The UB Interview + Exclusive Preview: Cast of ‘G.R.I.T.S.’ Talk New Series

The hot new original ALLBLK series “G.R.I.T.S.” launched last month, exclusively on ALLBLK, with a brand new episode today.

UB has already coined “G.R.I.T.S.” the Best new series of the year.

The series has everything from exceptional writing, extraordinary acting and not to mention, three leading Black chocolate ladies from Memphis.

The 8-episode series follows three friends navigating life, ambition and womanhood in the South.

Heartfelt, funny and real…this series is a love letter to friendship, self-discovery and the grit it takes to grow up and glow up in Memphis, TN.

G.R.I.T.S. (Girls Raised in the South) follows Keisha (Jasmine Sargent), Ty (Ashanti Harris) and Francis (Aja “Slimeroni” Canyon), three young women coming of age in Memphis.

Determined to define the next chapter in their lives, they find solace in their favorite pastime: roller skating.

As they navigate grief, love, hustle and the underbelly of the city threatening to pull them down, a skating competition with life-changing prize money offers a glimmer of hope.

In a world where the rink is their escape and survival is a full-time job, they rely on sisterhood and skating to outrun their past and build something real.

When all else fails, lace up and skate until you can’t skate anymore.

Jasmine Sargent is a dynamic actress making waves across film and television with a versatile mix of heart, humor, and depth. She currently stars as Keisha on the ALLBLK series G.R.I.T.S. (Girls Raised In The South) further cementing her place as a rising force in the industry.

Most recently, Jasmine recurred in the ALLBLK series Judge Me Not, produced by the Honorable Judge Lynn Toler, and appeared in a multi-season recurring role on The CW’s Dynasty. She also led The Day Ones—SoundCloud’s first original film—demonstrating her ability to carry a project across emerging platforms.

Next, Jasmine will star in Doing Life, coming to Netflix in 2026. She also had a memorable guest-starring turn on Tyler Perry’s House of Payne (BET+), highlighting her comedic timing.

With each project, Jasmine continues to prove herself as a bold, versatile talent with an exciting career ahead.

Ashanti Harris is an actress and dancer based in Atlanta, Georgia, proudly repping her hometown of Macon everywhere she goes. She graduated from Columbus State University with a degree in Exercise Science, but always knew her true calling was in entertainment. When she moved to Atlanta in 2017, she entered the industry through dance and quickly built an impressive resume, with credits including The Game, Coming 2 America, The Color Purple, American Soul, Wild ’N Out, and more.

While dance is her first love, Ashanti has also made a powerful impact as an actress. Her acting credits include A La Carte, Finding Happy, Plugged, Fatal Lust,Tough Love: Atlanta, and others. She is also a stunt performer, having earned four awards for her work, which is something she takes great pride in as it showcases her strength, discipline, and versatility.

Most recently, Ashanti stars as one of the leads in the coming-of-age drama series G.R.I.T.S. on ALLBLK, further solidifying her presence as a rising force in television.

However, Ashanti says her greatest role is being a mother to her daughter, River Blossom — a 6-year-old actress and recording artist who stars on Poppa’s House alongside the Wayans family and has appeared on Abbott Elementary and Reasonable Doubt. Being a mother fuels Ashanti’s drive, purpose, and the legacy she is building every day.

A multi-hyphenate talent with unstoppable work ethic, Ashanti lives by one truth:

She stays ready, so she never has to get ready.

Aja (Slimeroni) Canyon is a Memphis native artist best known for the hit gold record Shabooya & many other songs featuring collabs from major artists & producers.

Now 28 living in Atlanta, Slime (as she usually goes by) is venturing off into acting, the arts, & many more things in the foreseeable future.

Aries from UB spoke with the stars of “G.R.I.T.S., Ashanti Harris, Jasmine Sargent, and Aja “Slimeroni” Canyon about the new series.

The ladies dish on the new hot series, plus tell us about their characters.

Ashanti shares what she wants people to take away from the series, while Jasmine & Aja share what it’s like working along side Deji LaRay & Thomas Q. Jones.

Plus the ladies get candid on what it means to them, being three Brown skin leads in a series.

They share how they got into acting and much more!