‘Power Book II: Ghost’s Michael Rainey Jr. Admits Tariq Definitely ‘Regrets’ Killing Ghost

Tariq’s reign is just beginning in ‘Power Book II: Ghost.’ HL spoke EXCLUSIVELY to Michael Rainey Jr. about Tariq’s regret about killing Ghost, romance being on the horizon, and more.

Power Book II: Ghost is the first of many Power spinoffs and it premieres Sept. 6 on Starz. The series picks up in the aftermath of Ghost’s death. Tasha’s in prison and Tariq is going to college. In order to get his hands on the money in Ghost’s will, Tariq has to graduate with a 3.5 GPA. HollywoodLife talked EXCLUSIVELY with Michael Rainey Jr. about what to expect in the spinoff and Tariq’s feelings about killing his father.

“I mean, you know, it’s his father. I don’t think Tariq ever really wanted to kill his father,” Michael told HollywoodLife. “It was more he had to what he had to do type thing. You know how Ghost told Breeze was in the way, so I gave him a chance and he forced my hand. That’s basically what Tariq did. Ghost told him he would go to jail for the Ray Ray thing and then Ghost changed his mind, and now he’s telling Tariq to go to jail. So he couldn’t let Ghost get in front of his future. Obviously, he definitely regrets it, but it’s just like: what can he change about it? He had to do what he had to do to protect him and his mother as well.”

Tasha took the blame for Ghost’s death, and now she’s serving time. As his mother sits in prison, Tariq’s guilt will weigh on him. “You’ll definitely see it in the episodes how [with] Tariq it’s just not sitting well with him that his mother took the fall for him,” Michael continued. “It’s his mother, you know? She shouldn’t have to really do stuff like that. She did what Ghost said he would do, so I just feel like Tariq feels bad it’s his mom and she shouldn’t have to go through this. But Tasha loves her son. She just wants to make sure he has a good future, he goes to school, so it’s those type of things.”

In Power Book II: Ghost, Tariq will find himself wrapped up in the drug world as he tries to get his hands on money to get his mother out of prison. He’ll cross paths with Mary J. Blige’s Monet over the course of the season and making big moves that are reminiscent of his late father.

“He’s definitely getting smarter,” Michael said. “He’s making those man decisions that he has to make. As far as the drug business goes, he’s still learning and he’s balancing it out with the school as well because he’s got to study and get those good grades and graduate with a 3.5 GPA, so it’s like two worlds he’s juggling.”

Tariq is in college, so what about romance? There will be some romantic developments for Tariq this season. “He has a few options. He’s young right now so he has to figure out which one is the best for him,” Michael teased. Power Book II: Ghost will air Sundays on Starz.