The recent cancelation of Max's hit series Rap Sh!t has led to a bigger discussion about the treatment of Black-led TV shows.
On Thursday, it was announced that Issa Rae's scripted comedy series, starring Aida Osman, KaMillion, and Jonica Booth, would not be returning for a third season.
The series, which was loosely based on the rise of the female rap duo City Girls, focuses on two former high school friends from Miami who reunite years later to form a rap group.
Rap Sh!t was so refreshing. I loved that the show shined a spotlight on women from the South, while also highlighting the complicated realities of entrepreneurship, the highs and lows of friendships, and the intimate moments of both familial and romantic relationships.
Despite releasing a statement to Hollywood Reporter, Max did not provide an explanation for the cancelation. “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 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,” the statement read.
This week, X, formerly known as Twitter, was in an uproar as people voiced their shock, confusion, and sadness about the cancelation:
Unfortunately, several Black-led shows have experienced the same demise — forced to end prematurely before storylines and characters are fully fleshed out, despite passionate fan bases.
The anthology series Love Life was canceled after its second season (which was led in Season 2 by William Harper Jackson and Jessica Williams), and the entire series was taken off of Max; the highly talked about series Lovecraft Country received the axe after just one season; and non-traditional talk show Ziwe got canceled after two seasons.
I grew up during a time when shows with a predominantly Black cast would last for four or more seasons, but as the years pass, the more it turns into a distant memory. Girlfriends ran for eight seasons; One on One ran for five seasons; Martin ran for five seasons; Living Single ran for five seasons; That's So Raven ran for four seasons with multiple spin-offs; Sister, Sister ran for six seasons; The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ran for six seasons; Moesha ran for six seasons; The Game ran for nine seasons; Family Matters ran for nine seasons; and the list goes on.
Many people online also expressed their frustration with the current trend that seems to be plaguing these projects:
There's no telling what the future holds for series with diverse leads, but all we can do is support the ones we have, while we have them.
Be sure to check out Season 1 and 2 of Rap Sh!t, which is currently streaming on Nax.