Issa Rae’s ‘Rap Sh!t’ Explores Miami Rap Scene and Friendship Through the Watchful, Judgmental Eyes of Instagram: TV Review

variety.com:

Caroline Framke Chief TV Critic“Rap Sh!t” may be grounded in reality, but there’s something lightly surreal about the experience of watching it.

Issa Rae’s new comedy, showrun by “Insecure” writer Syreeta Singleton and premiering July 21 on HBO Max, bobs and weaves between its stories and the ones its characters are constantly posting on Instagram.

The camera adopts the perspective of their phones as they scroll and Facetime; people watch each other’s stories with suspicion and envy; onscreen graphics send a stream of comments and hearts up the sides of the screen.

As friends Shawna (Aida Osman) and Mia (KaMillion) chase their rapping dreams and the fame it would take to achieve them, they fastidiously document and post everything — everything — that could convince the world that they’re on the rise.