Yesterday, we heard word that HBO is working with Calvin Harris, Trainspotting scribe Irvine Welsh, and a production conglomerate that features Will Smith and Jay Z's Marcy Media to create a half-hour "electronic music comedy series," Higher. We're not sure if this is named after the Baauer and Just Blaze single that Hov was featured on, but Jay Z even being attached to this project is interesting. It comes around the time that Marcy Media is attached to another out of the box project, Annie (although Annie isn't completely out of leftfield, considering that it was sample material for one of Jay's biggest hits, "Hard Knock Life"). While there's history there between Jay and Annie, WTF does Jay know about electronic music?
Maybe we're just being protective of this thing of ours, but we're on the fence with this news. It could be awesome—Trainspotting is a modern classic, and the bible to some movie buffs. And depending on the slant, getting someone like Calvin Harris to be a part of the show could be a good move. Are they going for a "life and times of a superstar DJ" thing? If so, Calvin's the highest paid DJ in the world right now, so it makes sense. But the big question is: How much of a factor can Jay Z be in this show's success? Will his storied influence on pop culture help catapult Higher into the stratosphere, or will he be helping this show die a quick death? We figured it was time to focus on the pros and cons of Jay Z's involvement on this show. Maybe it can work... or maybe this thing will tank.