Congratulations on Season 2 of the show. It’s been so good to catch up with all of the characters, and the fan reaction to Chastity’s storyline and sexuality was very well-received. How did you guys take in the reception to the character from Season 1 going into Season 2?

Jonica Booth: I think in Season 1 it was just like, ‘Okay, we’re going to introduce Chastity. We know what she does.’ But in Season 2, I feel like the writers really dived into her. The viewers got to know more about her and where she came from. So I feel like the writers did an amazing job of listening to the viewers and really being delicate with her. They really cared about her.

What were you excited to explore in Season 2, with Chastity working alongside Shawna and Mia in their whole ascension?

JB: I was excited to see the growth with Chastity and Shawna. That was actually one of my favorite episodes — Episode 4. I liked watching their dynamic shift. I felt like they will be better together, versus against each other. So I was excited once I read that script for Episode 4. 

Who were some of your favorite guest stars this season? You guys had a lot of familiar faces in the show.

JB: Pardison Fontaine, even though I didn’t get to actually meet him. Dallas [Austin], I ran into him. It was good to see the big leagues of the record companies. Flo Milli was cool. And I get to see Issa [Rae] every day. So that’s always a treat. 

I would imagine having Issa as a boss is fun. Now, one of the things that resonates a lot with audiences for the show is that the music is actually good. A lot of times we watch these music-centered drama series or comedy series and it’s good in the beginning, and then it kind of falls off as the series progresses. So how would you describe the elevation of the music in Season 2?

JB: Issa and Syreeta [Singleton] care about everything they do. That’s what I admire about them. Everything they touch, they take time, like, they care. I actually love our soundtrack. I actually listen to it. I love it. It was a pick-me-up. I think they handpicked a lot of things. I think they did very well. 

How accurate would you say that the show is in terms of how it aligns in real time with what’s taking place with women in hip-hop?

JB: Oh, I think it’s very accurate. And honestly, what’s so dope about it is that they write the show with such care and really take their time. Then, once we start filming, and by the time it comes out, it’s like right in the middle of everything that is going on with women in hip-hop. I think it’s aligned and is 100% accurate because the women are really taking over now. We’re taking over in almost every industry, and we’re getting the respect we deserve. So it’s all accurate.

Now, outside of the show, you’ve been able to transition from reality TV into acting. What would you say are some of the challenges that you faced along the way? And do you feel as if you’re respected now in the acting world?

JB: One of the most challenging things is getting the respect in the acting world. I didn’t ever care about what people thought. I just chose to do the work. So I just got into classes. I stay in acting classes. I stay with the coach and I have someone to coach me throughout so that I can know that I put my best foot forward. I really tried to channel this character. But getting respect as an actor was probably the most challenging thing for me.

I told myself, ‘OK, you want to be an actress. You can’t just go out there. You need to really learn how to hone in.’ So that was challenging in itself. And do I feel like I get the respect now? I think I do.

Another challenging thing was once I decided a few years ago that I didn’t want to do reality TV anymore and I didn’t want to be an influencer, I stopped accepting the influencer money. And that was a major challenge. Living in LA and choosing to say no to something that, to me — it’s expensive out here, and I needed money. But, I knew that I had to go away and do the work. That was a hard decision. I didn’t know how I was going to pay bills or do anything. But I just trusted the process and that everything would happen in its divine order.

What was the turning point in that decision — for you to put a stop to working in reality TV and living the influencer lifestyle? And how did you manage to not get trapped into the pitfalls of the genre, or what made you decide that you didn’t want to get trapped into that world of reality TV?

JB: I realized that I kind of got lucky because I didn’t do too much while I was on Bad Girls Club. I didn’t fight and I wasn’t having sex and being extra in the house and on camera. Not that nothing is wrong with either of those things, but I didn’t do it. And I was thinking, ‘If I go back and do another one, these things are probably going to happen. A lot of things. ‘I’ll get drunk, I’ll be belligerent.’ So I don’t want to put myself in that position.

I care about how my family views me and doing certain things on TV or just for money wasn’t good enough for me. All money isn’t good money. And although reality TV money is so great, I just wanted something different for my life. I felt like I didn’t feel aligned with that anymore. I felt like [there] was more I wanted to do. So, I got quiet. I talked to God and I just listened. And then I began making moves to start this acting thing.

I remember, vividly — I had a roommate and everything — and I just turned all of the influencer money down. And my mom was confused but supportive. I stopped influencing long before I booked my role on Rap Sh!t.

Going back to the show, if a third season is greenlit, what themes are you looking to expand upon?

JB: I want to see if Chastity and her love interest are going to stay on this path together or if she’ll date someone else. And I wonder if Chastity is going to continue pipping. It seemed like her girls had given up on her because she got beat up and all this stuff. I just want to see more of her life, what her family life is like. I want to see if she’s going to continue managing the girls. 

The second season of Rap Sh!t is streaming in full on Max.