The Get Down sounds like the origin story for Empire. A rag tag group of teenagers run wild in the streets of the South Bronx in the late 70’s. The series is described as “a mythic saga of how New York at the brink of bankruptcy gave birth to hip-hop, punk and disco.”
The 13 episode series is created by Baz Luhrmann with Shawn Ryan producing. It will premier on Netflix in 2016.
A young singer named Herizen Guardiola will star as Mylene Cruz. She’s an aspiring disco singer in The Get Down and may be the most interesting character in the cast for me. I looked for some clips of her voice, which is billed as magnificent, but couldn’t find any.
What there is at this point in the way of a trailer is equally unsatisfying – a mere 30 seconds of urban grit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEbRXzKu__8
Other cast members include Jimmy Smits, Justice Smith, Shameik Moore, Skylan Brooks, T.J. Brown Jr., Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Mamoudou Athie, Giancarlo Esposito, Jaden Smith, Yolonda Ross, Zabryna Guevara, and Sal Rendino.
I will give any series identifying itself as a musical a chance. Here’s hoping The Get Down will be good.