EXCLUSIVE: A murderer’s row of rap talent including Ice-T and NWA’s Arabian Prince is behind a new animated series that features an original score from Dr Dre.
Death For Hire: The Origin of Tehk City is a project that includes both a graphic novel and animated series.
The project will launch as a graphic novel from Z2 Comics, created by Ice-T, founding NWA member Arabian Prince, and artist Tommy The Animator before the IP is rolled out as an animated series, music, toys and NFTs.
The graphic novel introduces a brutal ensemble of pushers and murderers in a world where the line between anti-hero and arch-villain blurs quickly.
The animated series, which is in production with conversations with streamers and networks, will feature the voice talent of the likes of Ice-T, his wife Coco, Snoop Dogg, Tracy Morgan, Busta Rhymes, Mike Epps, Treach, Arabian Prince, Peter Scanavino, Roxanne Shanté, Ben Baller, Styles P, Tone Trump, Emilio Rivera, Tommy The Animator and Shannon Eric Denton.
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Crooked Mayor Chuck Davis (Ice-T), his deadly female assassin Rhonda Knuckles (Coco), and right-hand-man Maniac Max (Treach) must navigate the savage law of the street. With his hands occupied in everything from money laundering to hired hits, Davis tries to stay one step ahead of the competition in the Round Table Gang—Benny Tang (Ben Baller), Azul Michoacan (Emilio Rivera), and Vinny “Pipes” Roselli—who have controlled the black market undercurrent of Tehk City for years.
But information comes at a price, especially when purchased by Pretty Black (Snoop Dogg), whose black market network feeds him intelligence from the furthest reaches of Tehk City. Davis and his crew will soon learn that grabbing power from the top dog can take you sky high or drag you to the grave.
Dr. Dre, a former member of NWA, the man behind Beats and records such as The Chronic, will provide an original score with each rap artist writing and performing their own custom theme.
Death for Hire: The Origin of Tehk City is edited by Z2’s Rantz Hoseley, with Josh Bernstein of Z2 Comics and Shannon Eric Denton of Monster Forge Productions serving as executive producers.
The script is written by Gary Phillips, an executive story editor on FX’s Snowfall, with illustrations by Montos (Blondie: Against The Odds).
“You want some real punch-you-in-the-face action? Then Death for Hire is it,” said co-creator and writer Ice-T .
“Everybody better get ready for the ride of a lifetime – Death for Hire: The Origin Of Tehk City is coming hot off the presses of Z2 Comics,” co-creator and co-writer Arabian Prince added. “Starring the homie Ice-T and a list of stars never before seen in one place, get ready to explore the origin leading up to the animated series of Tehk City—y’all ain’t ready.”
“Ice-T, Arabian and Tommy have assembled an all-star cast of hip-hop heavyweights and Hollywood superstars to populate Tehk City from the ground up,” said Z2 Partner Josh Bernstein. “Z2 is truly honored to work with rap royalty as we build out this vast IP universe together.”
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