A new series from Lena Waithe’s Hillman Grad Productions and Macro will be headed to BET+ soon, The Root has learned.
According to Deadline, the show, titled Birth of Cool, will be centered around “Crispus Attucks High, a predominantly Black high school in Compton [Calif.]. The half-hour dramedy follows the adventures and misadventures of both students and teachers, on campus and off, as they try to make it through the weird, hilarious, stressful, often sobering, sometimes surreal school year, while (hopefully) growing a bit in the process.” Birth of Cool marks the first series between BET+ and Macro, with the streaming platform giving it a 10-episode order.
“BET+ continues to be the home for best-in-class creatives to tell their original stories about the Black experience,” BET+ Executive Vice President and General Manager Devin Griffin expressed. “We appreciate Lena’s creative vision and continued trust and are thrilled to partner with a skilled group of creators from Macro Television Studios and Hillman Grad to bring this series to life.”
Juel Taylor and Tony Rettenmaier have been tapped to pen the script and will serve as executive producers. Taylor will also direct the pilot episode of the series. Macro Television Studios President Marta Fernandez and Mark R. Wright will oversee the project on behalf of Macro alongside Hillman Grad and Endeavor Content. Macro CEO and Founder Charles King, Lena Waithe, Aaliyah Williams, David Morris and Hillman Grad President of Film/TV Rishi Rajani will all serve as executive producers.
“Our goal at Hillman Grad is to find the next generation of visionary filmmakers who challenge the ways in which we typically represent characters of color on screen. Juel and Tony are exactly that,” Rajani explained. “We’re so excited to have been on this journey with them and can’t wait to introduce the world to the brilliance, humor, and depth of Birth of Cool.”
Macro Television Studios President Marta Fernandez added, “We are excited to continue Macro’s commitment to excellence in content creation and to be partnered with Juel and Tony and help bring their unique vision to the screen. Along with our partners at BET+, Hillman Grad and Endeavor Content, we passionately support their voices and dedication to telling authentically Black stories.”
As of now, there has been no word on a potential premiere date.