At last, we're getting a closer look at Issa Rae [1]'s next big TV creation, "Rap Sh!t." Taking viewers down to the 305, the HBO Max series follows two estranged high-school friends, Shawna (Aida Osman) and Mia (KaMillion), who come up with the idea of starting their own rap group. HBO Max released "Rap Sh!t"'s first teaser trailer on June 13, which shows the duo's journey to becoming hip-hop stars in their hometown. "We got the opportunity to have a good time and win," KaMillion's Mia says in the one-minute clip. "We in the middle of a bad-b*tch renaissance."
The team behind "Rap Sh!t" is as star-studded as it gets. Created by Rae, the series includes Yung Miami and JT of City Girls [2] as executive producers, along with Kevin "Coach K" Lee and Pierre "P" Thomas from Quality Control films. "Insecure" writer alum Syreeta Singleton serves as showrunner.
Set to debut in July, "Rap Sh!t" follows the immense success of HBO's "Insecure," [3] which concluded its five-season run [4] in December. Since then, fans of Rae's work have been wondering how she plans to continue her TV legacy. During an interview with Harper's Bazaar [5] in May, Rae talked about her sophomore offering and how it stems from an original "Insecure" script.
Rae's secret love for rap was one of the highlights of her first HBO series, and "Rap Sh!t" expands on that appreciation — on a much bigger scale. "It feels like we're in an era where there's such a supportive environment now because of that abundance," she said of the show's focus on female rappers. "All of that, combined with just my own story of coming up, became the next story that I wanted to tell."
Ahead, find out everything we know about "Rap Sh!t" ahead of its summer premiere, including the full cast, plot, trailer, and release date.
"Rap Sh!t" Plot
"Rap Sh!t" follows two estranged high-school friends (Aida Osman and KaMillion) from Miami who reunite to start their own rap group.
"Rap Sh!t" Cast
Newcomer Aida Osman and rapper KaMillion lead the "Rap Sh!t" cast. Jonica Booth, Devon Terrell, and "The Harder They Fall" and "Emergency" actor RJ Cyler also star in the series.
"Rap Sh!t" Release Date
The Issa Rae-produced series will release its first two episodes on July 21. The eight-episode season will release new episodes weekly on Thursdays until the finale, which airs on Sept. 1.