Kanye Goes Underground

In pursuit of expanding his ever expanding resume and creative titles, Kanye West will now executive produce music for the upcoming WGN America TV drama series “Underground.” The slave themed show is set to allow West full reign behind the scoring for the soundtrack.  As of yet, there is no clear indication on which direction or alter ego West plans to channel for the 10-episode series, but one question is, will he remix past musical endeavors such as “New Slaves” and “Diamonds From Sierra Leone,” or return to square one with all new musical offerings?

According to reports, the series from Sony Pictures TV and Tribune Studios, follows a group of slaves who plan a daring escape from a Georgia plantation to cross 600 miles to freedom, aided along the way by a secret abolitionist couple running a station on the Underground Railroad. The show, set in Georgia, is set to start filming this in Louisiana with an expected premiere on WGN America in early spring 2016.

Is it shade or simply a coincidence that the announcement of “Underground” comes weeks after NBC’s announcement of “Freedom Run,” an eight-hour miniseries also set against the background of the underground railroad? “Freedom Run” was put on a fast track with Stevie Wonder executive producing and writing the score for a Broadway musical based on the mini-series.

We’ll yet again relive this moment in Black history and it’s not even February. There is so much more to Black history than the Underground Railroad which apparently is a quick, cost effective means to tell this one segment of the journey in exchange for anticipated ratings and revenue.

In true Kanye fashion, inquiring minds may wonder….will he or won’t he?  You can fill in the blank!