Benny Boom’s extension into feature films continues with help from the Cash Money honcho Bryan ‘Birdman’ Williams with the two producing Nigerian drama, Tazmanian Devil.
According to Deadline, the project comes from Solomon Onita, Jr. The budding filmmaker previously submitted a pitch for his film to BET’s ProjectCre8 Filmmaking Contest. While it didn’t take the winning prize, the film will still see the light of day thanks to financial funding by Boom’s Groundwurk Studios and Williams’ Cash Money Films. Boom previously directed All Eyez On Me and episodes of Empire, Black Lighting and Tales.
The indie film centers on a young man who moves to America from Nigeria with his estranged father but the two are at odds over the student’s decision to join a college fraternity. The coming of age drama will highlight the cultural differences between black lives and how fraternities are seen from unique perspectives.
Birdman expressed his excitement over the film and working with longtime collaborator Boom. “Benny and I have often discussed making films together and this project presented us with the perfect opportunity to produce a great movie,” he said. The duo has worked together on other projects circling music dating back to the early 2000s, they have also collaborated on music videos for Hot Boyz, Juvenile, Big Tymers, Lil Wayne; recently Jacquees, Nicki Minaj and Drake.
“I have been creating visuals for Cash Money artists for decades and I am excited about this next phase of our collaboration,” says Boom.
Groundbreaking actors/actress Abraham Attah (Beats of No Nation), Adepero Oduye (When They See Us), Ntare Gunna Mbaho Mwine (The Chi) and Kwesi Boakye (Claws) are cast to star in the film.
Birdman’s first film was the documentary entitled, Before Anythang: The Cash Money Story. The film was produced out of Cash Money Film’s division of Cash Money Records.
Onita Jr. also has produced two short films, Two Hand Touch (2017) and Witch Hunt (2016). He was the writer for the short film Joy (2015).
Tazmanian Devil is currently in post-production with no official release date.
