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It’s too bad landlords don’t accept face cards are payment for rent — if they did, Keke Palmer and Sza wouldn’t have caught themselves in such a tight spot in the first trailer for their upcoming comedy film One of Them Days.

In theaters Jan. 24, the Lawrence Lamont-directed film stars Palmer and Sza as best friends and roommates Dreux and Alyssa. The pair find their friendship and the roof over their head put at risk when Alyssa’s boyfriend makes off with their rent. When their landlord...

Keke Palmer and Sza’s highly-anticipated team-up movie is coming to theaters next January.

The TriStar Pictures movie — produced by Issa Rae’s Hoorae, written by Syreeta Singleton and directed by Lawrence Lamont — will get a theatrical release on Jan. 24, 2025.

The title for the R-rated comedy and other plot details are still being kept under wraps, but the supporting cast includes Lil Rel Howery, Janelle James, Keyla Monterroso Mejia, Maude Apatow, Katt Williams, Joshua Neal, Aziza Scott, Patrick Cage and Amin Joseph. Last month, Variety exclusively announced the additions of Dewayne Perkins, Joseph, Gabrielle Dennis and DomiNque Perry to round out the cast.

The film began from the CoCre lab at Sony Pictures, a previous pact between ColorCreative and Sony Pictures to source and incubate emerging, diverse screenwriters to develop and write their first studio feature based on original ideas. Moreover, the entire project has developed based on mutual connections.

Nothing like a little decapitation to ring in the spooky season! Expanding on one of its most beloved showcases, “Mind F*ck Night” the Lower East Side Film Festival is unveiling a new, three-day pop-up festival called “Off/Season.” The series will focus on terrifying, mind-altering, genre-defying cinema and feature a curated selection of advanced screenings, retrospectives, short films, as well as filmmaker Q&As and receptions, all held at the Alamo Drafthouse, Lower Manhattan location from October 2-4.

In honor of the film’s 60th anniversary, “Off/Season” is proud to present “Strait-Jacket” from B-Movie horror master William Castle. Featuring screen legend Joan Crawford, this “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?” follow-up continued the star’s decent into hagsploitation, but has become a cult classic in its own right, with her madly swinging an axe becoming one of cinema’s most iconic images. Castle’s daughter, Terry Castle, will be...

Exclusive: Manager and producer Doreen Wilcox Little has joined Echo Lake Entertainment after more than a decade at Anonymous Content.

A protégé of Steve Golin, Wilcox Little executive produced Killer Joe during her run at Anonymous, the thrilling drama directed by her late client Oscar winner William Friedkin, starring Matthew McConaughey. She was also an EP on Mapplethorpe, the biopic about the iconic photographer, directed by award-winning documentary filmmaker Ondi Timoner. Wilcox Little’s film credits include the adaptation of Mason Deaver’s YA novel, I Wish You All The Best, written and directed by her client Tommy Dorfman. Alongside the Oscar-winning producers at Macro, Wilcox Little is currently producing I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter for Orion Pictures. The film adaptation of the popular novel is being directed by Oscar-nominated actress America Ferrera this year.

Wilcox Little’s client roster includes notable actors such as Sophie Thatcher, known for her roles in Yellowjackets,...

Showrunner Mara Brock Akil launched the artist’s residency The Writers Colony several years ago and is now expanding her efforts, launching a new program on the set of her upcoming Netflix series Forever.

Akil has launched the Shadow Program that will see alumni from The Writers Colony join her on the set of the Judy Blume adaptation Forever with the hope of providing hands-on experience and insights into television productions. In addition to experiences on set, the participants will receive mentorship and networking opportunities.

Forever is an adaptation of the Blume novel of the same name and will star Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr. as two teens who are each other’s first loves.

“With the launch of The Writers’ Colony Shadow Program, we are furthering our commitment to our writers by moving them from crafting stories on the page to intentionally and collaboratively building worlds on set.

Max has done it again. The Warner Bros. Discovery streamer has canceled another one of their masterful, underappreciated shows, this time the enthralling, cross-cultural crime period piece “Tokyo Vice.” The news was announced at the PGA’s Produced By conference by the show’s creator and executive producer J.T. Rogers and executive producer and director Alan Poul during a panel with Max original programming chief, Sarah Aubrey.

Despite the series’ short run, the panelists indicated that this was a mutual decision.

“We’re grateful not only to Max, but to our partners Fifth Season, who sold the show around the world, and made it a global success story,” Rogers and Poul wrote in join statement shared by Variety. “They were in the trenches with us always, guaranteeing that we could make the show we wanted to make. The response from both the press and from fans, in particular to Season 2, has been overwhelming.

Max is getting off the bus.

The Warner Bros. Discovery-backed streamer has canceled The Girls on the Bus after a single season on the platform. The Warner Bros. TV-produced drama, originally developed at Netflix and The CW before landing at the studio’s streaming counterpart, wrapped its 10-episode run May 9.

