We had the chance to chat with actor Akim Black who plays Trez-G in Power Book lll: Raising Kanan on Starz which premiered on July 18, 2021. The series is a prequel spin-off to Power (2014-2020) set in the 1990s.

Image credit: Jeffrey Mosier

Here’s what Akim Black had to say.

When did you decide that storytelling and acting was something you wanted to do?

AB: In middle school, a group of actors came to our class and taught us some basic acting techniques. They travelled all over NYC and taught middle school kids about the arts and acting. I knew from that day on I wanted to be a professional actor.

What advice would you give to people pursuing acting?

AB: I would tell new actors to stay in your lane and run your own race. If you’re looking at the person running next to you then you can’t focus on what’s in front of you. And In this era of social media, it’s easy to look and compare your journey to someone else’s. Don’t do that to yourself. A comparative mind is an unhappy mind.

What can you tell us about Power Book lll: Raising Kanan on Starz?

AB: Kanan is a prequel to the Power series. It takes us back to the early 1990s to follow the early years of Kanan Starks played by 50 Cent in the original series. It focuses on the mother and son dynamic between 15-year-old Kanan and his mother Raq, as well as her struggles being the top drug queen pen of Southside queens. I play Trez-G, a member of the rival drug crew run by Unique. I’m one of his oldest and most loyal soldiers.

Outside of acting, do you have any other interests or passions?

AB: Yes I do. As a former foster child, I lend my time and talent to a great organization called Foster Care Unplugged. Part of our mission is enriching and developing the lives of current and former foster care kids. One of the ways we do that is by offering a 12-week acting program every year that ends with an original stage play performance. Another passion of mine is my real estate investing business. We purchase distressed homes in low-income neighborhoods. After renovation, we rent out these updated homes to families who would normally be displaced or priced out.

What has been the best advice someone has given you about acting?

AB: The best advice I’ve received is that you have to be aggressive. You have to go after this like your life depended on it because it does. Your brain knows if you have a backup plan and you’ll never give 100% of yourself if that’s the case.

When people watch Power Book lll: Raising Kanan, what are you hoping they get out of it?

AB: I hope people get a lesson on love, and that there are no lengths a mother won’t go to protect her child.

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