Rapper, actor and filmmaker Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and his G-Unit Film and Television production company have teamed up with Lionsgate to create 50 Cent Action, a free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel.

Lionsgate said 50 Cent Action is one of the first talent-branded FAST Channels and is designed to target action lovers, a potentially large audience.

“50 Cent’s movies and television series are synonymous with non-stop action, and we’re thrilled to extend our longstanding partnership into the FAST space,” said Lionsgate president of worldwide television distribution Jim Packer. “Drawing from one of the biggest action libraries in the world, this channel will give 50’s global fan base a deep slate of action movies and television series while expanding his reach to new audiences worldwide.”

50 Cent has worked with Lionsgate, executive production the Power universe of series that have appeared on Starz, as well as the current crime drama BMF.

“This is a natural extension of the work we’re doing at G-Unit Film and Television and G-Unit Studios,” Jackson said.

“This channel will bring diverse, action-packed content to audiences everywhere, reflecting my passion for storytelling and providing a platform for fresh, dynamic voices,” he said. “I look forward to working closely with all the FAST platforms to make this a successful channel."

Jackson will work closely with Lionsgate to promote and curate the channel, taking advantage of the more than 100 million followers he has across social media.

In addition to a dozen films featuring 50 Cent and the original Power series, the channel will feature titles from Lionsgate’s library of more than 20,000 films including action hits like The Expendables, The Hitman’s Bodyguard and Rambo.

The channel will also offer behind-the-scenes footage of the star.

50 Cent Action joins two dozen Lionsgate FAST channels. The portfolio includes Ebony TV, focused on African-American audiences, as well as MovieSphere, the only global premium movie channel offered by a major studio and the first FAST channel to be rated by Nielsen.

The Fifth Season of Power, the edgy street drama on Starz, is underway. The series depicts the glamorous lifestyles of the rich in Manhattan, juxtaposed with dodgy figures in the international drug business. 50 Cent is an executive producer and is in the cast as well, playing Kanan, thuggy frenemy to main character James “Ghost” St. Patrick, who is working to go legit after a heady run in street crime.

The fourth season of Power averaged 9.3 million multiplatform viewers. Created by Courtney A. Kemp, the show has averaged 7.4 million viewers throughout its run, growing each season. “It’s our most-watched show,” Starz president and CEO Chris Albrecht said.

In this golden age of TV, what makes a hit is determined by the wattage of the star, and few shine like Queens-born Curtis Jackson, better known as 50 Cent. The rapper, who exploded on the hip hop scene with the album Get Rich or Die Tryin’ in 2003, is now rocking TV, and is the engine behind Power’s success. “He’s smart, he’s focused on business, he’s creative and he’s hard-working,” Albrecht said. “He really understands the industry, and understands the audience. This guy is the consummate professional.”

Albrecht describes 50 Cent as “an idea machine and a talent magnet.” He has a number of shows in development at Starz, including BMF, short for Black Mafia Family, and Vanguard. He’s also executive producer on The Oath at Sony Crackle, that network’s most watched new original drama that explores the world of gangs and secret societies within police ranks.

Kemp calls him “the heart and soul of the show” and a “hands-on” executive producer. “He reads every script, watches every cut, and has strong relationships with the actors and the crew,” she said. “He’s the crew’s biggest cheerleader and everyone loves working with him. He’s early every day he’s required on set — never been late, no entourage, no attitude.”

Head of G-Unit Film and Television, 50 Cent will direct the Power season six premiere. He picks his projects carefully: “I’m a guy who’s really conscious of only wanting to be a part of projects that have that artistic integrity and that you’re proud of later.”

Days before season five of Power kicked off, 50 Cent spoke with Multichannel News in his Midtown Manhattan office about that show’s allure, his other projects, and why Power might be more of a hit than Game of Thrones. An edited transcript follows.