“While Max will not be moving forward with a second season of The Girls on the Bus, we are grateful to have partnered with immensely talented Amy Chozick, Julie Plec, Rina Mimoun, as well as the teams at Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television. We are so proud of this powerful story of found family and the celebration of journalism, in all its forms. We thank them and our unrivaled cast for all their incredible work and collaboration,” Max said in a statement to THR.

Inspired by a chapter in journalist Amy Chozick’s book Chasing Hillary, Girls on...

Exclusive: Universal Pictures has rounded out the cast of its coming-of-age musical teaming director Michel Gondry and producer Pharrell Williams with four additions: Tim Meadows (Dream Scenario), Jaboukie Young-White (C’mon C’mon), Jamilah Rosemond (Rustin) and Jayson Lee (61st Street).

Details as to the roles of the newcomers are under wraps, as all roles so far have been. Set in Virginia Beach in the summer of 1977, the untitled film is inspired by the neighborhood where Williams grew up, and its Atlantis Apartments, in particular.

Kelvin Harrison Jr. leads an ensemble that also includes Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Halle Bailey, Brian Tyree Henry, Missy Elliott, and Janelle Monáe.

Written by Martin Hynes and Steven Levenson, the musical will be produced by Williams and Mimi Valdés for i am Other, as well as Gil Netter for Gil Netter Productions. Universal’s Senior Vice President of Production Development Ryan Jones and Director of...

Ben Stiller is assuring “Severance” fans that Season 2 is still on its way, more than two years since the Apple TV+ series rolled out its acclaimed first season.

Stiller responded to show super-fan Sza on Twitter, after the singer-songwriter called out the series director and executive producer.

“Was trying to be polite but I really need a new season of ‘Severance’ right the fuck now,” Grammy winner Sza tweeted (via Complex).

Stiller replied, “Ok ok got it,” to which Sza clarified, “Omg please accept my humble apology lmao whenever ur ready is fine. Just dying of thirst it’s the best show ever! Ur a madman. Thank U mr stiller king sir!”

In later tweets, Sza even apologized and quote tweeted a fan who said she should understand how it feels now whenever someone asks her when she’s going to drop her next album.

“No this really taught me something…...

An epic trifecta has formed around an upcoming TriFecta Pictures comedy. With Hollywood force Issa Rae at the helm as producer, the currently untitled film will star the triple-threat actress Keke Palmer and Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Sza, according to Deadline.

The film will reunite creators from the Max original series Rap Sh!t, which was produced by Rae and scrapped at the network after two seasons. Director Lawrence Lamont will direct the film with a screenplay from showrunner Syreeta Singleton. It will mark Singleton’s studio feature debut.

Sza...

Isaa Rae has a buzzy new buddy comedy in the works starring Keke Palmer and Grammy winner Sza, IndieWire has confirmed.

Rae is set to produce the untitled feature for TriStar Pictures. Rae’s “Rap Sh!t” director Lawrence Lamont will direct the film using a screenplay by “Rap Sh!t” showrunner Syreeta Singleton. The project hailed from the ColorCreative’s lab at Sony Pictures as part of a program between ColorCreative and Columbia Pictures to foster emerging diverse screenwriters’ first studio features.

Palmer will executive produce through her Big Boss banner along with Sharon Palmer. Rae and Sara Diya Rastogi will produce through Rae’s banner Hoorae; ColorCreative’s Deniese Davis and Charles D. King and MacRo Film Studios’ James Lopez and Poppy Hanks also produce. Singleton is co-producing.

Palmer and Sza did a December 2022 “Saturday Night Life” together — Palmer as host and Sza as her musical guest.

The...

Fifty years ago, “Good Times” became the first sitcom to depict a two-parent Black American family. Now, Netflix is debuting a present-day animated reboot chronicling the Evanses two generations after the original. Set in Chicago’s Cabrini Green projects in the same apartment from the 1970s dramedy, the series follows Reggie (J.B. Smoove), his wife Beverly (Yvette Nicole Brown) and their children, Junior (Jay Pharoah), Grey (Marsai Martin) and Dalvin (Slink Johnson). Black people aren’t a monolith, and respectability politics certainly aren’t the answer to racism, sexism, bigotry and homophobia. Yet it’s puzzling that this mind-numbing series is how creator Ranada Shepard is paying homage to such a classic show while trying to speak to 21st-century Black people. It’s also very clear why Netflix decided against sending out screeners for review.

In the season opener, “Meet the Evans of New,” we learn about the new occupants of apartment 17C.

“I come as one, I stand as 10,000,” Diarra Kilpatrick said through tears at the premiere of Diarra From Detroit in Los Angeles on Wednesday night as she thanked the cast, crew and executives at BET for their work in bringing her new series to life.

