The decision to cancel the series comes a month after the series' season two finale debuted on the streamer.
The second season of Rap Sh!t, originally scheduled to debut on August 10, was pushed back to November due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes with the hopes of giving it a better chance by letting the creative team and cast to promote.
HBO Max, along with other streamers, has reduced the number of original series. The cancellation of Rap Sh!t leaves five recurring comedy series on the platform: Hacks, And Just Like That..., The Sex Lives of College Girls, Peacemaker (2022) and the recently renewed Bookie.
“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 Max spokesperson said in a statement. “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.”
Rap Sh!t follows two estranged Miami high school friends, Shawna (Aida Osman) and Mia (KaMillion), who reunite to form a rap group. During their rise to fame, Shawna and Mia find themselves at a pivotal moment in their rap careers, when they must decide whether to stay true to themselves or adapt to the demands of the music industry.
The cast also included Jonica Booth as Chastity, RJ Cyler as Lamont and Daniel Augustin as Maurice.
Rap Sh!t was created and produced by Rae for Hoorae. Showrunner Singleton co-produced with Dave Becky and Jonathan Berry for 3 Arts Entertainment and Jim Kleverweis.
Hip-hop duo Yung Miami and JT of City Girls served as co-executive producers, along with Kevin 'Coach K' Lee and Pierre 'P' Thomas for Quality Control Films, and Sara Rastogi and Jax Clark for Hoorae Rae's Audio Everywhere Company, Raedio, provided music supervision for the series.