Eminem will portray FBI informant Richard Wershe Jr. – aka White Boy Rick – in 50 Cent‘s forthcoming Starz drama series BMF (Black Mafia Family).
Wershe was an FBI informant as a teenager in the mid-1980s, having infiltrated a Detroit gang. He was later dumped by the FBI and in 1987, at the age of 17, was arrested for cocaine possession and sentenced to life in prison, though was paroled and released last year at the age of 50. In 2017, a documentary on his life titled White Boy was released. The following year, a scripted drama titled White Boy Rick arrived.
As The Wrap reports, Em’s appearance will be relatively brief, with the rapper featuring in one episode of the series, which 50 served as an executive producer for. Outside of music videos, Eminem’s filmography is relatively short, though he made cameo appearances in the 2009 film Funny People and a 2010 episode of Entourage.
“I’m honored and appreciative of my good friend Em for supporting my new show ‘BMF,’” said 50 – real name Curtis Jackson – in a statement. “We couldn’t do a show based in Detroit without incorporating the legend that is Eminem.”
BMF is set to premiere on Starz on September 26, and will follow the drug and money laundering organisation Black Mafia Family, which was founded in 1989 in Detroit by brothers Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory and Terry “Southwest T” Flenory.
A synopsis by Starz describes the series as “a story about love, kinship and capitalism in the pursuit of the American dream”.
Demetrius will be portrayed by his real-life son Demetrius “Lil Meech” Flenory Jr. Da’Vinchi, Russell Hornsby and Michole Briana White are also part of the cast, with recurring guest appearances from Snoop Dogg, La La Anthony and Serayah also confirmed.
Last month, 50 hinted that Power Book IV: Force, the third spin-off in the Power universe, may be on its way. Power Book III: Raising Kanan premiered on July 18, and was renewed for a second season ahead of its premiere.
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