After Shade Room plug, Delaware library to host 'Power' star Omari Hardwick for free event

After drawing attention from popular media outlet The Shade Room last month, Wilmington Public Library will close its 2023 celebrity-guest speaker series with a bang this week.

The next celebrity on deck to visit Delaware's coolest library is "Power" lead actor Omari Hardwick. He's in the building on Thursday, Nov. 9.

This event is free. Seating is limited and first come, first served.

Who is Omari Hardwick in 'Power'?

Hardwick is best known as James "Ghost" St. Patrick on the Starz crime drama "Power." The show was produced by rapper 50 Cent (Curtin Jackson) and was Starz's most-watched series.

"Power" ran for six seasons through 2020 and it follows Ghost, a married man with New York's most popular nightclub. He's also a kingpin of a massive drug operation, which creates problems. 

Many fans of the show still argue that "Power" is a better series than "BMF," another program 50 Cent produces.

Hardwick has appeared in a number of other projects like "Kick-Ass," "CSI: Miami" and "Army of the Dead," according to IMDB.

Omari Hardwick shares rap song on Instagram

The actor also raps and shared an Instagram post of him spitting bars this week. Many of his fans supported the tune.

"Okkkkk!!!!! Let ‘em know Ghost! Lol but nah the versatility is great also just watched the movie with you and Jennifer Lopez, loved it just wished you were in it until the end," a fan wrote on his page.

"It’s fire. If there was some layered vocals it would be more fire," another fan added.

"This why u not on Power? Because u too busy focusing on your rap career?" an annoyed commenter said.

Hardwick's appearance at the Wilmington Public Library concludes a big year for the Delaware institution that attracted high-profile guests including Slick Rick, Master P, Phylicia Rashad, KRS-One, Kenny Lattimore and Judge Faith, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, Nikki Giovanni and former Sen. Doug Jones.

The Shade Room is linked to Wilmington Public Library?

Last month, the library also hosted "Kims of Comedy," an event that featured entertainers Kim Fields, Kym Whitley, Kim Wayans and Kim Coles on Oct. 27.

The free event was created just for the Wilmington Public Library, and it took the audience behind the scenes of what it's like to be a Black female comedian.

That event caught the attention of The Shade Room, a popular news outlet that boasts over 37 million followers on social media.

TSR discovered the library because comedian Kim Coles shared a post about the jam-packed event on social media, thanking the Wilmington library. TSR shared Coles' post.

Kim Coles praises Wilmington Public Library

Coles originally wrote: "This is THE moment that no one gets to see: When performers are backstage getting ready to share, their light, wisdom, and joy with an audience.

"These backstage moments are often not glamorous or fancy but are the times when we get to connect and reflect before being with all the beautiful people out there!

"Thanks WILMINGTON library for hosting the 'Kims of Comedy' event. One of us is really a Kym but you get the idea!"

Coles also teased the idea of doing an official "Kims of Comedy" tour.

"We shared. We laughed. We learned from each other and it was an epic night! I think we need to put the show on the road!!!  What city do you think we should bring it to next?" Coles wrote on social media.

There's no guarantee that the Wilmington Public Library will get more love from TSR this week. But at the very least, Hardwick's appearance likely will "sell out." So make sure to show up early if you want to score a spot.

Wilmington Public Library (10 E. 10th St., Wilmington) at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9. Admission is free. Visit wilmington.lib.de.us or call (302) 571-7400.  

If you have an interesting story idea, email lifestyle reporter Andre Lamar at alamar@gannett.com. Consider signing up for his weekly newsletter, DO Delaware, at delawareonline.com/newsletters.

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This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Actor Omari Hardwick comes to Delaware for free event. What to know