shows like Power Book II: Ghost (created by Courtney A. Kemp), Power Book III: Raising Kanan, Power Book IV: Force, and now BMF.
In 2022, 50 Cent took to his Instagram account to announce that his partnership with the cabler is a dub.
“Shout out to BET, I won Hustler of the Year. No one from music culture has had success in Television production. I have 25 shows now and I’ve made some big deals away from TV. I’m out of my deal at STARZ tomorrow,” he wrote in the post’s caption.
Congrats to the cast and crew of BMF.
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Photo: Courtesy of Starz / BMF
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