It is undeniable that women are making moves in the Rap industry and Issa Rae is hoping to dramatically tell their stories on the small screen. We previously reported that the Insecure boss was partnering with the City Girls to develop Rap Sh*t, a series that is loosely based on the Rap duo's rise in the Miami music landscape. On Thursday (April 15), Rae's cover feature for Rolling Stone was released, and inside, she speaks about her new show and how a quote by Jermaine Dupri helped Rae create the concept.
Rap Sh*t is said to be about two best friends who decide to take a chance at a Rap career, and while Rae tells Rolling Stone that other artists like Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B also influenced the series, it was when Dupri came forward "criticizing female rappers for only talking about their p*ssy" that gave Rae pause, she said.
In 2019, Dupri stated that he didn't have a favorite woman in the Rap game because he believed they all sounded similar. "I can’t give you a favorite because I feel like they’re all talking about the same thing," he said at the time. "I was talking about these people’s names they gave me. I said, ‘It’s like strippers rapping,’ and it went crazy."
Rae took note of Dupri's controversial comments. “I was just like, ‘This is so unfair.’ So that inspired the writing of it.” The producer has also launched Raedio, which functions as a record label that sits as a subsidiary of Atlantic, and Rae expressed that she's has struggled a bit in adjusting. “The conflicts of interest. The perpetuation of specific images, especially when it comes to Black women,” she said.
“I guess I feel more empowered in the film and television industry,” Rae continued. “We have our own problems, but it is nothing like the music industry. I’m in awe every single day of just, ‘Y’all can do this? This can happen, and it’s still going to happen?’ I have a lot of catching up to do. That feels exhausting in a different way.” Check out a few images from Issa Rae's cover feature below.
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