In addition to exploring the back story of a character introduced in the first season of Jessica Jones, Netflix's Luke Cage superhero series is now slated to feature appearances from soul stars Charles Bradley, Faith Evans and Raphael Saadiq.
Showrunner Cheo Choker made the announcement during a panel with the Television Critics Association, noting that the third Marvel series for Netflix will focus on the day-to-day of Luke Cage (played by actor Mike Colter), a former bartender with super-strength that becomes a hero-for-hire. He'll have run-ins with a night club owner named Cottonmouth that books top shelf acts at his venue, the Paradise. Artists expected to appear on the show include Bradley, Evans, Saadiq and Jidenna.
"We always said that God forbid the show doesn't work, at least we can book out the club," Coker told the crowd [via Slash Film]. "We were lucky enough to have, you know, Raphael Saadiq and Faith Evans and Charles Bradley, and a number of people that you're going to see in these episodes. So, on one hand, it's a living, breathing club and also, gangsters love music. So that's the thing about what the club represents to Cottonmouth, as well as to his family. It's really our Iron Throne, to a certain extent, is that club. Even the way that it's established, it just really sets up our version of this universe in a really compelling, really fun way."
It was added that Jidenna will perform an original song called "Long Live the Chief" in one episode, while Faith Evans's Paradise performance is for her 2005 single, "Mesmerized." Other parts of the episodes will be scored by vintage sounds from the likes of Mahalia Jackson, Nina Simone and John Lee Hooker.
In another music-related touch, it was also revealed that each episode title will be a nod to an old Gang Starr song.
While Luke Cage premieres on September 30, you can catch a trailer down below.
Showrunner Cheo Choker made the announcement during a panel with the Television Critics Association, noting that the third Marvel series for Netflix will focus on the day-to-day of Luke Cage (played by actor Mike Colter), a former bartender with super-strength that becomes a hero-for-hire. He'll have run-ins with a night club owner named Cottonmouth that books top shelf acts at his venue, the Paradise. Artists expected to appear on the show include Bradley, Evans, Saadiq and Jidenna.
"We always said that God forbid the show doesn't work, at least we can book out the club," Coker told the crowd [via Slash Film]. "We were lucky enough to have, you know, Raphael Saadiq and Faith Evans and Charles Bradley, and a number of people that you're going to see in these episodes. So, on one hand, it's a living, breathing club and also, gangsters love music. So that's the thing about what the club represents to Cottonmouth, as well as to his family. It's really our Iron Throne, to a certain extent, is that club. Even the way that it's established, it just really sets up our version of this universe in a really compelling, really fun way."
It was added that Jidenna will perform an original song called "Long Live the Chief" in one episode, while Faith Evans's Paradise performance is for her 2005 single, "Mesmerized." Other parts of the episodes will be scored by vintage sounds from the likes of Mahalia Jackson, Nina Simone and John Lee Hooker.
In another music-related touch, it was also revealed that each episode title will be a nod to an old Gang Starr song.
While Luke Cage premieres on September 30, you can catch a trailer down below.