Premiering on BET+ on Thursday, the mystery comedy-drama created and executive produced by Kilpatrick is an emotional milestone for the writer and actress who grew up performing in theater in Detroit before moving to Los Angeles to further pursue her passion. “I think about the fact that in 2012 I used my tax return to make a web series,” she told The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s been a long journey, and I’m really grateful to all the people who have become a part of it, and I’m grateful to myself for being able to get to my dream.”

Diarra From Detroit sees Kilpatrick star...

Exclusive: Kevin Bray has signed a two-year overall deal with HBO.

Under the agreement, Bray will direct exclusively for the premium network.

Bray recently wrapped directing the pilot and executive producing FX’s Clipped starring Lawrence Fishburne and Ed O’Neill, with Color Force producing. Bray began his career directing music videos and commercials.

After helming his first two features, All About the Benjamins and Walking Tall, Bray transitioned to television by directing and executive producing the pilots of Suits and Unprisoned, as well as multiple episodes of Succession, for which he was nominated for a DGA Award.

Bray went on to direct half-hour and hour-long television, both in comedy and drama, including episodes of Insecure, blackish, The Americans, Loot, The Morning Show, Snowfall, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Rap Sh!t and The Penguin.

He also directed three episodes of The Patient, a limited series starring Steve Carell and Domhnall Gleason for FX.

Besides CAA,...

It’s been nearly two years since the premiere of “Tokyo Vice,” in which director Michael Mann introduced us to yet another lonely male obsessive. As the sole Caucasian employee of Tokyo’s largest newspaper, Jake Adelstein (Ansel Elgort) — a real-life journalist and executive producer of the show, which is loosely based on his memoir of the same name — stood out like a sore thumb. He also acted as a Virgil guiding American viewers through the Japanese underworld at the turn of the millennium. Jake investigates organized crime via an informal partnership with Hiroto Katagiri (Ken Watanabe), a policeman who doesn’t fight the yakuza so much as help preserve the equilibrium among their competing factions. Samantha (Rachel Keller), a Mormon missionary turned apostate, served a similar purpose to Jake, but as a guide to hostess bars, a source of paid yet strictly nonsexual company unfamiliar to Westerners.

In Season...

Issa Rae is getting candid about her thoughts on the current state of the entertainment industry.

In a cover story for Time magazine published online Thursday, the actress/writer/producer blamed Hollywood executives for going back on their promises to increase representation and diversity.

“I’ve never seen Hollywood this scared and clueless, and at the mercy of Wall Street,” Rae said, before later adding, “I’m sorry, but there aren’t a lot of smart executives anymore. And a lot of them have aged out and are holding on to their positions and refusing to let young blood get in.”

The Insecure star feels executives are getting too involved with the creative choices surrounding projects.

“Now these conglomerate leaders are also making the decisions about Hollywood. Y’all aren’t creative people. Stick to the money,” she said. “The people that are taking chances are on platforms like TikTok...

Issa Rae is blunt about how the entertainment industry seems to be changing.

In a Time interview out today, she fired back at an industry she feels is now being driven by considerations other than creativity and inclusion.

A big part of that attitude is her recent history. In January, her TV series Rap Sh!t was axed by Warner Bros. Discovery. It was just one part of a disturbing trend in Rae’s eyes. “I’ve never seen Hollywood this scared and clueless, and at the mercy of Wall Street,” she says.

Last year was a rollercoaster for Rae. She won a Peabody Trailblazer award, was in the acclaimed films Barbie and American Fiction, and released the second season of her critically acclaimed Max show, Rap Sh!t.

But she also had to lay off eight employees during the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, and saw Rap Sh!t canceled. That...

Issa Rae has “never seen Hollywood this scared and clueless and at the mercy of Wall Street,” she recently told Time magazine during a cover interview. The “Insecure” Emmy nominee has been making the press rounds and speaking out against Hollywood for pulling back on investing in inclusive stories.

“You’re seeing so many Black shows get canceled, you’re seeing so many executives — especially on the Dei side — get canned,” she recently said in a Porter interview. “You’re seeing very clearly now that our stories are less of a priority. It’s made me take more steps to try to be independent down the line if I have to.”

Variety reported last month that Max had canceled Rae’s comedy series “Rap Sh!t” after two seasons. Rae was an executive producer on the series and brought the show to Max under her ongoing deal with WarnerMedia, which she...

Issa Rae discusses how the television landscape is changing rapidly, especially regarding people of color in the industry.

Rae received wide recognition after creating, writing, and starring in HBO’s Insecure, which ran for five seasons on the premium cable network.

Since then, the media landscape has devolved, and Rae has noticed a trend where not only shows she’s produced, like Rap Sh!t, Sweet Life: Los Angeles, A Black Lady Sketch Show, and more, have been getting axed, but diversity seems to be heading in the opposite direction.

