Plot Synopsis

Set in South Jamaica, Queens in the early '90s, POWER BOOK III: RAISING KANAN is a prequel about the early years of the now-deceased iconic POWER character Kanan Stark. This sprawling family drama revolves around the coming of age of Kanan Stark; Ghost and Tommy's mentor, partner and adversary, who ultimately dies in a hail of gunfire in the eighth episode of POWER's penultimate season.

In this series, Kanan is the 15-year-old only child of Raquel "Raq" Thomas, a cocaine distributor with an emerging network of dealers across the city. Much like the original POWER, RAISING KANAN explores themes of identity, violence, and legacy, but it is also a deep dive into the very pathology of family; the unique, complicated and fraught dynamic between parent and child, mother and father, brother and sister. In an increasingly fractious world, family often feels like the only refuge from all the divisiveness and discord and yet, at the same time, we often discover that it is those closest to us who betray us and our values most. The first season of RAISING KANAN is an exploration of these betrayals, the secrets and lies that accompany them and the ways in which they fester, metastasize and ultimately erupt. The overarching theme of this first season is, "You reap what you sow." In other words, actions have consequences; betrayals are always uncovered; secrets are inevitably revealed; chickens come home to roost. Every character in RAISING KANAN is hiding something. From the world, from each other, from themselves. And as our story unfolds, they each will have to grapple with the unintended and destructive consequences of the information they've hidden and withheld. And while the ways in which these betrayals, secrets and lies reveal themselves will vary, one truth will remain constant: no one can be trusted and nothing is ever as it seems.

The 10-episode sophomore season of RAISING KANAN premieres on Sunday, August 14, 2022 at 9pm ET/PT on Starz. Raquel 'Raq' Thomas has gained control over the city's drug trade, but her son is slipping away. Kanan Stark returns to Queens uncertain of his future with the family business, and because of Detective Howard's lingering secret, he's even more uncertain of his past. Kanan searches for the truth while Raq boldly expands the business into hostile Mafia territory. Lou-Lou has other plans that revolve around his emerging record label, but Raq isn't about to let his side hustle get in the way of her expansion. Although Marvin remains Raq's loyal soldier, he struggles to earn Jukebox's forgiveness and become the father she deserves. The ties that bind this family are becoming undone, but Raq will stop at nothing to hold them together.
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On Sunday, October 23, 2022 at 9pm ET/PT, Starz premiered "If Y'Don't Know, Now Y'Know," the Season 2 finale of POWER BOOK III: RAISING KANAN. Decidedly his own man, Kanan strays further from his mother and sets up shop on his own on the corners of South Jamaica. Worried about retaliation, Raq questions Unique. Lou's rift with Raq grows when he makes a discovery.

Two months earlier -- on Thursday, August 11 -- Starz announced that it renewed RAISING KANAN for a third season.