With The CW’s Black Lightning gearing up to hit the small screen next year, the series has moved to cast the ‘big bad’ of its debut season.

As announced by the network themselves, rapper Marvin Jones III, aka Krondon, will be playing the villainous Tobias Whale.

On this news, executive producer Salim Akil enthused, “I was excited about Krondon when I saw his audition. He’s going to make a great Tobias. His authentic street sensibility along with an insightful intelligence is perfect for the Tobias character arc. Not to mention his regal physical bearing will be additive to making our show exciting and different.”

The official blurb on the character has him pegged as “an African-American man with albinism, Tobias Whale is the leader of Freeland’s most feared gang – The 100. But in the days before Black Lightning, Tobias was a politician, rising up the ranks of local government through corrupt and illegal means. That was until he was brought down by Alvin Pierce, Jefferson’s father. Enraged, Tobias murdered Alvin and was driven underground into exile. It’s here he found a place to rebuild, growing into the violent and methodical leader of The 100 as we find him today. But Black Lightning’s recent return has ignited Tobias’ desire to emerge from the shadows and face his biggest adversary, Jefferson Pierce, aka Black Lightning.”

Comic book-wise, Tobias Whale is a longstanding nemesis of Black Lightning, having actually debuted as far back as 1977’s Black Lightning #1.

The CW’s Black Lightning stars Cress Williams as the titular Jefferson Piece/Black Lightning, and so far the series has brought in Nafessa Williams, China Anne McClain, Christine Adams, Damon Gupton, and James Remar. The show is set to debut early next year.