Hip-Hop Drama ‘The Breaks’ Picked Up To Series By VH1

The Breaks debuted to strong ratings as an original TV movie in January, and now VH1 has ordered the hip-hop drama to series for premiere in late 2016.

Inspired by Dan Charnas’ book The Big Payback, The Breaks is a narrative history of the hip-hop business. Written, directed and executive produced by Seith Mann (The Wire, The Walking Dead, Homeland) with a story by Mann and Charnas, The Breaks follows three young friends fulfilling their hip hop dreams in New York City in 1990.

The Breaks ranks as the #2 cable original movie of 2016 among adults 18-49, adults 18-34, women 18-49 and women 18-34, according to VH1 and Nielsen. Its January 4 premiere ranked as the #1 cable program among adults 18-34 in its 9-11 PM time period. When combined with its 11 pm encore, it pulled in a total 2.6 million total viewers that evening. The film also helped fuel VH1’s +42% leap in primetime ratings among adults 18-49 in January, the network says.

In addition to Mann, Dan Charnas and Bill Flanagan are executive producers. Maggie Malina will serve as executive producer for VH1.