STARZ "POWER BOOK III: RAISING KANAN" RED CARPET AND WORLD PREMIERE
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Starz / Getty Images
On Thursday, July 15th, STARZ hosted the red carpet and premiere of the new STARZ Original Series “Power Book III: Raising Kanan'' at the Hammerstein Ballroom at Manhattan Center in New York. In true “Power” Universe fashion, audiences were treated to incredible performances from artists, including 50 Cent, Uncle Murda, NLE Choppa, Rileyy Lanez, EPMD, Big Daddy Kane and Kool G Rap.
Attendees included “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” cast members Patina Miller, MeKai Curtis, Omar Epps, London Brown, Malcolm Mays, Hailey Kilgore, Joey Bada$$, Lovie Simone, Quincy Brown, Toby Sandeman, and Shanley Caswell, Executive Producer, Creator and Showrunner Sascha Penn, Executive Producer Courtney A. Kemp, Executive Producer Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Executive Producer Mark Canton, Executive Producer Chris Salek, Executive Producer Bart Wenrich and Executive Producer Shana Stein.
Recurring talent from “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” in attendance included Antonio Ortiz, Natalee Linez,Annabelle Zasowski, Rosal Colón, John Clay III,Joseph Melendez, Tina Benko, Hasaan Gilmer, Sharief Johnson, Lawrence Gillard Jr., and Kelly Deadmon.
From STARZ series, additional guests included “Power Book II: Ghost” cast members Michael Rainey Jr, Shane Johnson, Woody McClain, Daniel Sunjata, Berto Colon, Gianni Paolo, Lovell Adams-Gray, Paige Hurd, Paton Ashbrook, LaToya Tonodeo, Daniel Bellomy, Alix Lapri, Melanie Liburd, “Heelz” cast member Alison Luff, “Power” Universe cast members Naturi Naughton, La La Anthony, Joe Perrino, “Power Book IV: Force” cast member Joseph Sikora and “Run The World” creator and executive producer Leigh Davenport; STARZ President and CEO, Jeffrey Hirsch and President, International Networks, Alison Hoffman.
Additional notable guests included Roxanne Shanté, Lil Mama, Kid Capri, Hood Celebrityy, D-Nice, Lil Mo, Tiff McFierce, Ari Melber, and Da Baby.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Starz / Getty Images
ABOUT THE SHOW: Set in South Jamaica, Queens, in 1991, “Raising Kanan” is a prequel to the original Power franchise. It is a sprawling family drama that revolves around the coming of age of Kanan Stark; Ghost and Tommy’s mentor, partner and adversary, who ultimately dies in a hail of gunfire in the eighth episode of Power’s penultimate season. When we catch up with Kanan here, though, he is the fifteen-year-old only child of Raquel “Raq” Thomas, a cocaine distributor with an emerging network of dealers across the city. Much like the original Power, Raising Kanan explores themes of identity, violence, and legacy, but it is also a deep dive into the very pathology of family; the unique, complicated and fraught dynamic between parent and child, mother and father, brother and sister. In an increasingly fractious world, family often feels like the only refuge from all the divisiveness and discord and yet, at the same time, we often discover that it is those closest to us who betray us and our values most. The first season of Raising Kanan is an exploration of these betrayals, the secrets and lies that accompany them and the ways in which they fester, metastasize and ultimately erupt.
Cast includes Tony© Award Winner Patina Miller (“Madam Secretary;” The Hunger Games Franchise) as Raquel Thomas, Kanan’s queen pin mother, MeKai Curtis plays the titular character of Kanan Stark, the cast also includes Omar Epps (“House,” Love and Basketball) as Detective Malcolm Howard, London Brown (“Ballers”) as Marvin Thomas, Malcolm Mays (“Them,” “Snowfall”) as Louis “Lou-Lou” Thomas, Tony© and Grammy© Award Nominee Hailey Kilgore as Jukebox, star of the Oscar© winning shot Two Distant Strangers, Joey Bada$$ as Unique, Toby Sandeman (“The Royals”) as Symphony Bosket, Shanley Caswell (The Conjuring) as Detective Shannon Burke, Lovie Simone (The Craft: Legacy) as Davina Harrison and Quincy Brown (Dope) as Crown Camacho.
Sascha Penn serves as creator and showrunner and is executive producing alongside Courtney A. Kemp and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. The “Power” Universe series are executive produced by “Power” creator and showrunner Courtney A. Kemp through her production company End of Episode and through her overall deal with Lionsgate Television, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson through G-Unit Film and Television, and Mark Canton through Atmosphere Entertainment MM. End of Episode’s Chris Selak and Danielle De Jesus, Shana Stein and Bart Wenrich continue executive producing.
“Power Book III: Raising Kanan” premieres July 18, 2021 on STARZ at 8pm ET/PT