“It’s already happening,” she said in an interview with Net-a-Porter. “You’re seeing so many Black shows get cancelled, you’re seeing so many executives – especially on the Dei [diversity, equity and inclusion] side – get canned. You’re seeing very clearly now that our stories are less of a priority.”

Rae thinks that being more independent is the way to go, adding, “I am pessimistic,...

Issa Rae is speaking out on the lack of sustaining diversity onscreen.

The “Insecure” creator, who starred in Oscar-nominated films “Barbie” and “American Fiction” this year, told Net-a-Porter that watching TV executives cancel diverse series proves that stories from Black filmmakers are “less of a priority.”

“You’re seeing so many Black shows get canceled, you’re seeing so many executives — especially on the Dei [diversity, equity, and inclusion] side — get canned,” Rae said. “You’re seeing very clearly now that our stories are less of a priority.”

She continued of the industry as a whole, “I am pessimistic, because there’s no one holding anybody accountable — and I can, sure, but also at what cost? I can’t force you to make my stuff. It’s made me take more steps to try to be independent down the line if I have to.”

Rae has an overall deal with WarnerMedia through 2026. Her Max...

Issa Rae’s career as a Hollywood writer-producer has included four series developed through the studio system, but she says that recent industry tides have her considering alternate avenues as a creator in the future.

“You’re seeing so many Black shows get canceled, you’re seeing so many executives — especially on the Dei side — get canned. You’re seeing very clearly now that our stories are less of a priority,” she says in a cover story for Net-a-Porter’s digital publication Porter. “It’s made me take more steps to try to be independent down the line if I have to.”

Rae is currently under a five-year overall deal with the conglomerate that was known as WarnerMedia when she signed it in 2021, an extension of a relationship with HBO that began in 2016, just before her Emmy-winning comedy Insecure premiered. Earlier this month, Max canceled her comedy Rap Sh!t after two seasons.

Apple TV’s Messi Documentary Series Gets Trailer

Apple TV+ has released the official trailer for its highly anticipated documentary event “Messi's World Cup: The Rise of a Legend.” The four-part series will track the career of international superstar and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi throughout his record-setting, multi-decade career with the Argentina national football team up through their FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 win.

Through personal interviews with Messi and conversations with his teammates, coaches, competitors, devout fans, and commentators, the docuseries explores the ups and downs of the champion’s tenure thus far, including his early retirement in 2016 and his comeback in 2022 as the FIFA World Cup’s best player.

Watch the trailer for “Messi’s World Cup: The Rise of a Legend” below:

“Messi’s World Cup: The Rise of a Legend” is set to premiere globally on Feb. 21 on Apple TV+.

7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month apple.com...

Twitter recently lost one of its premier chaos agents: Jaboukie Young-White, the ace comic responsible for maybe the best single act of trolling in the hellsite’s history.

The Illinois native attracted a large social media following in the 2010s thanks to his Instagram posts and tweets brimming with sardonic wit and diablerie. He was branded “gloriously extra” (BuzzFeed’s words), featured on Rolling Stone’s 25 Under 25 list, wrote for Big Mouth and American Vandal, and spent a few years as a Daily Show correspondent. And then it happened:...

The team behind Rap Sh!t is weighing in after news broke Thursday that Max canceled the comedy series following a two-season run.

Created by Issa Rae, Rap Sh!t starred Aida Osman (Shawna) and KaMillion (Mia) as two friends who reconnect in Miami and form a rap duo. The show’s second season launch was delayed to November 2023 due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, with the season finale debuting Dec. 21.

“A real ass group of people,” showrunner Syreeta Singleton captioned an Instagram post that featured video of the show’s writing staff. “The best writers room ever. I will cherish this experience forever and ever. #seduceandscheme for life.”

Among those commenting on the post was co-star Daisy Fernandez (Peaches), who wrote, “Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this incredible show. I am forever grateful to y’all! I can’t wait to see what amazing things you do next.

Max has opted not to proceed with a third season of Issa Rae’s comedy series Rap Sh!t. The decision comes a month after the show’s Season 2 finale dropped on the streamer.

The second season of Rap Sh!t, originally scheduled for an August 10 debut, was pushed to November because of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes with the hope of giving it a better shot by having the creative team and cast promote it.

Max, along with other streamers, has been trimming its lineup of originals. Rap Sh!t‘s cancellation leaves five returning comedy series on the platform: Hacks, And Just Like That…, The Sex Lives of College Girls, Peacemaker and the recently renewed Bookie.

Related: ‘Schmigadoon!’ Canceled After 2 Seasons At Apple TV+

“We are extremely grateful to Issa Rae for creating Rap Sh!t, a one-of-a-kind comedy with compelling social commentary that reached viewers in a way only Issa’s talents can accomplish,...

