( 4UMF NEWS ) 4UMF Exclusive With Maino Wyclef And Jack Thriller:

Brooklyn emcee Maino is taking his talents and hitting the stage but it’s not one he is known for. The “That Could Be Us” rapper is set to star in the upcoming hip-hop musical Freedom.

The play is based on the real life story of David Ranta, a Brooklyn man who was freed last month after serving 23 years in prison for a murder conviction. Ranta was found guilty in the 1991 botched robbery and murder of Brookyln Rabbi Chaskel Werzberger. A hot button issue that needs to be addressed by lawmakers, Freedom aims to shine a spotlight on similar cases like Ranta’s across the country.

“Jurors go into a trial thinking that if a defendant was seen committing a crime, and they confessed to doing the crime, they are guilty,” read Freedom’s press release. “However, statistics show that in 25 percent of the cases where the defendant was exonerated because of DNA, they had made incriminating statements, confessed, or plead guilty.”

Maino will be joined on stage by actress Felecia Gorham and lyricist/composer Chi-Ill.

Held at the intimate The Slipper Room in downtown Manhattan, VIP guests and industry insiders were invited to an exclusive preview of Freedom.

4UMF caught up with Maino who spoke about how he prepared for the role, his personal experiences with the jail system and his latest music project with the Mafia.

Check it out: http://4umf.com/4umf-exclusive-with-maino-wyclef-and-jack-thriller/