MCN: The subway I rode over here was decked out in Power advertising. What’s that like for you, a guy from New York, to see a subway ad or a billboard for your show?
50 Cent: It’s great. Even with music [before], seeing billboards and stuff like that, it was like, yoooohhhh — a different kind of excitement. Now it’s the subway, and the last season, we had a lot of [ads on] tour buses. The connection to New York is important. We decided to make it a character in the show, instead of just making it a location. New York is a melting pot — you find every kind of person here.

MCN: What about the new season has you excited?
5C: There’s no one who can’t get hurt. So it is really capturing the lifestyle. The person that was least expected to get killed, got killed last season. The Raina character, she was the only innocent person in the whole show. [Laughs.] Like, completely innocent, she was the only one.

MCN: I can’t believe you’re laughing! Raina got killed!
5C: It was crazy! But Courtney, she’s really calculated. It’s a skill set to think that far in advance. When we started, she had the season arc until season six. Now it’s just putting the colors in and doing the details of it.

MCN: I want to get a better idea of what you bring to Power as an executive producer. Are you weighing in on the scripts?
5C: I read [the scripts] before we start, get the season arcs early on, each character’s arc, and then I communicate with the talent. I spend more time troubleshooting things before they actually get bad between the acting talent and the production itself. They’ve been playing these characters for five years. I feel like they know the character as well as the writer does, and they don’t understand where it’s going a lot of times. Sometimes the actors have their own ideas of how they would do something or how they feel at different points. They don’t want to say it to Courtney, because she’s the boss. If you say it, and it doesn’t go over the right way, then she has an issue with you. And you don’t want that ... You don’t want to go to work under those circumstances.

For my character, I’ll ask, can I say this like this? Because the way it was written, it may be difficult for me to get it out. It’s just word changes; I’m not trying to alter what’s actually happening. If I change it around to make me more comfortable, I don’t feel like I’m actually acting. I’ll go sit in the writers’ room. I want to hear how they’re thinking when they’re putting it together so I can make legitimate arguments. Having me play a recurring character gives [actors] comfort with talking to me, [rather] than talking to an executive. They think, “I can tell him, he’ll understand, because he’s under the same circumstances as an actor.”

MCN: Why has the show been successful?
5C: People identify with the flaws in the characters. And the pacing of it makes it unique. The first season was a lot slower because Courtney was establishing the characters. Then it sped up in the second season.

And I think we’ve achieved what a lot of programs haven’t, [defying] the laws of cinema, the laws of Hollywood, that say the elite can’t die. Bruce Willis don’t die, Sylvester Stallone can hang off a chopper [and not die]. Moving trains, all these things can happen and they will be fine.

MCN: So with your various businesses — music, vodka, clothing — where does the TV work rank?
5C: You see the money they give you in television — oooo, it’s exciting. It’s good. When that happens, you go, “Whoa, wait a minute — I gotta prioritize things a little different.” I’m making a lot of money from television. I have three projects in development at Starz.

I have The Oath at Sony Crackle; we’re approaching season two. I have a few other projects just floating, but I have some things right now that I know are potentially bigger than what I’m working on. I have BMF, Vanguard and a third series at Starz that’s really good.

MCN: Do you feel like Power has gotten fair treatment from the awards people?
5C: No. Absolutely not. I didn’t care about the awards in my music career. I had the largest debut hip hop album, and my first television project is the highest rated show on the Starz network. Now, all of a sudden, they’re listening a lot harder when I’m talking to try and figure it out. It’s difficult to hit the bull’s-eye. The targeted audience demo, boom! Got it. After Power comes out like that, the executives working on Empire at Fox borrow from the marketing to [launch] it. And to be honest with you, if I was an executive at Fox, I would’ve borrowed from the marketing also. It’s not reinventing the wheel, we want to make something that works.

MCN: Does it bother you that the awards people have not given Power more respect?
5C: It does. It made me focus on the numbers. If they don’t acknowledge you, then you go, “OK, I’m gonna make it the biggest show.” They gave me additional energy for marketing purposes. Because if you know you created something that’s great, and then people just decide not to acknowledge it, you go, now I’m gonna promote it and make it the biggest show. Like, I have nothing to do but this now.