The second season of the Max comedy series “Rap Sh!t” will be its last.

Created by Issa Rae, who also executive produced alongside showrunner Syreeta Singleton, “Rap Sh!t” charted the ascent of Shawna (Aida Osman) and Mia (KaMillion), estranged high school friends from Miami who reunite to form a rap duo and try to make it big in the music business. The dramedy also starred Jonica Booth (Chastity), Rj Cyler (Lamont) and Daniel Augustin (Maurice).

“I’m so proud of and grateful for Syreeta, our cast, writers and crew that made this show possible,” Rae tells Variety in a statement. “Thanks to Sarah Aubrey and Suzanna Makkos for championing the show, and much love to the fans that tuned in weekly to root for our girls.”

Adds Singleton: “I love this show and I am so proud of the work we’ve done. We created something fun, raw, and original...

The cancellations continue at Max.

The Warner Bros. Discovery-backed streamer has canceled Rap Sh!t, the scripted comedy series created by Issa Rae and starring Aida Osman after a two-season run.

“We are extremely grateful to Issa Rae for creating Rap Sh!t, a one-of-a-kind comedy with compelling social commentary that reached viewers in a way only Issa’s talents can accomplish,” a Max spokesperson said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “A huge thank you to Issa, showrunner Syreeta Singleton and the teams at Hoorae and 3 Arts Entertainment for introducing us to Shawna and Mia, a duo whose journey fans have been invested in and who they have continued to root for through everything. We’ll never get Seduce and Scheme out of our heads and we wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Osman starred as Shawna Clark, a struggling rapper who works at a hotel.

The USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative on Thursday unveiled its latest The Inclusion List, a data-driven ranking system that looks to identify the most inclusive TV series across broadcast, cable and streaming in front and behind the camera.

The list, a collaboration of the Inclusion Initiative and the Adobe Foundation, used data on personnel from the 2021-2022 broadcast season and streaming series from 2021-2023. More than 560 series were scored, looking at 4,500 series regular roles and more than 11,000 crew members across more than 110,000 behind-the-scenes positions were evaluated.

Leading the Top 100 lists were the recently ended Queen Sugar from OWN, HBO’s The Baby and the CW’s All American: Homecoming on the broadcast and cable side, and Raising Dion (Netflix), Gentefied (Netflix), The Garcias (Max), The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray (AppleTV+), Reasonable Doubt (Hulu), Now and Then (Apple TV+), Rap Sh!t (Max), With Love (Amazon Prime), First Kill (Netflix), and Swarm...

Just in time for Monday’s Emmy awards, the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative and Dr. Stacy L. Smith, along with the the Adobe Foundation, have unveiled The Inclusion List for episodic programming, which recognizes the most inclusive series in broadcast, cable and streaming.

Following a similar effort for films, the list analyzes on-screen and behind-the-camera personnel from more than 500 programs to determine the 100 most inclusive broadcast and cable series from the 2021-22 broadcast season, as well as streaming series from 2021 to 2023. The project also recognizes 20 producers responsible for the most inclusive content.

“The goal of the Inclusion List is to recognize the stories and storytellers who are taking inclusion seriously and whose content reflects their values,” said Dr. Smith, founder of the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative. “With today’s release of the Inclusion List for broadcast/cable and streaming series, we are excited to acknowledge the creative voices championing inclusion across the spectrum of episodic content.

Max is lowering its Flag.

The Warner Bros. Discovery-backed streamer has canceled its comedy series Our Flag Means Death after a two-season run. David Jenkins created the pirate comedy that starred Rhys Darby and exec producer Taika Waititi.

“While Max will not be moving forward with a third season of Our Flag Means Death, we are so proud of the joyous, hilarious, and heartfelt stories that creator David Jenkins, Taika Waititi, Rhys Darby, Garrett Basch, Dan Halsted, Adam Stein, Antoine Douaihy, and the entire superb cast and crew brought to life. We also thank the dedicated fans who embraced these stories and built a gorgeous, inclusive community surrounding the show,” a spokesperson for Max said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.

The decision to wrap the series comes after Reservation Dogs, co-created by Waititi, wrapped its run in 2023 and as the prolific producer, actor and director’s other FX comedy,...

Note: This story contains spoilers for the “Rap Sh!t” Season 2 finale.

The Season 2 finale of Max’s “Rap Sh!t” sees up-and-coming rap group Shawna (Aida Osman) and Mia (KaMillion) cementing their management with Francois Boom (Jaboukie Young-White) as they attempt to “fast track” their success in the hip-hop world, according to showrunner Syreeta Singleton, leaving their longtime alliance with Chastity (Jonica Booth) in the dust.

“He’s shinier and he comes with shinier people,” Singleton told TheWrap of Francois Boom, pointing to rapper and songwriter Pardison Fontaine, who is introduced to Shawna and Mia by Francois at the beginning of the final episode. “What it takes to make it a lot of times it’s like alright, ‘Where am I going to get the most eyes?'”

