9 Things to Know About 50 Cent's Starz Drama 'Power'

Money, greed, ambition, competition, bright lights, big city — all fueled by a craving for Power.

What people will do to get it is at the heart of Starz's new drama, Power, from creator Courtney Kemp Agboh and producer Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson. Debuting on June 7, Power — based somewhat on 50 Cent's own life — follows James "Ghost" St. Patrick (Omari Hardwick), a nightclub empresario who's also a drug kingpin.

But when Ghost wants to focus on his legitimate business, he finds that it's not so easy to step away from his illegal one. His wife, Tasha (Naturi Naughton), likes their luxurious lifestyle, while childhood friend Tommy (Joseph Sikora) is dubious about Ghost's plan. Meanwhile, an old flame, Angela (Lela Loren), is an assistant district attorney trying to bring down a drug lord — without realizing it's Ghost.

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As for 50 Cent? He'll be acting in a recurring role as Ghost's mentor, who's serving time in prison.

Yahoo TV visited the set of Power to talk to Jackson, Hardwick, and the rest of the cast about the gritty new drama. Here's what we learned:

1. Jackson is a hands-on producer

50 Cent's name isn't linked to Power just for show. The rapper is a "hands on" producer, Hardwick told reporters. "I watch the dailies every day," Jackson said.

Hardwick added that just as Ghost wants to move on to bigger and better things, Jackson is evolving, too. "This is a commencement, a graduation for him going to another place in life," the actor noted. "There have been Mark Wahlbergs who have done what they've done, producer-wise … but he's an actor. He was never musically what 50 [Cent] was musically."

2. Music will be a huge part of the show

With Jackson as a producer and given the nightclub setting, it's no surprise that Power will feature rap and hip-hop music. In fact, Jackson used some early music he wrote to help pitch the show to Starz.  

"Because Courtney explained the actual story to them in detail, I went to just playing the actual music. So, it was an abnormal pitch for a television show. It already had a record," Jackson said. Starz bought the series immediately.

And as the show progresses, viewers will hear new music — all courtesy of 50 Cent, who tapped his industry network. "Everybody's on speed dial for 50 [Cent]," Hardwick joked.

3. New York is a main character

Jackson grew up in the South Jamaica neighborhood in Queens and wanted Power to have that urgent, gritty vibe that only New York can offer. And shooting in the city adds an element that cannot be replicated.

"It's bricks, it's snow, it's concrete, it's sexy at night, odd-looking during the day. It's ominous. It's Gotham City!" Hardwick said. "Our objective was to make this show with that name attached to it be not cheesy and be just really something that only the likes of The Sopranos are."

Loren added, "We shot this scene in the Museum of Natural History that you couldn't build a set that would affect you the same way. So there's something about getting to be on location that helps to infuse the story with romance and excitement."

Yes, the two shows share a few characteristics — they're both about the drug world and feature predominantly African American casts. But as creator Agboh explained, "The Wire is a very gritty, realistic show that is less about all the individual characters as it was about setting up that world and the stakes of that world and in and out of that world. This show is not like that. It's very much about being grounded in relationships and these long-term emotional things."

5. The actors visited Jackson's old neighborhood

Hardwick and Sikora wanted to ensure that their portrayals were as authentic as possible, so they hung out in Jamaica for a few evenings.

"Joe and I did Jamaica, Queens, two nights in a row. Late, late, 3 a.m. in the morning late," Hardwick said. "Talking to shorties on the block still on the block. They're 14 years old."

"It's the only way," Sikora added. "You've got to live up in that and be in that for a while."

6. The wife isn't just a wife

As ambitious and power-hungry as Ghost is, so too is his spouse, Tasha. And she's every bit as involved as he is in all facets of their lives.

"She's a very strong, ride-or-die, about-her-business type of chick," Naughton explained. "She's a mathematician, she's smart, she's focused on the hustle, on the game."

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7. Jackson can act

If you haven't seen Jackson in movies like Get Rich or Die Tryin' or Escape Plan, then you might not know that he's a talented actor as well as a musician.

"He's a good actor! He's a really good actor," Sikora noted, "It's not 50 [Cent]," meaning the man you'll see in Power is not the man you'd see on a concert stage.

8. You'll see La La Anthony in a very new light

In real life, the beautiful, elegant Anthony (married to basketball star Carmelo Anthony) is a mother, a book writer, and a businesswoman. On the show, she plays the scheming, gold-digging climber LaKeisha.

"I have ratchet friends, and I spoke with them. And, you know, I was born in the Marcy Projects — I know what it's like to not have anything and make something out of your life," Anthony said. "So I just tap into that when it comes to her. I think there's a little bit of ratchetness in me."

9. The cast and crew like to get silly

As dark and serious as the drama is, the Power team still have fun when they can — some naughty fun.

"I think the funniest moment for me was with Anthony Hemingway, who directed Episodes 1 and 2. We were doing a sex scene between Naturi Naughton and Omari Hardwick, and we were blocking it… and Anthony acted out both parts," Agboh recounted. "So he laid down and got on all fours, and that was so funny. There's always something silly happening because I like to keep a silliness. I'm not a tremendously serious person about all of it. You just can't be, you just can't. It just makes it a long day."

Somehow, though, we can't picture 50 Cent doing the same thing.

Power premieres June 7 at 9 p.m. on Starz.