Fans of 50 Cent’s “Power” franchise may have been first introduced to Michael Rainey Jr. in 2014 for his breakout role as Tariq James St. Patrick, but his acting days started years before. In an interview with Forbes’ “New Money” podcast, the actor recalled landing his first movie, “Un Altro Mondo (Another World),” at age 9 in 2010.
Learning about money
Rainey, 23, started his acting career at a very young age, and he credits his mother with helping him to learn how to handle money by proactively saving what he earned from his acting roles. In the Forbes podcast, the actor said his mother always helped him to save his money, acknowledging that he did not know how much money he was making until his late teens. “My mom really did a good job of putting money away from me,” he noted, thankful for her guidance as he didn’t know what he wanted to do with the money when he was younger. He added that his mother did a good job ensuring that “a lot of it” was saved for when he reached an age where he realized what he could do. He told Forbes that his his smartest purchase decisions to date have been Bitcoin, Ethereum, and real estate. He also bought a Porsche 911 Turbo S, which he does not consider a “dumb purchase,” although he realizes some people might think so. Rainey explained that he is putting some entrepreneurial energy toward monetizing the passion he has for cars by starting a car channel called “22 PSI.” The channel will focus on “the craziest car builds” from around the world.
The life of a young actor
Michael Rainey Jr. was born in 2000 in Louisville, Kentucky, to Michael Rainey Sr and Shauna Small. He claims his Jamaican heritage through his mother. Rainey was raised on Staten Island in New York from the time he was one year of age, and he was homeschooled by his mother. Rainey’s first role was in the film, “Un Altro Mondo (Another World,” in 2010, but his exposure to acting began when a talent agent contacted his mother, saying “Your son has a great face for acting or modeling. Does he do any of that?’” His mother’s response was “No,” but just a week later, the agent and his mother met and started getting auditions for the youngster on television shows like “Sesame Street.” Rainey is best known for his role as “Tariq St Patrick” in the popular “Power Book IV: Force” series in which he has had a lead role on show since 2020, but he also featured as “Michael Burset” in a recurring role in seven episodes of “Orange Is the New Black” between 2013 and 2015. He has also featured in many films, including “Un Altro Mondo,” “Waiting Room,” and “Sunny & Share Love You” in 2010 when he was just nine years old. In 2012, he appeared in “LUV,” in 2013, “The Butler,” and in 2014, “Second Chance Christmas.” He featured in “Barbershop: The Next Cut” in 2016 and followed that with “Amateur” and “211” in 2018.
Activities beyond acting
Rainey joined with his co-star on “Power,” Gianni Paolo, to create Twenty-Two Entertainment. Its first project was a podcast hosted by the stars, “The Crew Has It.” The enterprise is funded by Artists For Artists, an organization established in 2021 by Kenan Thompson and John Ryan Jr. Rainey’s philanthropic activity includes support of “Find and Feed,” an organization based in Indiana that provides care for the homeless.
