G Herbo is no stranger to being strategic. He’s had to be calculated both in the streets and in his career as a multiplatinum-selling rapper. That’s why the Chicago native finds common ground with the characters who have to play a mental game of chess in Power Book IV: Force, part of Starz’s highly popular Power Universe, which makes its return for its final season on November 7.
Herbo, whose new album, Lil Herb, also arrives the same day, connects with Power 105.1 radio personality Angela Yee to dive into what’s to come on the new season of Force. For nearly 10 years, fans have been tuning in to the high-stakes action and drama surrounding Tommy Egan, played by Joseph Sikora, in the streets of New York and now at his home base of operations in Chicago.
The show and the Power Universe as a whole have been a source of inspiration in hip-hop, according to the Chi-town MC. “It gave us something to do, rap about, like metaphorically, saying songs or putting stuff in your lyrics about Ghost character, Tommy character or Kanan character, Tariq,” G Herbo shares.
Tommy’s fight to survive by any means necessary in the upcoming final season mirrors the mindset G Herbo’s lived with his whole life. His own experiences and survival skills in and out of Terror Town, a nickname for the East Side of Chicago where Herbo is from, have helped shape him.
“I think that’s just the game in the streets and life as well,” G Herbo says. “I used to always say the rap industry, you gotta treat it like the streets. The only difference is the streets is morals and ethics. Only difference between the music industry and the streets I felt like when I first got into it is that you can’t physically do nothing to nobody. It’s the same stuff going on, betrayal. You can’t take it personal.”
The 30-year-old rhymer also weighs in on the dynamic between Diamond and Jenard Sampson, two brothers on Force, as well as street codes when it comes to snitching, which came to light by character Vic Flynn, and more.
Check out the final season of Starz’s Force on November 7.
Watch G Herbo Discuss His Survival Skills, Dealing With Family Life While Having a Career, Street Codes and More
This editorial is presented by Starz.