Tales
A one-hour anthology series that distills classic hip-hop records and reimagines them as cinematic love letters.
Episode Guide
Season 1
- Episode 1: F*ck Tha Police
Aired: Jun 27, 2017Inspired by the lyrics of N.W.A's "F*ck Tha Police", this two-hour premiere episode focuses on the controversial killing of a young white boy at the hands of two Black police officers and a district attorney's struggle to convince the lone witness to testify in court.
- Episode 2: Cold Hearted
Aired: Jul 11, 2017Inspired by the lyrics of Meek Mill's "Cold Hearted", this episode explores the life of a megastar rapper that is fatally shot with his faithful sidekick by his side. All the suspects - his wife, manager, best friend and a rival rapper - have such different stories that the two LA detectives investigating his murder have no solid leads.
- Episode 3: A Story to Tell
Aired: Jul 18, 2017Inspired by the lyrics of Notorious B.I.G.'s "Story to Tell", this episode dramatizes the struggle of a woman tired of her NBA fiancé's philandering. Ashley has an affair with a neighborhood hustler in a fateful encounter that will change the trajectory of her life.
- Episode 4: Trap Queen
Aired: Oct 10, 2017Inspired by the lyrics of Fetty Wap's "Trap Queen", this episode tells the story of devoted love. Crystal discovers that her boyfriend Reggie, the love of her life, is running drugs out of the strip club they own. Despite initial hesitation, she decides to join forces with him in order to secure their dream future.
- Episode 5: Children's Story
Aired: Oct 17, 2017Inspired by the lyrics of Slick Rick's "Children's Story", this episode follows two penniless teenagers who learn the lesson of karma the hard way when they start robbing people in their neighborhood.
- Episode 6: 99 Problems
Aired: Oct 24, 2017Inspired by the lyrics of Jay-Z's "99 Problems", when the Black Lives Matter movement is declared an enemy of the state, two college lovers and BLM activists go on the run to escape the clutches of the police.
- Episode 7: You Got Me
Aired: Oct 31, 2017Inspired by the lyrics of The Roots featuring Erykah Badu's "You Got Me", a highly disciplined, independent-minded dancer about to perform in an important show falls for a man who gets her to lose focus.
- Episode 8: All I Need
Aired: Nov 25, 2017Inspired by the lyrics of Method Man and Mary J. Blige's All I Need, a war veteran suffering from PTSD falls in love with the wrong woman: the girlfriend of Taggert -- a dangerous pimp who will do whatever it takes to get his girlfriend back...
Season 2
- Episode 1: Brothers
Aired: Jul 2, 2019Inspired by the lyrics to Kanye West's song "Brothers," two siblings carve out drastically different paths in Atlanta.
- Episode 2: Slippery
Aired: Jul 9, 2019When an Atlanta rap group funded by drug money is targeted by a zealous FBI agent, the rappers and their lawyer must find a way to translate their Machiavellian tactics from the streets to the courtroom in order to beat the case.
- Episode 3: My Life
Aired: Jul 16, 2019Edie, a recovering addict working as a hotel maid with dreams of being a fashion designer, has her life turned upside-down when she learns her mother, Clarice, is terminally sick.
- Episode 4: Deep Cover
Aired: Jul 23, 2019In a Shakespearian tale of betrayal and deceit, two of Atlanta's biggest dealers rise and fall; a man and his nephew go to war over weight and territory with a shocking twist at the end that will expose everyone in this bloody story of greed.
- Episode 5: Bodak Yellow
Aired: Jul 30, 2019The uplifting story of Violet, a twenty-three year old exotic dancer, raising her teenage sister while looking for her shot at becoming a hip hop superstar.
- Episode 6: XO Tour Life
Aired: Aug 6, 2019In an episode inspired by Lil Uzi Vert's "XO Tour Llif3," hard-partying teen Janelle falls deeper into the world of drugs in hopes of forgetting her absentee parents.
- Episode 7: My Mind Playing Tricks on Me
Aired: Aug 13, 2019In an episode inspired by the Geto Boys song "My Mind Playing Tricks on Me," a man seduces white women during Mardi Gras and lures them back to his murderous family.
- Episode 8: I Gave You Power
Aired: Aug 20, 2019On this episode inspired by Nas's song "I Gave You Power," a gold handgun passes through a community, giving each person the illusion of power, with devastating results.
- Episode 9: Story of 3
Aired: Aug 27, 2019A career-oriented woman is caught in a love triangle and must make a choice between her husband and her side piece in this tale inspired by Lauryn Hill's song "Ex-Factor.".
- Episode 10: Moonlight
Aired: Sep 3, 2019A romantic fable set in the artistic underbelly of Atlanta with a Basquiat-esque street artist--Dario--who harbors a beautiful, deep secret and the young woman--Ruby--who he loves but cannot be with.
Season 3
- Episode 1: Fight the Power
Aired: Aug 9, 2022Prosecutor Stokely Overton finds himself against two police who have killed an innocent youth; as he pursues the case, Stokely's father's life as a political prisoner blurs the lines between past and present.
- Episode 2: Renee
Aired: Aug 16, 2022An interpretation of the Lost Boyz track "Renee" sees the titular heroine, an idealistic law student, connect with barber Lamar as they try to protect a teen from local drug dealers.
- Episode 3: Act Up
Aired: Aug 23, 2022In a story based on "Act Up" by City Girls, four women escape from a sex trafficking ring and use their freedom to get revenge on the men who kidnapped them.
- Episode 4: Hot in Here
Aired: Aug 30, 2022Inspired by the lyrics to Nelly's "Hot in Herre," a college professor uses her 30th birthday as a chance to get over her ex and take control of her love life.
- Episode 5: C.R.E.A.M.
Aired: Sep 6, 2022In a story inspired by Wu-Tang Clan's "C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me)," a reformed man returns to a life of crime when he needs money for his daughter's lifesaving operation.
- Episode 6: Put It On Me
Aired: Sep 13, 2022A young police officer and her undercover boyfriend operate from both sides of the law to find the source of corruption that plagues their city.
- Episode 7: Ms. Jackson
Aired: Sep 13, 2022A woman manipulates her loved ones to protect herself from a dangerous criminal, but the move causes damage to her daughter's mental health and endangers her mother-in-law in the process.
- Episode 8: Murder She Wrote
Aired: Sep 20, 2022Inspired by Chaka Demus & Pliers' "Murder She Wrote," a formerly incarcerated woman uses her wits to infiltrate a seedy crime syndicate and get revenge on the men who killed her husband.
- Episode 9: Jesus Walks
Aired: Sep 20, 2022Talented singer-songwriter Jewel questions her values when a manipulative music producer draws her into the seedy world of viral fame, but her loved ones aren't ready to give up on her.
- Episode 10: Survival of the Fittest
Aired: Sep 27, 2022A group of Black Lives Matter organizers forced into hiding after being doxxed is abducted by racist ex-sheriff's deputies intent on revenge.