J. Cole is one of the mainstream artists in hip-hop, who never has a problem speaking his mind and taking a stance for what he believes in. He’s done so through his music since the beginning of his career, and as of late, he’s taken his talents to the television and movie screen too.

His latest move will come in the form of a new TV docuseries titled Raising Bertie, set to air on PBS on August 28th. The J. Cole-executive produced docuseries followed around three young black men from Cole’s home state of North Carolina named Reginald “Junior” Askew, David “Bud” Perry and Davonte “Dada” Harrell.

In Raising Bertie, you learn about the personal struggles that these three brave men faced, but also the many societal issues hitting rural Bertie County as a whole. From poverty, to racism, to lack of education, Raising Bertie will take an in-depth look at the systemic issues plaguing the community.

Thankfully someone as prominent as J. Cole decided to put this real-life story in front of the eyes of many.

Filmmaker Margaret Byrne, who directed the series, had this to say:

“I didn’t want to focus on stories of the exceptional,” she said. “The truth is, I made a film about three kids I met and I cared about. The individuals in this story are representative of their community and they matter.”

Watch the trailer below and be sure to tune in on August 28th on PBS to see the TV premiere.