Grammy-nominated rapper Wale is stepping into television with a project that hits close to home. The D.C. native is developing Silk, a scripted series based on the life of Wayne “Silk” Perry, one of the most feared and infamous hitmen in Washington, D.C., during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Silk is set between 1989 and 1993, a turbulent era when the nation’s capital was dubbed the “murder capital.” At the center of that chaos was Perry, who served as the violent enforcer for Harlem drug kingpin Alpo Martinez.
Known for his reputation on the streets, Perry became a larger-than-life figure in D.C.’s underworld before his eventual arrest and life sentence in federal prison. Today, he goes by the name Nkosi Shaka Zulu El.
Wale, alongside his management company EQT, is producing the series in partnership with Perry Industries, a D.C.-based production company that controls Perry’s life rights. The rapper has also acquired a stake in Perry Industries. He will executive produce Silk alongside Kazz Laidlaw (EQT) and C. Edwards (Perry Industries).
“D.C. is more than just politics. We have a rich, Black history that’s inspired audiences around the world, and it’s time to tell more stories that are based here,” Wale told The Hollywood Reporter. “That era in D.C. was internationally famous. The Redskins were winning Super Bowls, the mayor was indicted by the FBI, Joe Biden passed the crime bill, and D.C. had 482 homicides — the highest in the country. At the same time, our regional genre of go-go was thriving, and Def Jam, the label I’m signed to now, was the first major label to sign a go-go band with a song on the Hot 100 produced by Rick Rubin. There was a lot going on, and we want to weave all of these stories together.”
Laidlaw added that the show will offer a perspective audiences haven’t seen before.
“This story is one of the last authentic stories in Black crime lore. People have seen slivers in movies like Paid in Full and read conjecture online, but beneath the surface is an entire world that hasn’t been seen before. We’re trying to show a different dimension of D.C. that is going to wow audiences. If people knew what went on just steps from the White House, it would be a reality check for the world.”
With Silk, Wale now turns his creative vision toward dramatizing one of the most infamous chapters in D.C.’s history, blending crime, culture, and politics into a story that’s both local and universal.
We look forward to learning more about the project.
Photo Credit: Instagram – Wale
