PROMO: Get an Advanced Look at Showtime’s New Drama The Chi

The state of affairs in the city of Chicago gets brought up a lot these days by politicians and media figures alike. But what frequently gets lost in the debate surrounding the city are the stories of the people who actually live there.

The new Showtime drama The Chi aims to remedy that, as it offers a view of Chicago that looks past sensationalist sound bites and broadly painted headlines. Centering on a group of South Side residents, The Chi is a coming-of-age story that explores the humanity of one of the nation’s most talked about but least understood communities.

Created by Emmy Award-winning writer Lena Waithe, The Chi is Executive Produced by Academy Award winner Common. The show features an incredible cast, including Jason Mitchell (Straight Outta Compton), Jacob Latimore (Sleight), Yolanda Ross (The Get Down), Sonya Sohn (The Wire) and Alex R. Hibbert, who stole many a heart with his breathtaking performance in last year’s Best Picture winner Moonlight.

The Chi’s first episode, which was directed by Rick Famuyiwa (Dope), doesn’t debut on Showtime until January 7th at 10 PM, but you can get an advanced look now in the video above. You can also learn more about the show and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.