Everything you need to know about the latest Power spin-off, focusing on the early years of 50 Cent’s character Kanan.
The raising of Kanan has begun, with the premiere of spin-off series Power Book III: Raising Kanan now available to stream online.
The series rewinds back to 1991 to explore the violent origins of Kanan, with the first episode showcasing a younger and more naive version of the fan-favourite before he became the ruthless drug lord we see in Power.
The pilot also introduced us to several characters who will shape the protagonist’s young life, including queen pin mother Raq, love interest Davina and a young Jukebox before she met her grisly end in Power.
However, despite knowing how Kanan and Jukebox’s story ends, executive producer and narrator 50 Cent has promised that Power Book III: Raising Kanan will still surprise fans.
“I wanted to surprise people with how good it is after they felt that they already know,” the rapper exclusively told RadioTimes.com. “You feel like you already know but it gets better, because you feel like you already know what to expect from Power but there’s new stuff.
He also added that the show would resonate with those who come of age in the ’90s and early 2000s in particular, saying that they “grew up through that era so they understand the nuance of the things that are happening in the show and I believe that they’re going to be really passionate about it.”
Star Omar Epps echoed 50 Cent’s sentiments, saying: “Hopefully, they will be surprised by a lot of things because the approach is really exploring the innocence of being a teenager.”
As fans know Kanan ultimately becomes the notorious drug lord we see in Power, Epps added: “The challenge is creatively how to bring the audience back to the humanity of this person, and he once was just a normal kid.”
Read on for everything you need to know about Power Book III: Raising Kanan.
How to watch Power Book 3: Raising Kanan online
Power Book III: Raising Kanan began on 18th July 2021, with new episodes airing weekly on Sundays until the finale on 19th September.
As with Power Book II: Ghost, the series will be available on Starzplay, which is available to subscribe to via Amazon Prime Video for an additional £4.99 per month.
Power Book III: Raising Kanan cast
!["Power]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/01/Power-Book-III-a3493dd.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Power")
The main role of Kanan is set to be played by Mekai Curtis (Disney XD’s Kirby Buckets), playing the younger version of the character made famous by 50 Cent in the main series.
Long before he became the cold-blooded fan-favourite we saw in Power, Curtis told EW that in this prequel Kanan is a “kid trying to figure out who he is in life”.
“He’s trying to figure out how to move and adjust and be there for his family while also being there for himself,” Curtis said. “So that’s a lot of what you’ll get to see Kanan go through and struggle with in this first season, compared to how you find him so cool, calm, collected, and a little more ruthless when we find him in the original Power.”
Other actors signed on to appear in the Power Book 3: Raising Kanan cast include Malcolm M. Mays (Snowfall), Omar Epps (House), Hailey Kilgore (The Village), Patina Miller (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay) and Natalee Linez (Siren).
What is Power Book III: Raising Kanan about?
The series is set in the 1990s and serves as a backstory to the character of Kanan Stark, who was played by 50 Cent in the main Power series.
As with the original Power there is set to be a strong focus on family, particularly on Kanan’s relationship with his mother, ruthless queen pin Raquel Thomas.
Curtis told Entertainment Weekly that Kanan’s mother “is his world”, adding: “One of the biggest themes that you’re going to see throughout the show is a mother’s love for her son, a son’s love for his mother, and what they’re willing to do to protect each other.”
However, the family theme will also continue with a character from the original Power – Kanan’s cousin Jukebox, who is set for a large role in the spin-off series. As hinted at previously, the prequel will show how Kanan and Jukebox have been close since they were kids, and add further insight into their adult relationship in Power.
While the series starts in 1991, it’s possible that as time progresses in the show we could eventually see younger versions of other characters from the franchise, including Tommy and Ghost.
Star Mekai Curtis told EW that the prequel series would be “a Power that you haven’t seen before” due to a focus on the ’90s time period – an era that would influence the tone as well as the fashion.
“It was just a different time period; the clothes, the music, just the overall atmosphere, and mindset were a lot grittier and grimier,” Curtis said. “You don’t really get to see that sort of thing on TV anymore.”
Power Book III: Raising Kanan trailer
The full-length trailer was released in June 2021 – only a month before the show’s premiere – and teases Kanan’s first foray into drug dealing amidst several ’90s references.
The first teaser trailer for the series was released in December 2020, with 50 Cent providing some narration over images of the cast sporting some very ’90s fashion.
He says, “You already know how my s**t ended, this is how it started. This is my story. This is a Southside, Jamaica Queens story.”
And fans can get a closer look at the series by checking out the music video for 50 Cent’s theme song, titled Part of the Game.
Will there be a Power Book III: Raising Kanan season 2?
Yes! Before the first season had even begun, US network Starz commissioned a second season of the crime prequel (via Entertainment Weekly).
“One season isn’t enough to tell the coming of age story of Kanan Stark and his mother, Raq, a fierce and successful woman who is a force of nature,” said Starz president and CEO Jeffrey Hirsch. “The anticipation globally for more of the Power Universe made it clear that the Kanan story needs to continue.”
The continued raising of Kanan means we may well see younger versions of Power characters such as Tommy and Ghost down the line – as well as some more ’90s fashion and music as the show progresses through the decade.
Creator Sascha Penn told EW that the total number of seasons for Power Book III: Raising Kanan was “to be determined”, but added that an end point was in sight, saying: “What we have thought about is that by the end of however many seasons this is, you will have a full and complete sense of how Kanan Stark became Kanan Stark.”