Amidst all the hubbub about George Zimmerman’s threatening of Jay-Z over upcoming docuseries Rest In Power: The Trayvon Martin Story, it’s a fitting time to be reminded of what the mogul has in store for the doc.
The docuseries marks the first documentary executive produced by Jay-Z since TIME: The Kalief Browder Story placed the tribulations of the late teen who killed himself after two troubled years of imprisonment at Rikers Island, back into the limelight. The airing of the six-part series was followed by major legislative changes. The documentary led to New York’s decision to raise the minimum age for charging and sentencing accused offenders as adults. It also augmented pressures for NYC mayor Bill de Blasio to close Rikers. He announced a 10-year execution plan to close the notoriously violent facility in June.
With that said, the sway Hov’s last documentary held probably has Zimmerman a wee bit nervous.
News of Martin’s documentary was announced in late March. But as a refresher, here’s what we know about the documentary thus far:
- Martin’s story will be relayed in two formats: a six-part docuseries and a feature-length film.
- The projects are based on two books: Lisa Bloom’s Suspicion Nation: The Inside Story of the Trayvon Martin Injustice and Why We Continue to Repeat It and Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin’s Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin.
- Jay-Z partnered with The Weinstein Company for the Kalief Browder Story and is doing so for Martin’s documentary.
- In regards to the projects, Jay-Z said the Martin tragedy is “an important American story” and he and his co-producers are “honored Trayvon’s family has entrusted [them] to share the truth with the world.”
- Jay-Z and TWC will also be partnering with Paramount Network, which is currently Spike TV.
- Following several allegations of sexual assault, Harvey Weinstein stepped down from TWC of which he owns 23%. Amidst the news, Jay-Z was reportedly looking to buy the filmmaker’s share of the company in October which may or may not affect the film’s outcome.
- Rest In Power: The Trayvon Martin Story is slated to premiere on Paramount in 2018.
Back to the important stuff.