Skip to main content

Power Book III: Raising Kanan is set in the ’90s and follows the coming of age of Kanan Stark (Mekai Curtis). Kanan’s drug queenpin mother, Raquel “Raq” Thomas (Patina Miller), has pulled him into the drug game, but it’s a bit more than the teenager can handle.

Not only is Kanan reeling from the events of last season, but Raq has also antagonized rival drug dealer Unique (Joey Bada$$). Now, the drug lord will be looking for revenge.

Joey Bada$$ as Unique wearing a orange prison jumpsuit in 'Power Book III: Raising Kanan'
Joey Bada$$ as Unique in ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ | Starz

Unique from ‘Raising Kanan’ is based on two ’90s movie characters

Unique has always been a compelling character in Power Book III: Raising Kanan. When we were first introduced to him, he was Raq’s greatest adversary in the drug game. However, he underestimated her, mostly due to the fact that she’s a woman.

Joey Bada$$ says his character is actually based on two infamous movie characters from the ’90s. “Of course, I grew up watching movies like New Jack City and Juice,” he told Hip Hop DX. “I want to say Nino Brown and Bishop were like my main influences for Unique, aside from my own observations as a kid with a bunch of my uncles and cousins and just being from New York and seeing real characters like that in the streets.”

Interestingly enough, Mario Van Peebles, who directed New Jack City, directed the season 2 debut of Raising Kanan.

Joey Bada$$ says Unique is looking for revenge in season 2

At the end of the season 2 premiere, Unique was released from prison. As we know, Raq had framed him for shooting Detective Howard (Omar Epps) even though Kanan pulled the trigger. Now that he’s out, Joey Bada$$ says Unique will be looking for revenge.

“[His mindset] is anger, it’s frustration, there’s resentment,” he told Shadow and Act. “There’s seeking revenge, that feeling, because, to lose to your enemy is one thing, but to be falsely accused or framed for something that you didn’t do, that’s crossing the line. I think Unique is gonna definitely be willing to get back to where he was by any means necessary.”

Clearly, he and Raq are headed toward all-out war.

Related

‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’: 50 Cent Teases Ghost, Tommy and Breeze Appearances in Season 2

‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ Season 2 will answer a ton of questions

We’re not sure what Unique is going to do. Even though he’s out of prison, he has no organization to return to, which means he can’t even compete with Raq. However, he’s always been very clever and determined. Curtis says this season of Raising Kanan will answer a ton of questions about every single character.

 “I’m just excited each and every time people get to see more of how Kanan turned into the Kanan people saw on the original Power … There’s so many unanswered questions and so many things that were left folded in the first season, that I’m excited for people to get to discover those, even more, this year, and I’m excited to see the conversations that it sparks,” he told Essence.

We wonder if Unique is the one who will introduce Kanan to Breeze.

Best in Entertainment