Wood Harris, Tristan Wilds and Afton Williamson, David Call and Antoine Harris have joined the cast of VH1 original movie “The Breaks,” the network announced Monday.
Based on the book “The Big Payback” by former Source magazine writer and record label executive Dan Charnas, the movie chronicles a pivotal era in hip-hop music through three friends looking to make it in the industry. Set in 1990 New York, the story reveals the triumphs and pitfalls associated with the rap business.
Harris, who is best known for his role as Avon Barksdale in HBO’s “The Wire,” plays Barry Fouray, founder of a hip-hop management company faced with a rapidly changing industry.
Tristan “Mack” Wilds (“The Wire”) plays aspiring producer Daryl “DeeVee” Van Putten, Jr., who’s in search of rap’s next big star. His middle class upbringing belying his chosen career trajectory, DeeVee battles his father’s disappointment over his having abandoned academia in favor of the music business.
Afton Williamson (“The Following”) is Nikki Jones, a recent college grad who gets her first break in hip-hop as an intern at Fouray Management. Call and Harris will co-star.
Producer Seith Mann (“Friday Night Lights,” “The Wire”) also writes and directs, with legendary hip-hop producer DJ Premier providing the score.
“The Breaks” is the third of VH1’s scripted original movies, following 2013’s “CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story” and last year’s “Drumline: A New Beat.”
An air date has not yet been announced.