or


[10/27/20 - 01:01 PM]
BET Presents New Original Groundbreaking Documentary "Smoke: Marijuana + Black America" Executive Produced and Narrated by Multi-Platinum Rapper and Entrepreneur Nasir "Nas" Jones
The two-hour special - set to premiere on Wednesday, November 18 - examines marijuana's cultural, social, economic and legal impact on American society and the Black community.
[via press release from BET]

BET Presents New Original Groundbreaking Documentary "Smoke: Marijuana + Black America" Executive Produced and Narrated by Multi-platinum Rapper and Entrepreneur Nasir "Nas" Jones

The Two-Hour Original Documentary Explores Black America's Complex Relationship with Marijuana and the Current Fight to Reap the Benefits of Legalization. "SMOKE" Will Premiere Wednesday, November 18 at 10 PM ET/PT

Produced by Swirl Films, "SMOKE" will Feature Sit-Down Interviews with Senator Kamala D. Harris, Senator Cory Booker, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, Cook County, Illinois State's Attorney Kim Foxx, Representative Barbara Lee, Former NBA Player Al Harrington, WNBA Star Cheyenne Parker, Former NFL Player Ricky Williams, Rapper B Real, Singer/Producer Ty Dolla $ign, Son of Notorious B.I.G. C.J. Wallace and others

NEW YORK -- BET announces a new original documentary titled "Smoke: Marijuana + Black America," set to premiere on Wednesday, November 18th at 10pm ET/PT. Narrated and executive produced by multi-platinum rapper and entrepreneur, Nasir "Nas" Jones, the two-hour special examines marijuana's cultural, social, economic and legal impact on American society and the Black community. Told through the lens of aficionados, policy makers, advocates and innovators in the booming legal cannabis industry, SMOKE features testimony from a range of notable individuals including Senator Kamala D. Harris, Senator Cory Booker, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, Cook County, Illinois State's Attorney Kim Foxx, Representative Barbara Lee, former NBA player and cannabis investor Al Harrington, WNBA star Cheyenne Parker, former NFL star Ricky Williams, rapper B-Real (Cypress Hill), award-winning music artist Ty Dolla $ign, son of Notorious B.I.G. C.J. Wallace, Columbia University PhD Professor Carl Hart and others.

"SMOKE" traces the fascinating and complex legacy of marijuana in the Black community. Early usage was recreational in nature, but political and racial dynamics led to the criminalization of cannabis and eventually its prohibition. America's unjust war on drugs systematically targeted marijuana use in the Black community, resulting in racially disproportionate numbers of arrests and convictions. "SMOKE" features the voices of high-profile lawmakers, including the potential Vice President of the United States Senator Kamala D. Harris, Senator Cory Booker and Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx, who are fighting to bring restorative justice to those incarcerated and others saddled with felony convictions. SMOKE also spotlights the tragic story of Corvain Cooper, a father, who is serving a life sentence for selling marijuana in the same neighborhood where legal dispensaries now operate in the open.

And while the legal cannabis industry is expected to generate $30 billion in sales by 2025, only 4.3 percent of dispensaries are currently Black owned. "SMOKE" spotlights the hypocrisy of the system, highlighting the stories of pioneering African American entrepreneurs across the country, including former NBA player Al Harrington, who are fighting to own a piece of the booming legal cannabis industry currently dominated by White owned conglomerates and entrepreneurs.

"SMOKE" also dives into the controversy and stories of brave African American athletes, including former NFL star Ricky Williams, and WNBA star Cheyenne Parker, who have risked their careers by openly embracing their use of Cannabis.

"Smoke: Marijuana + Black America" is produced by Swirl Films. Nasir "Nas" Jones, Jason Samuels from BET, and Eric Tomosunas from Swirl Films serve as executive producers. Erik Parker serves as director for the documentary and Swirl Films' Tony L. Strickland serves as co-executive producer.

For more information, go to BET.com and follow us @bet and @betnews across social media.

ABOUT BET

BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news, and public affairs television programming for the African American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa, and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET's growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

ABOUT SWIRL FILMS

Swirl Films is one of the leading independent TV & Urban Film Production companies in the country, based out of Atlanta, Georgia and founded by Eric Tomosunas in 2001. Swirls project slate includes the wildly popular original drama series, Saints & Sinners, and as well as high-quality films and series produced for BET, TV One, Bounce, Lifetime, Hallmark, Reel One, Netflix & Up TV. Swirl Films provides services and content across various areas of production spanning from script to screen, for movies, biopics, scripted series, award shows and documentaries. Purchased in 2019, Swirl Films owns and operates its own 100,000 square foot film studio in Atlanta.





  [october 2020]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
    


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)




[08/28/25 - 02:03 PM]
Wonder Project Announces October 5 Streaming Subscription Launch Date on Prime Video and Premiere Date for "House of David" Season Two; Unveils First Look Images of the Hit Drama Series
Season Two of the biblical drama series House of David from Wonder Project and Amazon MGM Studios follows the aftermath of the battle between David and Goliath and David's rise to the throne.

