"I just looked at it like I won't get the trophies when I'm supposed to. I'll get lifetime achievement awards. They're gonna give it to me at the end when they look at everything."
When the crime drama "
The show — which is the third spin-off in the "Power" universe — follows Joseph Sikora's popular character Tommy Egan from the original "Power" series, which ended in 2019 after six seasons, as he leaves New York City behind for good to start a new life in Chicago. There, Tommy quickly sets about making a name for himself and building a new criminal enterprise.
The first two spin-off series — "Power Book II: Ghost" and "Power Book III: Raising Kanan" — both registered record viewership figures for Starz, the premium network that carries the series. A fourth spin-off, titled "Power Book V: Influence," has also been slated, starring original series regular Larenz Tate.
Yet, despite these successes, 50 Cent — who co-created and produced the series with Mark Canton ("Power," "Den of Thieves") and Courtney Kemp ("Power") — told Insider that the popularity of the "Power" universe resembles the bittersweet awards response to his 2003 debut album.
"It feels like the success of '
Despite six popular seasons of the original "Power" series and a star-studded spin-off, the "Power" universe has never been nominated for an Emmy. The show has been almost exclusively shut out of Hollywood's mainstream awards circuit. 50 Cent has continually pushed back against the Television Academy for the snubs.
"They picked Evanescence as best new artist over 'Get Rich or Die Tryin'' and it was the largest debuting hip hop album with 13 million records," 50 Cent said in reference to the 2004 Grammy awards when the rock group Evanescence beat him to win best new artist.
"So when we came with 'Power' and it outperformed the other projects but they don't acknowledge it, I just looked at it like I won't get the trophies when I'm supposed to. I'll get lifetime achievement awards. They're gonna give it to me at the end when they look at everything. So you just keep working."
For 50 Cent, creating a mega-popular television franchise that trends every Sunday when a new episode drops, was a surprise to him. He recalled one specific moment during a meeting with the
"I'm like, wait, this is not just for Starz? This is number one, number two, and number three top shows in African American and Latina households? I'm like, hold on a second," he told Insider of the meeting.
50 Cent said that soon after the meeting, he shared the news on Instagram, which his colleagues at Starz were not happy about.
"They call me. They're upset. I don't give a fuck you're upset. Why you didn't tell the public that we got the number one, number two, and number three, highest-rated shows? It was hilarious. And look, the fourth is coming. I'm gonna have the four top shows," he teased.
"Book IV: Force" — which also stars Shane Harper and Isaac Keys — sees the "Power" universe leave New York City for the first time. 50 Cent has also returned to provide the theme song for the show alongside R&B singer Jeremih and rapper Lil Durk, calling them "the biggest artists outta Chicago at the present moment."
"And, you know, they helped me get that little vibe going on. You'll see when you watch the show," he added of the collaboration.
Discussing his process of creating the show's theme song, 50 Cent said: "If I don't like the song enough to perform it on my stage when I'm out, it's not good enough to be the theme song."
"This specific show 'Force' has to feel like Chicago for me. The new character on the show of Chicago itself," he continued.
"Power Book IV: Force" debuts on Starz on February 6.