VH1 has set the premiere date for its next original movie "The Breaks," for Monday, January 4, 2016 at 9PM ET/PT.
Set in New York City in 1990, “The Breaks” chronicles the journey of Nikki (Afton Williamson), David (David Call) and DeeVee (Mack Wilds), three friends united by their love of hip-hop, as they work to make their big mark in the music industry.
Nikki Jones is a brilliant recent grad who abandoned a scholarship to law school to pursue her dream of becoming a record exec. Her boyfriend, David Aaron, is the scrappy son of a legendary music producer who is unwilling to rest on his father’s laurels and notorious reputation. DeeVee is an aspiring producer on the hunt to find the next big rapper on the come-up. Nikki fast talks her way into an internship at the premier hip-hop company, Fouray Entertainment and catches the eye of the label’s infamous founder, Barry Fouray (Wood Harris), while David struggles at the city’s top R&B radio station whose celebrity DJ refuses to program real hip-hop. Meanwhile, DeeVee returns to his roots in the Fort Greene projects to scout for talent and runs into Ahm (Antoine Harris), a drug dealer with a lyrical gift whose talent could bring them all to the next level. But they will soon discover lives can be broken as fast as legends can be born.
Inspired by the book by journalist Dan Charnas entitled "The Big Payback," a narrative history of the hip-hop business, "The Breaks" is written, directed and executive produced by Seith Mann ("The Wire," "The Walking Dead," "Homeland") with a story by Mann and Charnas.
The cast is comprised of Wood Harris, Mack Wilds, Afton Williamson, David Call and Antoine Harris. Additional cast members include Cliff "Method Man" Smith, Evan Handler, Russell Hornsby and AFRO. Legendary New York music producer DJ Premier will compose the score and serve as executive music producer.
"The Breaks" is the third movie in VH1’s recent successful push into scripted programming, following the 2013 record-breaking premiere of "CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story" and the success of last year’s original movie, "Drumline: A New Beat."
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In addition to Seith Mann, Dan Charnas, Darren Goldberg of Atlantic Pictures, Maggie Malina and Bill Flanagan serve as executive producers. Susan Levison is executive producing for VH1.
Poster art, released this morning, above.