After working with Pardi on what the duo thinks could be their next hit, Singleton notes that they are drawn to the access provided by Francios’ connections,...

Rap group Shawna (Aida Osman) and Mia (KaMillion) are headed on tour in the sophomore installment of Issa Rae’s “Rap Sh!t,” but tensions mount as the duo struggles to get on the same page, with Rae noting “they don’t trust each other.”

“Trust is literally the biggest thing — trusting each other, but also trusting each other’s intentions for the group and for where they’re headed,” showrunner Syreeta Singleton told TheWrap. “Where you find them, even in Season 2, I don’t know that they’re completely aligned. They’re both still very much figuring out what they want for themselves and are both, at many moments, coming at it from a selfish place.”

After landing their first show together at the end of the Max comedy’s freshman season, Shawna immediately compromised their reputation — and Mia’s trust — with an unpredictable performance going back to her masked video days.

As befits its two rising rap artists who are constantly rethinking and remaking themselves in pursuit of success, “Rap Sh!t” Season 2 has a whole new look. The Max series created by Issa Rae and staring Aida Osman and KaMillion as Shawna and Mia spent its first season being as inventive as its characters, emphasizing the reels, FaceTimes, and social media chaos that they leverage to secure interest (if not paydays) from the music industry establishment. Season 2 doesn’t expand so much as explode the visual scope of the series, focusing on Shawna and Mia’s offline lives.

“We’re peeling back the layers, and we’re going deeper and we’re kind of living with these characters in real time a little more,” showrunner Syreeta Singleton told IndieWire. “So I feel like there was a lot of flexibility and freedom to kind of create a new look.”

But “Rap Sh!

Any artist will tell you that “making it” is a myth. Whether it’s music, dance, acting, writing, or anything else — there’s no point at which most people with a creative passion feel it entirely achieved and therefore no longer a priority. Ambition is a hungry beast with a growing appetite, and the standards for success change at every level — and differ between friends and collaborators, testing them every step of the way.

It’s a truth baked into Issa Rae’s “Rap Sh!t,” which premiered its second season on November 9. Shawna (Aida Osman) and Mia (KaMillion) are officially going on tour as a group, still miles from the kind of fame and acclaim they dream of, but clearly moving forward, even with a few steps back. “Rap Sh!t,” like “Atlanta” before it, doesn’t shy away from the girls’ increasing respect and access, but reminds viewers that the hardship isn’t over.

After the writers’ and actors’ strikes delayed the premiere of Season 2, Issa Rae’s “Rap Sh!t” is back on Max beginning this week for an eight-episode second season. Shawna and Mia are still on their unlikely road to hip-hop stardom, but the realities of life in the music industry are beginning to make it clear that what they pictured becoming rap superstars would be like, is not how the game actually works. Don’t miss any of the second season, starting on Thursday, Nov. 9. You can watch Rap Sh!t: Season 2 with a 7-Day Free Trial of Max.

How to Watch ‘Rap Sh!t’ Season 2 Premiere When: Thursday, November 9, 2023 Where: Max Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Max. 7-Day Free Trial$9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com

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About ‘Rap Sh!t’ Season 2 Premiere

Rap Sh!T follows two estranged high school friends from...

Aida Osman may be just beginning her acting career, but she's no stranger to the entertainment world. The Nebraska native stars in Issa Rae's "Rap Sh!t" as Shawna - one half of the show's central rap duo and a character she helped create specifically for herself. Before her TV debut, Osman started out as a writer on Netflix's "Big Mouth" and HBO's "Betty," also serving as a cohost on the "Keep It!" podcast. However, Osman's gig on her HBO Max show isn't her first time flexing her creativity.

After graduating from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2018, Osman built a following on Twitter a year later from a funny viral video of her rapping about . . . err, pegging. From there, her career took off as she booked her "Big Mouth" job almost immediately after, per Vanity Fair.

Fast forward a few years, and Osman has made a huge splash in the hip-hop-inspired "Rap Sh!

Shawna and Mia are finally getting their first taste of fame in "Rap Sh!t," though they're still fighting for a spot on their own tour. In this exclusive sneak peek at season two, the estranged high school-friends-turned-rap duo (played by KaMillion and Aida Osman) get good news from their manager, Francois (Jaboukie Young-White), regarding their first-ever tour - but there's a catch. Despite their viral success and thousands of presale tickets, the pair are informed they can't perform their biggest hit, "Seduce and Scheme," because of their tour mate, headliner Reina Reign.

"That is not on the set list," he tells them and their other manager, Chasity (Jonica Booth). He adds, "We really only got room for 'Tongue,'" referring to their remixed track with Reina.

