Urban One is bringing a refreshing new series filled with suspense in this new TikTok microdrama, ‘Power & Influence’. We break down who is playing your favorite characters in this cast guide of Power & Influence.
AI-generated content is on the rise, with many short videos being pushed to your feeds. Urban One is joining the trend and leveraging social media to get new audiences, but going the extra mile by creating quality content. Urban One aims to boost its online visibility, leaving room for TV adaptations and promotions.
Synopsis
The story is set in a corporate environment, told through the eyes of Zuri Reynolds, who works in digital at a creative agency. Hopeful for a promotion, she gets excited to pitch a new strategy to stakeholders. Her dreams are soon dashed. Her ceo, Nia Whitmore, and Ray, are not supportive of her idea to incorporate AI until they get attacked by a deepfake.
The series premiered on October 19, and you can catch the latest episode on BOSSIP’s TikTok page (@BossipTok). Before that, get to meet the cast leaving fans intrigued in this new compelling series. The cast of Urban One new TikTok series includes Ivory Shields as CEO Nia Whitmore, Tanazia Madan (credited as Tenia Madan) as creative strategist Zuri Reynolds, alongside Jay Jones, De’Tuan Williams, Ashley Silva (Ashley Brittney), and Donnie Carrington.
The TikTok series is perfect for quick consumption, fitting today’s audience who have short attention spans and enjoy short-form content. The strategy is perfect for this digital age, where social media is the go-to for many people. The strategy is already paying off, with episode one reaching 251k views. Three episodes released so far have averaged about 170k views. This shows how good storytelling and micro-sized content can be a powerful combination for success via social media distribution.
The story is written by the writer behind Lovecraft Country, Dreux Dougall. Jamal Simmons is credited as the director, and you might remember him from “Married at First Sight”, and Ma’at Zachary as the executive producer.
iONE Digital’s Senior Vice President of Content, Allison McGevna, shared, “We are creating stories specifically for the way our audiences watch today.” Further, she added, “From the writing to the pacing and production, these microseries are built for mobile viewing, with compelling characters and stories that keep viewers coming back.”
Meet the cast of Urban One’s TikTok Drama ‘Power & Influence’
Ivory Shields
Ivory Shields appears as Nia Whitmore, a CEO of a company in Atlanta. Known for her firm methods, she leads a corporation that specialises in advertising.
Despite undergoing a recent divorce, the stunning 40-year-old is showing there’s more to offer. Positioning herself as a motivational speaker, she uses her Instagram to share love and light. Taking fans through her rebuilding chapter, she urges others to push through difficult moments.
Tanazia Madan
Another main cast member, Zuri Reynolds is played by Tanazia Madan. She works at the agency Nia Whitmore. She is a creative strategist and gets involved in a deepfake scandal.
Madan got her first screen role in 2013, and her last appearance was in “Act Bigger” (2024). Her other works include Nappily Ever After (2018) and Making It Big: Dream Big.
Jay Jones
He plays Chris Whitmore, the husband of Nia Whitmore. He is also the cofounder of the agency and helps with administrative affairs alongside the CEO.
He is also an entrepreneur and coach.
De’Tuan Williams
He plays Ray, a staff member at the agency led by Nia Whitmore. Along the way, he would face circumstances that leads him to make questionable decisions
Being an hard worker and show chasing, he appeared in over 10 films in 2025 alone including “The Jealous Son” as Damian, “Through Sickness and Hell” as Justin Keene, “Dead Before Christmas” as Marcus King, and “Looking for a Sponsor” as West.
Ashley Silva (Ashley Brittney):
She is cast in the role of Amina Collins. She is ataff at agency who is loyal to the company and put its best interets at heart.
When she is not on screen, she is running her beauty brand, Ashton Monroe Beauty which was launched in 2024. As a creative, she express her craft through her writings and is behind the motivational book, “DO THAT SH!T”. She also writes scripts for films and her most recent work is “My Husband’s Sister”.
Donnie Carrington
Carrington appears as Dominic, an important character who makes the office mood better.
He is also an entrepreneur and the brain behind the fashion brand, D&K Suit City. His most popular works include BMF, The Originals and The Vampire Diaries.
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