Brothers and record industry moguls Jackson and Grady Rhames are the archetype of rags-to-riches success after building their company, Sweetback Entertainment, from the ground up.
Set in New York City against the backdrop of the glamorous hip-hop lifestyle, the series portrays a cutthroat and sometimes dangerous business notorious for its flashy stars with money to burn and ruthless record executives who stop at nothing to make it big.
[9] Josh Friedman of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "The hip-hop industry saga Platinum feels as fresh and exhilarating as an HBO discovery, but, yep, that is broadcast TV you’re watching.
[4][3] In a retrospective commentary, Jon Caramanica of The New York Times said the show was a forerunner to the 2015 hit series Empire, which also concerned a family-owned hip-hop label.
[3] Caramanica called Platinum a rarity for its time as it was "an hour-length network drama revolving around black characters who came from a range of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.