The ‘Rap Sh!t’ Soundtrack Is Packed With Female Rap Talent Including Dreezy, Jean Deaux, And The Show’s Stars

Issa Rae’s latest HBO fan favorite, Rap Sh!t, is has wrapped up its first season, but before it says goodbye for the foreseeable future, the show’s creators drop off one last gift: The show’s girl power-fueled soundtrack, which features strip club anthems and trappy turn-up songs from the likes of Dreezy, Jean Deaux, Tokyo Jetz, and more — including the show’s stars Aida Osman and KaMillion, in character as Shawna & Mia. And yes, the signature track “Seduce & Scheme” is here, too, as well as the cheeky track “Tongue” by the show’s viral marketing ploy, Reina Reign.

In her appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers to promote the show, Issa explained how the show’s anchoring musical landscape was created. Wanting to make the show sound as authentic as possible, she made sure artists like Dreezy and her own Raedio artist NCognita were in the writer’s room, helping to write not just Shawna and Mia’s music but to also compose the whole soundscape of the show’s Miami.

Co-executive produced by Miami natives City Girls, the show follows the exploits of former high school girlfriends, Shawna and Mia, as they reunite and form a rap duo. When their first song goes viral, they decide to ride the wave of its success while trying to navigate the pitfalls of fame, friendship, and the fallout of their pre-rap efforts to make money. The full first season is available to stream on HBO Max.

Issa Rae Reveals The Rappers That Helped Write Music For Her Upcoming HBO Max Show, ‘Rap Sh!t’

Later this week, Issa Rae will begin the next chapter of her career as her new show Rap Sh!t will premiere on HBO Max. The show follows two Miami-based rappers who are seeking success in the music industry. The first season of Rap Sh!t, which stars Aida Osman and KaMillion, will put forth eight episodes in total, with the first two arriving on July 21. In addition to work from Rae behind the scenes, Rap Sh!t also features contributions from a number of people in the music industry. During a recent interview on Late Night With Seth Meyers, Rae spoke about some of them.

During their conversation, Meyers asked Rae how she was able to have authentic rap lyrics and songs on the show. She revealed that there were artists in the music world present in the show’s writers’ room to help craft the songs. Rae said that she was able to “employ some of my favorite rap artists” like PineappleCITI, Ncognita, and Dreezy to construct songs for the show. Rae also noted that she is “really proud of the music on the show.”

In addition to the aforementioned artists, City Girls’ JT and Yung Miami will serve as executive producers on the show while Devonte Hynes, also known as Blood Orange, is the show’s music composer.

Find Rae’s full sit-down on Late Night With Seth Meyers in the video above.

Issa Rae’s Artist NCognita Balances Her Career With School In Her ‘Nita Unfiltered’ Docuseries

It’s not always easy balancing work with school — especially if you’re a recording artist. While more and more artists attempt to complete their educational goals at the same time as their career ones, you might wonder: What does that balancing act actually look like? South Central LA rapper NCognita attempts to answer that question with her new docuseries, Nita Unfiltered. Kicking off today, its first episode follows her NCognita as she prepares to return to Loyola University New Orleans, talking it through with her family at home and describing the differences between LA and New Orleans.

Ncognita is just starting her career, but she’s already got a lot of weight behind her thanks to the co-sign of Insecure creator Issa Rae, who signed the young rapper to her label Raedio earlier this year after holding a competition for an invitation to a writing camp for the show’s final season. Issa Rae has been curating the soundtrack for Insecure all five seasons, leading to expanded work on the soundtracks for shows like 50 Cent’s Power and HBO’s Betty. Raedio previously partnered with Baby Tate to release her After The Rain EP as well, spawning the hit record “I Am” with Flo Milli.

So while Ncognita may not be a household name just yet, there’s a strong chance you’ll be hearing her in at least one of the places Issa Rae currently holds sway. Take the chance to get familiar now.