Jermaine Dupri’s Remarks On Women Rappers Influenced ‘Rap Sh*t’ Series Says Issa Rae

Issa Rae is becoming a true television heavyweight, and the Insecure creator, Issa Rae’s next TV project, Rap Sh*t, was created after what consider were Jermaine Dupri’s controversial comments regarding women rappers.  In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Rae said her idea for the upcoming series arose after she read an interview in which Dupri talked about women rappers. In the actual interview, Dupri said he felt Da Brat broke ground for women to “sell a lot of records” and said that he doesn’t have a current female rapper because of their lyrics, saying he feels “they’re all rapping about the same thing.”  For the record, that’s just not accurate. 

“I don’t think they’re showing us who’s the best rapper,” he continued. “For me, it’s like strippers rapping and as far as rap goes I’m not getting who’s the best rapper.”

There’s a view that Dupri’s comments were sexist, whereas Black male rappers, and a great many of them, also rap about similar topics. Rae felt moved by Dupri’s comments, motivating her to create Rap Sh*t, based on two Miami-based friends and rappers who are trying to make it in the industry. The series is based on City Girls, the real-life Miami rap duo, who are leading the wave of female rappers in the industry today along with Cardi B, Megan The Stallion, and Mulatto to name a few.  “I was just like, ‘This is so unfair,’” Rae said about Dupri’s comments, adding that his interview is what “inspired the writing of [Rap Sh*t].

Rae, will executive produce Rap Sh*t, who also made up her own raps in Misadventures of an Awkward Black Girl, her original pre-fame web series, and on her hit show, Insecure. Syreeta Singleton will also executive produce and act as showrunner.  The City Girls members, Yung Miami and JT will also serve as executive producers. Montrel McKay will also executive produce with 3 Arts Entertainment’s Jonathan Berry and Dave Becky. Quality Control Films’ Pierre “P” Thomas and Kevin “Coach K” Lee are also executive producing with HOORAE’s Sara Rastogi. Raedio, Rae’s hot new music label, which focuses on music within media properties, will supervise music for the series.

Rap Sh*t begins filming this summer and will air on HBO Max once completed.