Confused about the lack of stage time, Shawna asks, "What, they can't give us 10 minutes? We have two songs."

It doesn't take long for...

Christmas comes early on Max, as the streamer adds a bevy of holiday movies to its library for the month of November, alongside new TV debuts, a noteworthy documentary and more. “Elf,” “Christmas Vacation,” “Arthur Christmas,” “The Shop Around the Corner” and “Four Christmases” are some of the holiday films arriving on the streaming platform on Nov. 1.

This month also sees the Season 2 premieres of “Rap Sh!t” (on Nov. 9) and “Julia” (on Nov. 16) and the series premiere of “Two and a Half Men” creator Chuck Lorre’s new sitcom “Bookie” starring Sebastian Maniscalco (on Nov. 30).

On Nov. 11, check out the documentary “Albert Brooks: Defending My Life” in which the comedian, actor and filmmaker’s best friend Rob Reiner peppers him with questions about his life and career.

And Chip and Joanna Gaines renovate a 100-year-old building in “Fixer Upper: The Hotel,” which premieres on Nov. 8.

Check out the full list...

Audio everywhere company Raedio has announced the season two premiere of Chat Sh!t, the official after-show companion podcast for Max Original, Rap Sh!t, hosted by actress and content creator Jessie Woo and singer and YouTube sensation Zach Campbell.

The first two Chat Sh!t episodes drop on Thursday, November 9th at 6Am Est on podcast streaming platforms, in tandem with the Season Two series premiere on Max. The remaining new episodes will be released every Thursday after each series episode, and you can find them on all digital streaming platforms and Raedio's YouTube channel. The returning hosts will be discussing their favorite moments, unpacking Shawna and Mia’s continued rise to fame, and more. For the first time, the podcast will be accompanied by a visual component, so fans will be able to see Jessie and Zach’s commentary in action.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l06bFx...

Fans are stirring with excitement as Rap Sh!T, Issa Rae’s television series on Max, gears up to return for its second season. On Nov. 9, viewers will continue to follow the fictional lives and musical journeys of Shawna Clark (Aida Osman) and Mia Knight (KaMillion). The show, based in Miami, is loosely inspired by the come-up story of South Florida’s very own hot group City Girls, who just dropped their latest project, Raw, in October and serve as co-executive producers for the series. As with Rae’s previous hit show Insecure,...

Max out your November viewing with Max! The streamer is starting the new month with a wide variety of additions to its combined library of HBO and Max exclusives, plus titles from Food Network, Cartoon Network, HGTV, and more.

While also racing toward the official holiday season with dozens of Christmas classics like “A Christmas Story” and “Elf,” you can also stream new documentaries on Albert Brooks and Little Richard, catch the premieres of new seasons of “Rap Sh!t” and “Julia,” and much more.

Check out The Streamable’s top picks for what’s new this month on Max, and then continue below to see the full list of everything new in November!

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What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Max in November 2023? “Rap Sh!t” Season 2 | Thursday, Nov. 9

Issa Rae is back on her “Rap Sh!

Stream The Debuts Of Max Original “Bookie,” Season Two of Max Originals “Rap Sh!t” and “Julia,” HBO Original Documentaries “Albert Brooks: Defending My Life” and “South to Black Power,” Magnolia Network’s “Fixer Upper: The Hotel,” and Max Original “Little Richard: I Am Everything” from CNN Films. Max announces programming coming to the platform this November, including the debut of the Max Original comedy series Bookie (11/30). From Emmy®-nominated creator Chuck Lorre (“The Big Bang Theory”) and Nick Bakay, this darkly funny comedy follows veteran Los Angeles bookie Danny (Sebastian Maniscalco) as the potential legalization of sports gambling in California threatens to ... Read more...

National Geographic has set a date for its next brush with genius. The first two episodes of Genius: MLK/X will air Feb. 1, 2024 on Nat Geo, available to stream next-day on Disney+ and Hulu. Two episodes will roll out as such each week.

Starring Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Godfather of Harlem) as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Aaron Pierre (The Underground Railroad) as Malcolm X, the eight-episode season “will focus on two iconic geniuses … and how their dueling philosophies helped usher America through the Civil Rights Movement.”

More from TVLineTVLine Items: Sylvester Stallone Docu Trailer, That's My Jam Renewed and...

Issa Rae has been named creative director for the 2024 American Black Film Festival (ABFF), the annual film festival presented by Nice Crowd.

“Throughout the course of her career, Issa Rae has made an indelible impact within the entertainment ecosystem ranging from her wide array of roles – in front of and behind the camera – to her fierce advocacy for equitable representation and opportunities for Black creatives,” said ABFF co-founders and producers Nicole and Jeff Friday, in a statement announcing Rae’s appointment.

“We couldn’t think of a better partner to help us continue to embody the ABFF mission of showcasing Black talent — and discovering and amplifying new voices,” they added.

