MC Lyte will once again be gracing the small screen. The Brooklynite is teaming up with Urban Movie Channel for a new scripted series called “Partners in Rhyme.” According to Deadline, the show will be executive produced by Bentley Kyle Evans, who helmed series like “Martin” and “The Jamie Foxx Show.”
“Partners in Rhyme” is set to center around a female high school rapper, social media star and foster child who’s aiming to be hip hop’s next big thing. Lyte will star in the series as a label executive who helps the young rapper navigate the music industry. The half-hour episodes will be aired though AMC Networks’ streaming service.
“It’s an honor to be in business with UMC for ‘Partners in Rhyme,’ Lyte said in a press release. “ Teaming up with Bentley Evans and Harvest Studios made the creative process an amazing journey. I’m even more excited that my production company, Sunni Gyrl, led by Lynn Richardson, who also serves as Executive Producer, has planted its feet in the production world. I’m excited to see all of the casting submissions and find our co-star.”
The series’ co-star will be selected through a nationwide “Shoot Your Shot” casting call in a combined effort with the American Black Film Festival. Five finalists will reportedly perform at the festival later this year, where a winner will be chosen to star alongside Lyte.
“The UMC team has gone into this year determined to test new waters in content, connecting with our consumers, and even sourcing new talent for our original productions,” UMC Chief Content Officer Brett Dismuke said in the release. “The opportunity to pair an industry legend like MC Lyte with up-and-coming talent we’ve yet to discover is the exact principle on which both UMC and ABFF were founded. This partnership is the perfect springboard to launch this exciting new project from Bentley Kyle Evans.”
“Partners in Rhyme” is set to premiere at the American Black Film Festival in 2021, ahead of its UMC debut. In recent years, Lyte has acted in TV shows “New York Undercover,” “Power,” “Queen of the South” and “S.W.A.T.”