[08/28/25 - 12:12 PM]
Video: "The Hospital" - A Comedy Improv Sketch Show - Premieres Wednesday, September 10
The Hospital offers a "behind-the-scenes" look at what happens when you mix improv comedy with total medical negligence.

[08/28/25 - 11:02 AM]
Shudder Launches Biggest Ever Programming Event "Season of Screams" - Featuring a Monster Lineup of New Films, Series and Live Watch Parties on Shudder TV - From September 1 Through December 31
Shudder's "Season of Screams" features highly anticipated films such as the acclaimed Dangerous Animals, a new installment in the popular "V/H/S" franchise - "V/H/S/Halloween" - and the found footage breakout hits "House on Eden" and "Hell House LLC: Lineage."
[08/28/25 - 11:01 AM]
MGM+ Greenlights "Words + Music," Inspired by the Critically Hailed Audible Original Series, Featuring Grammy Winners Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, John Legend and Alanis Morissette
"Words + Music" is set to premiere this fall on MGM+ in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.
[08/28/25 - 10:06 AM]
ESPN Unveils Deep Roster of NBA Game Commentators for 2025-26 Season
Veteran analyst Tim Legler will join ESPN's lead NBA broadcast team, which includes Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame broadcaster Mike Breen, analyst and NBA Champion Richard Jefferson and reporter Lisa Salters.
[08/28/25 - 10:05 AM]
HBO Original Two-Part Documentary "Seen & Heard: The History of Black Television" Debuts September 9
The project takes audiences on a two-part journey through the history of Black representation on television, showcasing how Black artists and creators both shaped and revolutionized the medium while confronting the systemic challenges that have often undermined their contributions.
[08/28/25 - 10:01 AM]
Video: National Geographic Documentary Films Unveils Trailer for "Lost in the Jungle," the Unbelievable Story of Four Indigenous Children Who Survived a Plane Crash in the Amazon, Ahead of World Premiere at Telluride Film Festival
For the first time ever, the four Indigenous children who survived the Colombian plane crash on May 1, 2023 - and then endured 40 days alone in the jungle - share their extraordinary story of survival, told in their own words.
[08/28/25 - 09:38 AM]
Video: Tubi Debuts Trailer for Stand-Up Comedy Special "Rel Talk" from Lil Rel Howery
"It feels amazing to bring this special to my city, my people, and now to the millions of folks watching on Tubi," said Howery.

[08/28/25 - 09:35 AM]
Families Confront Long-Held Truths in Their Quest for Healing in OWN's Powerful New Six-Part Documentary Series "Unlocked: Family Secrets" Premiering Saturday, September 27
Each episode features a different family sharing their personal stories of hidden secrets that have shaped and, in some cases, fractured their lives.
[08/28/25 - 09:08 AM]
A New Chapter Comes with Fresh Reads When "The Real Housewives of Potomac" Returns for a Milestone Tenth Season Sunday, Oct. 5 at 8 P.M. ET/PT on Bravo
Returning this season are housewives, Gizelle Bryant, Ashley Darby, Wendy Osefo, Stacey Rusch and Keiarna Stewart.
[08/28/25 - 09:06 AM]
ABC News Studios Announces Season 3 of Hit Docuseries "Betrayal," Based on the No. 1 True Crime Podcast, Streaming Tuesday, Sept. 2, Only on Hulu
"Betrayal: Under His Eye" follows Stacey, a single mother whose whirlwind romance with charming physician Dr. Justin Rutherford seemed like a dream come true.
[08/28/25 - 09:01 AM]
Leanne Morgan's Highly Anticipated Netflix Special, "Unspeakable Things," Premieres Globally on Netflix on November 4
Since the start of 2023, Leanne's special "I'm Every Woman" is Netflix's most viewed stand up from a female comedian globally.

[08/28/25 - 09:01 AM]
Prime Video Announces September 25 Premiere Date for "Cocaine Quarterback: Signal-Caller for the Cartel"
This three-part docuseries explores the rise and fall of Redondo Beach native Owen Hanson, from walk-on to the National Championship-winning USC football team to cocaine kingpin for one of the world's most dangerous cartels.
[08/28/25 - 08:02 AM]
Video: "Juan Gabriel: I Must, I Can, I Will" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Rare videos and exclusive interviews reveal the genius, sacrifices and duality between the public and private lives of iconic singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel.
[08/28/25 - 08:02 AM]
Video: MGM+ Unveils Premiere Date and Teaser for Reimagined "Robin Hood" Series
The 10-episode series will launch with a special two-episode premiere on Sunday, November 2 at 9:00 PM ET/PT on MGM+ in the U.S. with episodes releasing weekly leading up to the season finale on Sunday, December 28.