Issa Rae’s ‘Rap Sh!t’ Season 2 Faces Delay in August Premiere Amidst Hollywood Strikes

The highly-anticipated return of HBO Max’s “Rap Sh!t” Season 2, initially scheduled for August 10, has been postponed by Max. The new premiere date is November 9, with the first two episodes launching simultaneously, followed by weekly releases leading to the season finale on December 21.

This unexpected delay is a direct consequence of the ongoing labor strikes led by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The two powerful unions are advocating for improved contracts with major studios, resulting in actors being strictly prohibited from promoting any projects associated with the struck companies. On the other hand, writers need more press opportunities. By pushing the premiere to November, Warner Bros. Discovery, the studio behind “Rap sh!t,” aims to provide a more favorable environment for the series’ talent to actively participate in generating buzz around the show once the labor disputes are resolved.

Interestingly, “Rap Sh!t” is not the only summer series affected by these strikes. FX recently announced the delay of “A Murder at the End of the World,” starring Emma Corrin and TK, shifting its premiere from August 29 to a later date in November.

The narrative of “Rap Sh!t” revolves around Shawna (Aida Osman) and Mia (KaMillion), two estranged high school friends from Miami who reunite with a shared dream of forming a rap group. The series poses a compelling dilemma for the duo as they must choose between staying true to their authentic selves or conforming to the often demanding music industry. The cast also includes Jonica Booth, RJ Cyler, Daniel Augustin, and Jaboukie Young-White in prominent roles.

Created by the talented Issa Rae, an executive producer, “Rap Sh!t” boasts a stellar production team. Showrunner Syreeta Singleton, Hoorae’s Montrel McKay, 3 Arts Entertainment’s Jonathan Berry, Dave Becky, and Jim Kleverweis join Rae in bringing this exciting project to life. Notably, Yung Miami and JT from the renowned hip-hop duo City Girls serve as co-executive producers, alongside Kevin “Coach K” Lee and Pierre “P” Thomas representing Quality Control Films, as well as Sara Diya Rastogi and Jax Clark from Hoorae. To add an extra touch of authenticity, Rae’s audio content company, Raedio, handles music supervision for the series.

As fans eagerly await the new November premiere, the hope remains that the industry’s labor disputes will resolve by then, allowing “Rap Sh!t” to shine brightly on screen while its talented cast and crew actively engage with audiences to generate well-deserved excitement and acclaim.