# Did 50 Cent create Power?

- Canonical: https://33rdsquare.com/did-50-cent-create-power/
- Published: 2023-10-23
- Author: Nelson Ayers
- Categories: [Business & Worth](https://33rdsquare.com/category/games/worth/)

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Yes, 50 Cent co-created the hit Starz crime drama Power alongside writer/producer Courtney A. Kemp. Though Kemp serves as the showrunner, 50 Cent was instrumental in bringing the vision for Power to life both behind and in front of the camera. His personal experiences growing up in Queens provided inspiration, while his business savvy helped build an entire franchise.

Before creating Power, 50 Cent had already enjoyed an astonishingly successful music career and displayed his sharp business instincts. After surviving nine gunshot wounds, 50 Cent burst onto the rap scene in 2003 with his massively popular debut Get Rich or Die Tryin‘. The album sold over 872,000 copies in its first four days, going on to move over 12 million units for sextuple platinum certification. 50 Cent parlayed his hip-hop stardom into lucrative ventures like his minority share of Vitamin Water, eventually selling to Coca-Cola for a reported $100 million.

50 Cent first tried his hand at TV production by serving as executive producer on The Fugitive, a short-lived 2010 CBS police drama. But it was aligning with Hollywood writer Courtney A. Kemp that unlocked 50 Cent‘s television potential. With credits including The Good Wife, Beauty and the Beast, and In Justice, Kemp conceived of a complex drama about power struggles in New York nightlife. 50 Cent‘s direct experience in the club scene proved the perfect missing ingredient.

Collaborating closely, 50 Cent and Kemp carefully developed and pitched Power across multiple years before getting the green light. When Power premiered on Starz in June 2014, 50 Cent served as co-creator and executive producer while also playing ruthless drug kingpin Kanan Stark. The show offered a gritty, nuanced take on crime family drama with echoes of The Sopranos and The Wire. Power stood out with African American and Latino leads in front of and behind the camera.

Backed by 50 Cent‘s status as a hip-hop icon, Power became Starz‘s most-watched premiere up to that point with 1.43 million multiplatform viewers. Popularity and critical acclaim grew over its 6-season run culminating in a finale watched by over 956,000 live viewers. Today, Power stands as Starz‘s most successful show ever with over 10 million multiplatform viewers per episode across all seasons.

| Season | Average Viewers (Millions) |
| --- | --- |
| 1 | 5.6 |
| 2 | 7.4 |
| 3 | 9.3 |
| 4 | 10.3 |
| 5 | 10.6 |
| 6 | 10.2 |

Buoyed by Power‘s cultural impact, 50 Cent and Kemp launched a franchise model to expand the universe into prequels and spinoffs. Power Book II: Ghost follows James St. Patrick‘s son Tariq at college. Book III: Raising Kanan explores the early years of Kanan Stark in 1990s Queens. Upcoming series will spotlight other characters like Tommy Egan and Rashad Tate.

50 Cent mined experiences from his own difficult upbringing in Queens to inject authenticity into Power. As a youth, 50 Cent dealt drugs and faced constant violence much like his on-screen counterpart Kanan Stark. When the studio balked at foul language and violence, 50 Cent refused to water down the harsh realities of street life. This commitment to keeping it real, combined with nuanced storytelling and characterization, resonates strongly with Power‘s diverse audience.

While 50 Cent provided the creative vision as co-creator, Kemp proved the ideal partner to bring his idea to fruition. As showrunner, Kemp manages Power‘s writers room overseeing all scripts and story arcs. She steers the show‘s unique blend of high-stakes drama, complex characters, and social commentary. Over 146 suspenseful episodes, Kemp and 50 Cent kept viewers hooked with an unpredictable, fast-paced narrative. Fans and critics praised Power for delivering entertainment while tackling racial injustice and other timely themes.

Power supercharged Starz‘s original programming, winning acclaim for centering diverse voices. According to Deadline, Power expanded Starz‘s subscriber base while "cementing its Urban audience." In the competitive landscape of prestige TV, Power emerged as "appointment viewing" for underserved minorities. As Kemp described, she and 50 Cent "told the story from the perspective of the Black community in a way that hadn’t been done before."

50 Cent deserves significant credit for manifesting his creative vision. He took the raw materials of his life experience and, aided crucially by Kemp‘s writing expertise, molded Power into a hit show and sustainable franchise. Now with over 9 Power-related series and counting, 50 Cent has constructed his own cinematic universe that will continue evolving across networks. Thanks to his relentless drive, the once-excluded kid now sits at the head of the table.

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