Issa Rae’s (Insecure, The Love Birds) next series for HBO has found its leads. Deadline reports Rae’s Rap Sh*t has cast Jonica Booth (Bad Girls Club), Aida Osman (Keep It, Betty), and KaMillion (VH1’s Love & Hip Hop: Miami) as the main cast. The HBO Max comedy series’ pilot will be directed by Sadé Clacken Joseph (Ponyboi, Knight).
According to Deadline, the series will follow two high school friends who reunite as adults to form a hip-hop group. Set in Florida, Osman will play Shawna, a woman who fuels her dream of becoming a rapper by working a meager day job. KaMillion will play the second half of the rap duo, a single-mother makeup artist named Mia. Booth will play their friend Chastity, a madame of sorts who has dubbed herself the “Duke of Miami.”
Rae will write and executive produce under her Hoorae Productions imprint along with Montrel McKay (Ben Baller, Road Trippp), according to Deadline. In addition to producing the series, Rae’s music imprint, Raedio, will also supervise the show’s music. Hoorae’s Sara Rastogi (Concussion, Enhanced) will co-executive produce. Syreeta Singleton (Central Park, Black Monday) will helm as showrunner and executive produce as well.
According to Deadline, additional executive producers include 3 Arts Entertainment’s Jonathan Berry (The 5th Quarter, Nice White Parents) and Dave Becky (Russian Doll, Master of None). Miami’s own Yung Miami and JT of hip-hop duo City Girls (Period, City on Lock) join as co-executive producers. They are joined by Quality Control Films’ executives Pierre “P” Thomas and Kevin “Coach K” Lee. Thomas and Lee are owners of the City Girl’s music label, Quality Control.
The half-hour comedy is Rae’s second series for HBO, a part of her new overall deal with the WarnerMedia network. Rae is currently filming the fifth and final season of her hit Emmy-nominated comedy, Insecure.