History is full of people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time because of the wrong person, and Kemba Smith happened to be one of these people. In the new movie appropriately titled Kemba, her trying story is put on full display.
She was once a sheltered college student who fell in love with drug kingpin at the height of America’s war on drugs. While she herself never dealt or handled illicit drugs, she unfortunately fell victim to her boyfriend’s felonious career and a fractured justice system, and was sentenced to an outrageous prison sentence. Interested in learning more?
Here’s everything we know about Kemba.
Kemba release date
Kemba premieres exclusively on BET Plus on Thursday, February 22. Those interested in watching the movie will need a subscription to the streaming service. A BET Plus subscription also gets you access to other movies like Love & Murder: Atlanta Play Boy and Christmas Angel, and TV series like The Ms. Pat Show and Diarra from Detroit.
At the time of publication, there was no official announcement about the movie debuting in the UK. Should we get new information about a UK release, we’ll pass along the update.
Kemba plot
Here is the official synopsis of Kemba:
"Based on the true story of Kemba Smith, Kemba follows the journey of a sheltered college student who falls in love with a man, only to find out he isn’t who he seems. When Kemba learns of her boyfriend Khalif’s true identity as a drug kingpin, he turns abusive—grooming straight-laced Kemba to overlook his illicit dealings. Though she never dealt or handled drugs, in a tragic turn of events, Kemba receives an outrageous sentence for her boyfriend’s crimes—placing her in the middle of the government’s ‘war on drugs.’ Never losing hope, her parents, Gus and Odessa Smith, along with an attorney with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund launch a campaign for appeal and later clemency, harnessing the power of Black civic organizations, sororities, celebrities and lawmakers to help free Kemba."
Kemba cast
Kemba sees Nesta Cooper playing the titular star. Cooper is a familiar face in Hollywood having appeared in TV shows like See, Travelers and Supergirl. She’s also starred in movies such as Cold Copy and Bliss.
Joining Cooper in Kemba are Siddiq Saunderson (Wu-Tang: An American Saga), Michelle Hurd (Star Trek: Picard) and Sean Patrick Thomas (Till).
Kemba trailer
The trailer certainly makes this story a must-watch pick for BET Plus. Check out the video clip below.