Do you know how difficult it is to make the No. 1 show? The only thing you could say is ahead of it is Game of Thrones. But that’s not as big a hit as Power is for Starz because, if you look at the Game of Thrones effects budget, how much money they’re spending just on effects — I’d rather be the Starz network and have Power than spend the money that has to be spent to have the hit over there.

MCN: Have you had a mentor in the television business?
5C: I looked at [film producer] Avi Lerner’s model initially. He wouldn’t even read the script, [but would ask], Will Stallone do it? He knows what he can sell. Without a frame of film being shot, he knows what he can actually get from the territories that he is selling it to.

MCN: If you could change one thing about television, what would it be?
5C: No one has ever delivered a script and [the network] said, this is fucking great — just leave it. Music — simplicity is the key to your hit. So, “Go shorty, it’s your birthday,” that’s not rocket science. It just comes out organically when the music is in front of you. You write your idea, take the time to get the idea out, and it’s right! And you submit it, and they feel like it’s their job to change it. So they’ve got to change it. They give you notes and they change it around.

MCN: What are you watching?
5C:Billions. Without being in the financial space, you can embrace the idea and make it real. The girl with the short hair [Asia Kate Dillon], she’s like a robot. It’s interesting, her choices in how to play the character.

MCN: What made you want to work in television?
5C: [Making a season of] premium cable is like making 10 films, 10 R-rated feature films. I would do network television. Obviously, it’s got great financial upside. But premium cable is as graphic as our culture is.

MCN: Since Power first premiered, do you feel like the white audience is more open to a show with a black cast than they were back in 2014?
5C: Absolutely. But I wasn’t trying to make a black show. I was just trying to make a great show.

Sony Crackle has ordered a second season of gritty drama The Oath. the SVOD service said at its upfront presentation in New York Tuesday (April 24).

Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson executive produces the show, which was created by Joe Halpin.

The Oath is the network’s most-watched new original series and has the highest retention rate, episode to episode, of any Sony Crackle original, the service said. 

Exploring a world of gangs made up of those sworn to protect and defend, the series “sheds light on corrupt and secret societies that are nearly impossible to join — only a select few make the cut — but once inside, members will do what they must to protect each other from enemies on the outside and from within their own ranks,” in Sony Crackle’s words.

“Our audience has truly responded to this authentic, raw and compelling series,” said Eric Berger, chief digital officer, Sony Pictures Television Networks and general manager, Sony Crackle. “Thanks to Joe, 50 Cent and our stellar ensemble and production team for bringing this powerful story to life. We look forward to taking the next step together.”

Season one featured Sean Bean, Ryan Kwanten, Cory Hardrict, Katrina Law and Arlen Escarpeta in the cast.

“The Oath has been one of the highlights of my professional career as a writer, so having the opportunity to take our storytelling to that next level is incredibly exciting,” said Halpin. “Sony Crackle, 50 Cent and the entire cast have been amazing collaborators. We have so much more story to tell and I can't wait to get started.”

Actor/director Tyler Perry took to Facebook Tuesday to chastise Altice USA for removing Starz from its systems as part of an ongoing carriage dispute between the two parties.

Related: Altice Fires Back at Starz FCC Petition

Perry referred Altice USA's customers upset over the Jan. 1 removal of Starz to visit the website keepstarz.com to register their complaints or to call the MSO directly. Perry specifically referenced the loss of Starz’s popular drama series Power, adding that New Yorkers in particular make their dissatisfaction with the removal of Starz known to the MVPD.

The Starz premium channel has been dark to Altice USA’s Optimum subscribers in the greater New York City area as well as to Suddenlink customers since Jan. 1 after the parties failed to reach a carriage agreement. 

 “This is not right – you’re just going to take Power off the air – we love this show and you’re just going to take it off the air, and we’re paying the same amount?” Perry said in the Facebook post. “It ain’t cool.”   

Altice reacted by sending a previously released statement calling such tactics “unproductive public spin” to mislead consumers regarding the dispute. That statement follows.

