High school homies Shawna (“Big Mouth” writer Aida Osman) and Mia (Love & Hip Hop’s Kamillion) reconnect years after the two drifted apart after graduation. As both continue to work regular 9 to 5 jobs to make ends meet, they realize they’ve been yearning for something more when they catch up one night.
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Who’s Who?
Issa Rae’s follow-up to “Insecure” has dropped!
“Rap Sh!t” follows ex-high school homies as the two reconnect after a chance encounter at the historic Plymouth Hotel.
Shawna is the most straight-laced between the two and, by day, works as a mild-mannered hotel receptionist at the Plymouth.
When not working, she raps under the Vision moniker, spitting socially-conscious bars on religious allegories and femininity, giving her a modest following.
On the other hand, Mia is a makeup artist/burgeoning social media personality with thousands more followers than her former friend.
When not dolling up her clients, Mia keeps busy by filming live streams as a motivational figure that keeps men in check.
She also has a 4-year-old daughter and a rapper ex played by RJ Cyler, who is barely in the family picture.
Semi-inspired by the City Girls’ meteoric rise to the top, the two begin bonding after going out for drinks at a local restaurant.
Mia expressed why the two may have fallen out as she recalls Shawna as a bookish, know-it-all type.
The show gets real when she reveals that she dropped out of college under the impression that big-time producer Francois Boom would elevate her career.
However, Boom is shown promoting exactly the persona the Vision is against; an Iggy Azalea type named Reina Reign is seen rapping formulaic visuals and rhymes.
Sh!t Gets Real
After airing their dirty laundry on Instagram Live, the two start cheering up when one of their favorite songs, “Get F’d Up” by Iconz comes on.
This sets the catalyst for the duo.
Shawna starts freestyling in a more mainstream style but references many of Mia’s social media, like “Seduce and Scheme.”
While it’s a big departure from her past work, she’s enjoying it more than just spitting by herself.
The following day, she wakes up to her verse going viral on TikTok and is elated watching the uptick in numbers.
The subsequent episode touches on their differing views on following up their viral hit; Shawna believes it’s time to spit something with more substance, while Mia believes more provocative lyrics are the key to their continued success.
Overall, the show has potential longevity if it continues with the same themes and relatability.
There was true acting talent from the relatively new Aida Osman. She was charming in her subdued performance as it added realism to the story.
Her camaraderie with Kamillion’s character, Mia, felt palpable and accurate, especially as the two started reminiscing about old classmates and working on rhymes together.
Fans appear to have taken a liking to the show.
One Twitter user, @Omarkelly posted after watching the show:
“Just checked out @IssaRae Rap Sh!t on @HBO and it has a Miami setting and a ton of flava. Loved it!”
Rap Sh!t Debuts ‘Matter of Time’
LA-based electro-soul band B00TY had their latest single, “Matter of Time” debut in the pilot episode of “Rap Sh!t.”
Since the popular “Insecure,” which premiered in 2016, this is the second time the Standford-graduate producer has created a series for HBO.
