‘Luke Cage’ Featurette Digs Into The Show’s Hip-Hop Influences, With Help From Method Man And A$AP Ferg
Much has been made ofLuke Cage’s hip-hop influences. ShowrunnerCheo Hodari Cokerhas talked up the"musicality"of the series, comparing the 13 episodes of season one to tracks on an album andpromising big-name guest starsfromFaith EvanstoCharles Bradley. So ahead of the series' fall debut, Netflix has released aLuke Cagefeaturette that digs into this particularly unusual element of their next Marvel show.
Coker and his starMike Coltermake appearances as talking heads, of course, and they’re joined byMethod ManandA$AP FergandLuke Cagemusic supervisorsAdrian YoungeandAli Shaheed Muhammad. Watch theLuke Cagemusic featurette below.
Music is more than just a trivial detail inLuke Cage. As Coker explains, the beat makes for a perfect complement to the Harlem hero’s special powers. “The speed of hip-hop, it happens at the speed of thought,” he says. “So if you really ran into Luke and then all of a sudden, boom, there’s gonna be a beat. That’s all it takes.” Music even givesLuke Cageits titles, as each episode is named after Gang Starr songs like “Soliloquy of Chaos” or “Moment of Truth.”
WhileLuke Cageprimarily draws from hip-hop, the show takes inspiration from a broad range of music within that genre as music from other genres altogether. “We have music that is inspired byTribe Called Quest, but at the same time inspired byWu[-Tang Clan] andEnnio Morricone,” says Younge. “We all came together and said we wanted to make something great. Not just for black people or minorities, just something great that just happens to be based on our culture.”
AlthoughLuke Cageis the first Marvel Cinematic Universe project to lean so heavily on hip-hop, Method Man sees it as an extension of what the brand already does so well. “Marvel has always had its finger on the pulse of pop culture, and this right here is just taking it even further.” And he’s not even trying to hide his excitement about this show. “Brothers like me been waiting for it since I was eight years old. And now it’s here, and I’m ecstatic,” he gushes.
