LONDON - The next instalment in the "Power" franchise hits television screens this week, with a coming-of-age prequel story for character Kanan Stark.

Set in 1990s Queens, New York, "Power Book III: Raising Kanan" sees Mekai Curtis play a younger version of rapper 50 Cent's character from the original crime drama.

50 Cent returns as executive producer and performs the theme song "Part of the Game".

Reuters spoke to the rapper, Curtis and Patina Miller, who plays Kanan's mother Raq, about the series, which premieres on July 18 on StarzPlay.

Below are excerpts edited for length and clarity.

Q: Are there elements of your own experiences growing up this

50 Cent: "This project is more than a TV show for me ... it's a little piece of me in each part of the show ... At the beginning where you see Kanan getting pushed around, that really happened ... and ... I was more afraid of my mom than those kids in the park."

Q: How did it feel revisiting the 90s

50 Cent: "The real excitement for me in 'Raising Kanan' was to get back to the 90s ... Like if someone was to anchor the music that matches the tones of the actual show they're from the 90s era; the fashion, the clothes, the hairstyles, the energy, the whole project, it just takes me to a different place because of where I was, like at that time in my life."

Q: Did you feel pressure in taking on such a big role

Curtis: "This is such an iconic character with such big shoes to fill ... so there was definitely ... one ... the pressure then two, the honour and the feel-good of like, oh wow, they've entrusted me to take this baton and run with it."

Q: The series is very layered and more about family values - the crime and violence are just part of what goes on.

Miller: "It's no different from 'The Sopranos', it's no different from 'Scarface', it's no different from 'Goodfellas' ... it's within the 'Power' world and with people of colour. "

Q: Raq is certainly not one-dimensional.

Miller: "I was about finding the love, the positive that Raq has, like that dream of her wanting to be the best mom ... but then also having to be hard. It's the flip flop of those emotions."

(Reporting by Lisa Keddie; Writing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) ((Marie-Louise.Gumuchian@thomsonreuters.com;))