In the newly created role, Rae will work closely with the Fridays to program the lineup for the festival’s 28th edition, which will take place June 12-16, 2024 in Miami Beach, Fl.

“As one of the first major festivals to showcase my work,...

Issa Rae’s Max series Rap Sh!t is returning for its second season on Nov. 9, but its soundtrack, Rap Sh!t S2: The Mixtape, will drop earlier on Nov. 3. The collection of songs will be released via Rae’s label Raedio and Def Jam and has been previewed by Sexyy Redd’s single “No Panties.”

“I’m happy that I got to work on ‘No Panties’ for Rap Sh!t,” Red said in a statement. “It’s just me having fun on the beat and talking my shit. It’s...

Netflix’s “One Piece” has a colorful, vibrant cast filled newcomers like Iñaki Godoy, who plays as Monkey D. Luffy, and some more seasoned actors like Vincent Regan, who plays Vice Admiral Garp. Netflix put in the work (seven years to be exact) to craft its live adaption of the bestselling manga series.

When “One Piece” creator Eiichiro Oda first saw Godoy, he knew that was his Luffy. Each of the cast members have created their own connection to their characters, and some loved and grew up watching them on screen as children.

Longtime anime fan Emily Rudd, who plays Nami, described her character as a member of the Staw Hats who sevves “like an older sister surrounded by a group of young brothers.” Mackenyu, who is Japanese, grew up idolizing his character Roronoa Zoro. He was so committed to his character that he even pierced his ears for the show,...

Rap Sh!t is a comedy-drama series created by Issa Rae. The Max series follows two estranged high school friends Mia Knight (Aida Osman) and Shawna Clark (KaMillion), who come together and try to form a rap group and try their luck in the music business. Season 2 of Rap Sh!t is coming to Max soon and while you wait for the new season to come out here are some similar shows you could watch until then.

Girls5Eva (Peacock) Credit – Peacock

Synopsis: When a one-hit-wonder girl group from the 90’s gets sampled by a young rapper, its members reunite to give their pop star dreams one more shot. They may be grown women balancing spouses, kids, jobs, debt, aging parents, and shoulder pain, but can‘t they also be Girls5eva?

Insecure (Netflix & Max) Credit – HBO

Synopsis: Created by and starring Issa Rae, this comedy series looks at the friendship of two modern-day black women,...

Zachary Levi is clearing up a recent “offhand remark” he made over Hollywood strike restrictions that’s “being taken out of context.”

“It’s come to my attention that an offhand remark I made in jest last weekend is being taken out of context,” Levi addressed his Comic Con Manchester appearance in a statement per Deadline. “So let me be very clear. I fully support my union, the WGA, and the strike. I remain an outspoken critic of the exploitative system that us artists are subject to work in since I started my journey in this business 25 years ago. This strike is necessary to protect ourselves, our writers, and all those working in production who make the industry move.

Read More: Zachary Levi Doesn’t Blame Dwayne Johnson For Axed ‘Black Adam’ Cameo That Could Have Bolstered ‘Shazam 2’ Box Office

“But we also cannot forget our fans during this strike,...

Vulture Watch

Estranged friends reunite to make music together. Has the Rap Sh!t TV show been cancelled or renewed for a second season on HBO Max? The television vulture is watching all the latest cancellation and renewal news, so this page is the place to track the status of Rap Sh!t, season two. Bookmark it, or subscribe for the latest updates. Remember, the television vulture is watching your shows. Are you?  

What's This TV Show About?

Streaming on the HBO Max subscription service, the Rap Sh!t TV show was created by Issa Rae. It stars Aida Osman, KaMillion, Jonica Booth, Devon Terrell and Rj Cyler. Recurring players include Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut, Daniel Augustin, Amandla Jahava, Jaboukie Young-White, Brittney Jefferson, and DomiNque Perry. A college dropout and a struggling rapper, Shawna (Osman) works at a Miami hotel as a concierge and feels stuck in...

“Rap Sh!t” season 2 — which was set to return in one week from now, on August 10 — has been pushed back due to the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.

The comedy series’ new season 2 premiere date is November 9, in which it’ll debut with two new episodes, followed by weekly drops until the finale on December 21. Max announced the schedule change on Thursday.

Read More: Leonardo DiCaprio, Issa Rae and More Stars React to SAG-AFTRA Strike: ‘I Stand in Solidarity With My Guild’

Aida Osman as Shawna and KaMillion as Mia in “Rap Sh!t” season 2. — Photo: Warner Bros. Discovery

The new premiere date offers a sign of hope that the show’s studio — Warner Bros. Discovery — anticipates that labor conflicts between the unions representing writers and actors and the major studios could be resolved by then.

Season 2 of “Rap Sh!t” — created and executive produced by Issa Rae — “follows two estranged high school friends from Miami,...