‘Platinum’ hopes for gold

Set in the cutthroat world of rap music, UPN’s new prime-time series “Platinum” launches with plenty of dramatic elements. And not all of them are evident on the TV screen.

There are the two young brothers/entrepreneurs heading up the fledgling Sweetback Entertainment label who find conflict with larger, more powerful rivals, troublesome artists -- and each other.

There’s the rapper character Versis, pronounced versus, who bears more than a passing resemblance to rap bad boy Eminem.

Like the real-life rapper, Versis (played by a similarly mono-monikered actor-rapper Vishiss) has a bit of a problem getting along with people. In the premiere’s opening scene, he ends a disagreement with a music video director by shooing him in a delicate rear area of his body.

But there’s also the inherent drama of the newcomer series, which premieres at 9 tonight, trying to gain traction against CBS’ established hit “Everybody Loves Raymond.” It moves to its regular time slot Tuesday night.

Because of the conflicts built into this urban-oriented show set in the music business, there’s no overlooking the challenges of the television business, embodied by the premiere. “Platinum” is UPN’s most aggressive attempt to develop a hit drama since being placed under the management of CBS, which, like UPN, is a division of Viacom.

Adding to the pressure on the new show is that the network’s current dramatic slate -- ranging from “Enterprise” to “The Twilight Zone” to “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” -- has been ratings-starved.

You wouldn’t know there was pressure from talking with novelist-screenwriter John Ridley, who co-created the series and is an executive producer. Ridley, whose credits include the Gulf War-set film “Three Kings,” said UPN has been extremely supportive of his vision and the series.

“UPN is a great place for this show,” Ridley said. “They keep saying, ‘How can we give this show every advantage?’ and they have not micromanaged at all. I’ve had other experiences in television, and there is really great communication here. [UPN Entertainment President] Dawn Ostroff has fought for two years to get this show on the air.”

Ostroff said “Platinum” is a high priority for the network. “This is a show we’re very excited about. We haven’t had this kind of area explored on television before.”

Added executive producer Bob Greenblatt, “This is a major, character-driven drama that just hasn’t been seen on UPN. It’s got a high concept, just like their science-fiction fare, but there are also bells and whistles in terms of music and hip style that haven’t been seen before.”

One of the keys for the producers, Ridley said, was to make the series authentic and real to the rap world without watering it down for a mainstream audience: “It will have that rap sensibility, but we’re not imitating anyone. We’re not slaves to the hip-hop mentality. We’re creating our own style here.”

Brian Graden, president of MTV and VH1, said he was impressed by the show’s atmosphere, saying it was accurate in capturing the feel of the rap world.

MTV (another division of the omnipresent Viacom) is a partner in the series, and will air episodes eight days after they have been shown on UPN.

“We were really looking for a show that would work in this arena,” Graden said. “We will promote it like one of our shows, which should benefit UPN.”

While Ridley contended that rap fans would be turned on by the music in the series, non-rap fans may be drawn by the show’s unusual conglomerate of executive producers, which includes Francis Ford Coppola and his daughter, director Sofia Coppola, who created the series with Ridley.

“I know it seems like odd bedfellows, but Sofia is really, really into the music scene and really knows what’s up,” he said. “She brought a lot of visual style and other qualities to it. It all works.”

*

‘Platinum’

Where: UPN.

When: Premieres at 9 tonight; regular time slot is Tuesday at 9 p.m.

Rating: The network has rated tonight’s episode TV-PGLSV (may be unsuitable for young viewers, with advisories for coarse language, sex and violence).

Jason George...Jackson Rhames

Sticky Fingaz...Grady Rhames

Steven Pasquale...David Ross

Lalanya Masters...Monica Rhames

Vishiss...Versis