50 Cent to Launch a Free Streaming TV Channel [CNET]

The OG Power series will be part of the lineup.

Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson is getting into the FAST TV (free, ad-supported television) business through a team-up with Lionsgate, the entertainment company announced Thursday. Branded as 50 Cent Action, the free streaming channel is the product of a partnership between Lionsgate and Jackson’s G-Unit Film and Television Inc.

Content will be action-themed and include the original Power TV series, as well as picks from Lionsgate’s catalog of more than 20,000 movies and shows. The channel will run 24 hours with titles such as The Expendables, Rambo, The Hitman’s Bodyguard and others curated by Jackson and Lionsgate. According to the press release, the FAST offering will focus on premium action content. 

Jackson mentioned his foray into FAST TV in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter where he said the channel will also include new and original content. Viewership on FAST platforms is growing, with services like Tubi and Pluto TV appealing to audiences who want access to free streaming programming and are willing to sit through commercials. There’s no firm launch date yet or information available on where the 50 Cent Action channel will live, but Lionsgate president Jim Packer said, “This channel will give 50’s global fan base a deep slate of action movies and television series while expanding his reach to new audiences worldwide.”

Jackson has expanded his reach in the entertainment realm, where he’s established himself as a rapper, actor and producer in TV and film. He’s launched multiple projects on Starz, including BMF and Moment in Time: The Massacre along with the Power franchise and its multiple spinoffs. Jackson’s inked deals with other entertainment companies including ABC, FOX, Crackle and weTV. One of his newest ventures is a film studio in Shreveport, Louisiana, where his G-Unit production company aims to create TV and movies.