Kevin Hart will reminisce on his upbringing in North Philadelphia through a new cartoon streaming on BET+ this spring.
"Lil Kev," a half-hour show created by the Emmy-nominated comedian for BET+ through his Hartbeat entertainment company, will be the first adult animated series on the streamer. The series, set in 1993 Philly, follows a 12-year-old Hart whose youthful optimism continuously collides with the harsh realities of his neighborhood.
"What happens when you mix ‘90s Philly, a young me with a wild imagination? Chaos, nonstop laughs, and pure comedy gold," Hart wrote on Instagram. "... This is 12-year-old me navigating crazy misadventures, where my dreams get bigger, and life gets crazier by the day."
Along with Hart playing a tween version of himself in the titular role, the series will feature comedian Wanda Sykes — who lives part time in Delaware County and has become one of the city's leading voices in a push to establish a WNBA team — as his "hardworking and God-fearing" single mother Nancy, who works as an ER nurse.
The cast of characters also includes his Uncle Richard Jr., played by comedian Deon Cole, who is Nancy's "formerly incarcerated, fully-ripped, hustling" younger brother. Additional casting is yet to be announced, with Hart teasing on Instagram that there are "surprise voices you won't believe." Other "Lil Kev" characters will include Hart's "mischievous older brother" Robert and his "trainwreck father" Henry.
While Hart seeks to satirize and add humor to the dark experiences of his youth through "Lil Kev," much of the premise rings true. In real life, Hart and his older brother Robert were raised by their mother, Nancy, a computer analyst at the University of Pennsylvania who died from cancer in 2007. Through his stand-up and his 2017 memoir, Hart has previously opened up about the tough aspects of his upbringing in North Philly, when his father, Henry Witherspoon, missed much of his childhood due to serving time in jail and his struggles with addiction.
The premiere date for "Lil Kev" has not been revealed, but is set for spring. BET+ offers plans starting at $5.99 per month.
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