50 Cent Interview On ‘For Life’: Why He’s ‘Excited’ About The Show

For Life tells the story of an incarcerated man named Aaron Wallace, who becomes a lawyer and starts litigating for other inmates while fighting to overturn his own wrongful conviction. The series is inspired by the true story of Isaac Wright Jr. Isaac is a former inmate who got his wrongful conviction overturned and became an attorney. 50 Cent is an executive producer on the series and talked about why he was drawn to For Life and why this isn’t your typical legal show.

“I was excited by the story itself,” he told HollywoodLife at the Television Critics Association winter press tour. “I met Isaac Wright Jr., who the story is loosely based on, and his story is definitely one of a kind. He was sentenced to 70 years plus life and can’t find anybody to actually represent him that would give him any hope. He just starts to study law himself, still won’t take the plea regardless. Look, 99 percent of the population would have probably just taken the plea and secured coming home at some point versus gambling with not taking the plea. It gives the character [of Aaron Wallace] a whole different perspective. We wouldn’t see the same kind of attorney because he’s learning law under circumstances that allow him to view the criminal system in a way nobody’s been subjected to so it allows his temperament to be a little different from anyone else you will see in the kind of procedural law show. It’s not a procedural show because it doesn’t start and end a case every episode.”

Aaron Wallace is played by Nicholas Pinnock and 50 Cent had nothing but great things to say about him. “He’s so talented. I don’t want to toot his horn but that guy’s really talented,” 50 Cent raved. 50 Cent will also be playing the recurring character of Kassius Dawkins, who has been incarcerated for 16 years. While Aaron is desperate to get out of prison, Kassius is fine where he is. 50 Cent is no stranger to acting. The actor/rapper/producer notably played Kanan on the hit series Power, which he also produced.

50 Cent also opened up about what he wants fans to take away from the series. “I want them to take a peek into a world that they wouldn’t normally see,” he said. “It allows them to go on a journey that they don’t have to necessarily be subjected to but to understand it or to find empathy for some people will do.” For Life airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on ABC.