"We are disappointed and surprised that Starz continues to engage in unproductive public spin to mislead consumers after they spent the last few months insisting on terms that would force the majority of our customers to pay for programming that they don’t watch. Despite numerous attempts by Altice USA to reach a deal, Starz refused all offers, including many offers to extend our current arrangement. We would be delighted if Starz would allow us to offer and promote their channels to any and all of our customers who want them, which they have rejected.  At the heart of this issue is our customers’ desire for greater flexibility and choice in our video bundles, and we will continue to advocate for their interests and to change the current model imposed by programmers. Luckily, any of our customers who want to watch Starz can do so by subscribing directly to their OTT service, which makes it all the more surprising that Starz wouldn’t enter into an agreement with us to help them promote their own product.”

Related: Starz’s Chris Albrecht Calls Altice USA ‘Disingenuous’ in Carriage Dispute’

The video comes after Power producer/star 50 Cent’s video post on Instagram this past Friday of him contemplating ramming an Optimum cable technician van in New Jersey.

Altice USA said Starz wanted rate increases that would make it difficult to compete with the channel’s own standalone app, which is available for $8.99 per month. Optimum charges $11.95 per month for Starz service.

Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson is throwing his two cents into the ongoing carriage-renewal talks between AT&T U-verse and Starz.

In social-media posts over the past weekend, Jackson labeled AT&T “racist” for potentially dropping Starz, which carries the drama series Power, which Jackson stars in and executive produces and draws mostly African-American viewers.

“AT&T @UVerse may drop @STARZ_Channel take away #PowerTV and the urban shows. Tweet it can’t go down. #IWantMyStarz,” Jackson tweeted Saturday night. On Instragram, he said, “Man I’m sorry I have say this, but AT&T is racist they have had issues in the past and here we go again. 500,000 homes will not be able to view the next episode of POWER." In another post he urged: "change your cable package from AT&T to anything else," saying "they are dropping all channels that are considered urban friendly." 

A story in The Los Angeles Times on Friday said Starz’s carriage deal with U-verse expires at the end of July and that talks had stalled. Neither AT&T nor Starz would confirm when the carriage deal ends but both sides said negotiations were ongoing, with no resolution yet. 

“Starz is in ongoing negotiations with AT&T U-verse to continue distributing its 30 Starz and Encore channels and services at a fair and reasonable rate,” Starz officials said in a statement. “Without a new agreement, the millions of AT&T customers who have chosen to subscribe and pay for Starz and Encore will be at risk of losing these channels and the popular original programming like Power and Outlander, as well as thousands of movies.”

AT&T in a statement expressed “disappointment” that Starz “has chosen to take our ongoing negotiations public. We continue to work diligently to reach a resolution.”

With AT&T’s acquisition of DirecTV in the late stages of seeking government approval, carriage controversies can be especially sensitive. And this is not the first time AT&T has been accused of racially biased behavior. Most notably, former AT&T president of content and advertising sales, Aaron Slator, was fired in April after he was sued by other AT&T employees for possessing racist texts and images on his phone.

The National Association of African American Owned Media and Entertainment Studios owner Byron Allen last December filed a $10-billion lawsuit against both DirecTV and AT&T, claiming the companies have discriminated against 100% African-American owned cable networks, claims that AT&T and DirecTV have vigorously denied.

AT&T’s response to Jackson’s posts was: "Starz and their paid talent can spin up whatever they like, but the bottom line is we're not going to negotiate a deal that is bad for customers. In these negotiations, our customers are all that matter to us."

Power is Starz’ highest-performing series ever with more than 6.3 million multiplatform viewers to date, 75% of whom are African-American. This past Saturday’s episode drew about 2.2 million viewers, according to Starz, on part with  typical recent performance.

The Starz suite of networks also includes Starz In Black, a 24-hour channel targeted to African-American viewers.

AT&T has about 5 million U-verse TV customers. Starz as of March reported 23.7 million Starz subscribers and 33.8 million Encore subscribers.