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Power Book II: Ghost centers on the life of 18-year-old Tariq St. Patrick (Michael Rainey Jr.). In the months following his father, James “Ghost” St. Patrick’s (Omari Hardwick) death, Tariq navigates his work as a drug dealer and his life as a college student.

Rainey is very different from his Ghost character, but the actor says he relates to Tariq in one major way.

Michael Rainey Jr. as Tariq St. Patrick looking angry while wearing a black jacket in 'Power Book II: Ghost'
Michael Rainey Jr. as Tariq St. Patrick in ‘Power Book II: Ghost’ | Starz

Michael Rainey Jr. didn’t think anyone would watch ‘Power Book II: Ghost’ at first

Over the course of the original Power, Tariq became one of the most hated characters on the TV show. Therefore, when news hit that he would be leading a spinoff series, Rainey wasn’t convinced that anyone would watch the show.

“Man it’s crazy… ’cause when they first told me they were gonna give me the show and base the show around my character I was just like, ‘What are you thinking? Like I don’t understand… what is it the thought process behind this, no one likes Tariq? What are y’all talking about? Like no one is gonna watch me’” he told Digital Spy.

Now the tables have turned. Despite his mistakes and stepbacks, fans are now fully on Tariq’s side.

Michael Rainey Jr. says he relates to Tariq in one major way

Though Rainey is nothing like his character in real life, the actor does say that he relates to the college student/drug dealer in one major way. “Tariq always, like I said, where I relate to Tariq in a way where he’s just observing everything, and he like keeps everything he needs to observe before he needs to make his move,” he said on a recent episode of The Crew Has It. “Sometimes he doesn’t and moves too fast, which comes with being young, but he’s three steps ahead like Kanan taught him.”

Being observant is what helped keep Tariq alive and out of jail for long stints of time. However, as the steaks get higher, he will have to move differently.

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‘Power Book II: Ghost’: 1 of the Most Hated Characters on the Show Could Appear in More Spinoffs

Here’s what we know about ‘Power Book II: Ghost’ Season 3

Thus far, Starz has remained silent about a release date for the third season of Ghost. It’s becoming increasingly frustrating for the cast, crew, and fans because filming for the beloved series wrapped back in Aug. 2022. As it stands, it will be more than a year between season releases since Season 2 debuted in Nov. 2021.

However, Rainey has hinted at Tariq’s headspace. Without a real mentor and still under Monet Tejada’s (Mary J. Blige), he will be dealing with quite a lot.

“I just know that Tariq’s going to be making some money, and obviously, he’s going to be fighting a lot because he’s trying to figure out what’s going on with Lauren and how her situation went because he doesn’t really know what happened,”  Rainey told PopSugar. “Then, like we said, between Brayden and Effie, they’re trying to hold that truth for him. So that’s going to be another thing to unfold. It’s going to be a lot going on.”

Fans hope that Power Book II: Ghost Season 3 will debut in Spring 2023.

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