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Issa Rae is ready to return to HBO with a brand new series, Rap Sh!t, diving headfirst into the vibrant world of hip-hop amidst the chaos of Miami nightlife. The eight-episode series will debut on HBO Max on July 21, 2022, at 9 pm EST. The show will drop two episodes at once on its debut day and then continue to drop one episode every Thursday till September.
The comedy series will follow two high school friends, Shawna (Aida Osman) and Mia (KaMillion) from Miami, who embark on a quest to form a rap group. HBO dropped a full-length trailer earlier this month, which aptly shows the vibrant chemistry between the two leads and the life-filled streets of Miami that will be an integral part of the story.
Alongside being the show's creator, Issa Rae also wrote the premiere episode. Read on for more details about Rap Sh!t ahead of its debut this week.
Rap Sh!t trailer: Taking things beyond the male gaze, exploring the struggles of stardom and more
The beautifully made trailer for Rap Sh!t showcases both the premise and the central struggle at the same time. Beginning with an introduction by Issa Rae, the graphically colorful trailer jumps in to show how two friends reunite and decide to start a rap group.
It also showcases the struggle between artistic integrity and fame. The trailer makes it clear how by sacrificing morals and being an accessory to the male gaze, female artists can reach stardom, but the struggle begins when the artists try to be more than a sellout.
Alongside the crisis and the origin story, the trailer showcases the vibrant Miami lifestyle that is sure to play a big role in the series. The entire trailer was also backed by some brilliant hip-hop music, making it even more intriguing. Rap Sh!t's primary struggle seems to be the effort to stay true to oneself in the ever-changing world of music stardom.
Who all are in the Rap Sh!t? A full cast list
The two main characters in Rap Sh!t are Aida Osman as Shawna and KaMillion as Mia. Issa was looking for authenticity when casting the actors. In an interview with Harper's Bazaar, the Emmy-nominated actress said that casting Mia was easy, owing to KaMillion's personality:
"She embodied everything that we're looking for in this character. She's actually a rapper in real life, which scared me a little bit at first, because I wanted Mia to be her own person. I don't want people to necessarily look at her and have it all feel familiar."
Finding Shawna, however, was a more difficult endeavor. Aida Osman originally came on board as a writer, but while working, Issa found the character she was looking for in Aida:
"But Aida was a funny rapper and self-deprecating but confident at the same time. Through Aida, we found who Shawna is. We actually hired Aida as a writer before we cast her in the show, but we just could not get her out of our mind, and after the chemistry test between her and KaMillion, it was a no-brainer."
Other major cast members include Jonica Booth, Devon Terrell, RJ Cyler, Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut, Daniel Augustin, Amandla Jahava, and Jaboukie Young-White.
The first two episodes of the show will drop on July 21, 2022, on HBO Max.
