50 Cent photographed in 2017

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50 Cent Shows His 'Power': More Starz TV Shows Coming

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Rapper-turned-actor takes to social to announce "unbelievable" new TV deal
Tim McPhate
GRAMMYs
Sep 6, 2017 - 4:31 pm

Tick, tick, boom, he still get money.

On the heels of his successful Starz crime drama, "Power," 50 Cent has announced that he has inked a new deal with the network to reup "Power" and create three additional TV shows.

It's an interesting turn of events for Fiddy, who just days ago voiced his frustration with the network due to what he felt was a mistreatment of "Power," the popular hit show that he stars in and produces. But apparently, all it took was a phone call with the Starz President Chris Albrecht to iron everything out.

"I just got off with Chris Albrecht, head of STARZ," read the rapper's Instagram post on Sept. 5. "New Deal More POWER coming your way, next season there will be less of a Wait. Thanks for supporting me."

50 Cent followed up with another IG post, revealing the tentative names of his forthcoming new shows. "LOL yo this s*** is unbelievable, I have 3 new shows coming on STARZ. BMF, Tomorrow Today, and I GOT AWAY."

Similar to his widely publicized feud with Kanye West 10 years ago, which surfaced just after 50 Cent's financial windfall following the sale of Vitamin Water to Coca-Cola, it looks like this particular beef is ending on a good financial note. And it must be big money because Fiddy parlayed his minority stake in the aforementioned Vitamin Water into a cool $100 million.

"I can't believe how much money they just gave me," wrote 50 Cent. "That s*** just f***ed with my nerves my hand is shaking."

50 Cent did not reveal when production will start on his new Starz shows, "BMF," "Tomorrow Today" and "I Got Away." However, the second season of "Power" is scheduled for 2018. In the meantime, the rapper will host a late night variety show, "50 Central," starting Sept. 28.

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Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar

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Kendrick Lamar Goes All In For Acting Debut In "Power"

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Playing a lovable but dangerous neighborhood character on the hit cable series, Lamar reveals a new side to show the world
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Jul 30, 2018 - 4:06 pm

As a regular viewer of "Power" on Starz, Kendrick Lamar admired his friend 50 Cent's show for remaining unexpected season after season. On July 29, making his acting debut as homeless drug abuser Laces, the only Pulitzer-prize winning rapper was the one who brought unexpected freshness to the show.

In the episode, Lamar, almost unrecognizable in his role as Laces, distracts another character so hitman Kanan, played by 50 Cent, can shoot him. Laces helps himself to the victim's wallet and shoes and is stoked about it. It's certainly not the vision of Lamar we're used to.

"It's a total transformation," said executive producer of "Power" Courtney Kemp. "It is not a version of Kendrick Lamar that you've ever seen before."

In the interview with Kemp above, Lamar spoke of his preparation for the role and his satisfaction at playing someone he could relate to from real-life experiences growing up in Compton, Calif. Lamar's acting appearance shows that he is not only a master of musical and verbal expression, but shows promise of adding "triple threat" to his esteemed resume. After all, "discipline," the rapper shared, is his favorite word.

No word yet whether Laces will be back on screen. His millions of admirers hope the hard-working artist continues to create more unexpected experiences.

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Five For Fighting

Five For Fighting

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Stephen Schwartz, Five For Fighting Pen Music For "Harmony" Cop Show

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"Harmony": ABC's New Musical Cop Show
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Nov 3, 2017 - 11:14 am

Remember that short-lived 1990 ABC show called "Cop Rock" that outrageously saw, for example, a jury, judge and courtroom erupt in a rousing chorus of "He's Guilty"? No? Well, that's maybe not a surprise.

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Created by "Hill Street Blues" creator Steven Bochco, the musical and cop drama combination was perhaps ahead of its time. "Cop Rock" only aired for 11 episodes before the network pulled the plug. But now, ABC thinks it's time to give the genre a second chance.

With GRAMMY-winning composer Stephen Schwartz ("Wicked") and Five For Fighting's John Ondrasik on board, ABC has put considerable development resources behind a new show called "Harmony," created with Bradley Bredeweg and Peter Paige.

The musical show centers on the residents of the appropriately named city of Harmony, N.Y., with, according to Billboard, "the most unique dialect in the world: They sing their feelings and dance their emotions." After a murder threatens the tourist destination, a "repressed" detective returns to the singsong town he left as a teenager to not only solve the murder, but to resolve his own past.

Now that 27 years has passed since "Cop Rock," which TV Guide ranked as the eighth worst TV show of all time in 2002, the network hopes TV viewers will finally be ready for the unconquered territory of solving crimes while singing.

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Meghan Trainor

Meghan Trainor

Photo: Maarten de Boer/BMA2015/Getty Images

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Meghan Trainor To Work On Girl Group TV Show

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GRAMMY winner set to produce and write music for a new TV show about a musical girl group
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Sep 28, 2017 - 10:48 am

Meghan Trainor is set to produce "Broken Record," but it's probably not what you think. It's the latest music-themed TV drama, and the Best New Artist GRAMMY winner will not only serve as an executive producer, she'll provide original music for the show.

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In development at ABC, "Broken Record" will follow a four-piece girl group called the Candies nine years after they break up. The group is forced to reunite due to tragic circumstances, and now they must learn to navigate music and each other all over again.

Trainor will be working alongside the masterminds behind the show's idea, Danny Rose and Justin Sylvester, along with producer Drew Comins. Jenni Ross is set to write the script and will also serve as an executive producer.

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Prince photographed in 2009

Prince

Photo: Francois G. Durand/WireImage.com

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Prince 'Sign "O" The Times' Concert Film Coming To Showtime

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Find out when you can watch a slice of classic Prince in September
Tim McPhate
GRAMMYs
Aug 23, 2017 - 12:47 pm

Just how captivating was a Prince concert at the height of his stardom in the glorious '80s? You now have the chance to experience the magic all over again.

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Sign "O" The Times, Prince's 1987 concert film that hasn't aired on television in a decade — or ever made it to DVD/Blu-ray — is coming back to TV. Showtime has announced the rare concert film will air on the network on Sept. 16, and will be available via on-demand the following day.

A complement to his GRAMMY Hall Of Fame-inducted album of the same name, the concert film is a time capsule of classic Prince. It features clips of live performances from Rotterdam, Netherlands, and Minnesota, and interstitial short films. The concert jams include hits like "Little Red Corvette" plus Sign "O" The Times classics 'U Got The Look," the title track and "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man." Plus, Prince is joined onstage by his white-hot band, which at the time included drummer Sheila E. and guitarist Wendy Melvoin.

You won't find this concert on YouTube, so the upcoming Showtime airing is your best bet. Either that or you'll have to find a 1980s relic known as a VCR and head to eBay for a VHS copy.

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