Aahana Swrup
A sequel and a spin-off of the popular show, ‘Power‘ ‘Power Book II: Ghost’ is a drama TV series that tells the story of the family of Tariq St. Patrick, who is left to make a new life for himself, one outside the shadow of his deceased father. However, things don’t go as smoothly for him as desired, and he soon falls in with a dangerous Tejada crime family led by Monet. Starring Michael Rainey Jr. along with Method Man, Melanie Liburd, and Mary J. Blige, this show revolves around Tariq’s thrilling life of crime and how it affects his education and personal relationships.
The show takes advantage of the dramatic, intense nature of its criminal foundation and gives its characters and storylines an air of authenticity. Sprinkled with interesting, likable characters like Monet, Zeke, and Davis, it utilizes a number of different narratives to keep audiences engaged and interested in the bigger picture. Due to the sincere writing, a lot of the experiences and themes discussed in the show feel authentic and easy to relate to, regardless of their existence within a world of crime. If you’re curious to know just how true and realistic the show actually is, then here’s everything you need to know about ‘Power Book II: Ghost’ and its relationship to reality.
Power Book II Ghost: Fictional Story with Real-Life Inspirations
‘Power Book II: Ghost’ is not based on a true story. As mentioned earlier, it’s a spin-off series to the original show. Though ‘Power’ is also not entirely based on real-life events, it’s loosely inspired by the life of rapper/actor 50 Cent A.K.A. Curtis Jackson. ‘Power Book II: Ghost,’ on the other hand, has not been confirmed to have taken such inspiration from any person for its premise or major plotlines. However, there is one character in its cast that has real-life roots to him. Initially mentioned in season 1, Dante “Mecca” Spears first fully appears in season 2 and serves as an antagonist.
Though Mecca was only officially introduced in ‘Power Book II: Ghost,’ his character has played an important role in the lives of the characters in-universe for a long time. With a terrific performance by actor Daniel Sunjata, Mecca is a drug lord and Monet’s past lover, and Zeke’s father. Throughout his arc on the show, much of his motivation stems from his love for Monet and his desire to be a part of his son Zeke’s life. However, as the show progresses, more is revealed about him, and the depth of his character’s influence grows.
Towards the end of season 2, Mecca is disclosed to be a longtime global informant, i.e., a snitch. This part of his character bears a lot of resemblance to Whitey Bulger, the real-life organized crime leader. Whitey Bulger was the leader of the Winter Hill Gang in the Winter Hill neighborhood of Somerville, Massachusetts. Bulger had acted as an informant for the FBI for years before going rogue and having to be hunted down. Following his arrest in 2011, Bulger eventually died at the age of 89 in 2018.
Courtney Kemp, the creator of the show, had revealed that Whitey Bulger was the inspiration behind Mecca — or at least Mecca’s snitch storyline in any case. “Mecca is a snitch it is based on Whitey Bulger. Those of you who know who Whitey Bulger is. But, Whitey Bulger was a criminal, and the very short version of it, he was allowed while he was informing on everyone else, the FBI let him continue his business,” Courtney told the fans in an Instagram Live.
She continued to state, “They [The FBI] let him [Bulger] go on and be a criminal, and eventually he did go fugitive, and he had to be caught, but that’s who it’s based on. It’s based on a real story. We don’t make up everything. We like to have something based on fact.” Ultimately, ‘Power Book II: Ghost’ is not based on a true story. However, it does take some inspiration for certain instances from real events and real people. Of course, there are other parts of the show that lend themselves to the relatability of the show. The dynamic between characters, and the overall themes of family, loyalty, and betrayal, are easy to find in real life.
Read More: Where Is Power Book II: Ghost Filmed?
