You’re going to be talking about Rap Sh!t stars Aida Osman and KaMillion all summer–and beyond.
Insecure fans are familiar with Issa Rae’s infamous “mirror bae” alter ego now can get their full inner hip-hop fantasy on with the new series. The show follows two estranged high school friends from Miami, Shawna (Osman) and Mia (KaMillion), who reunite to form a rap group, and it all is a beautiful mess. Osman also serves as a writer on the series. The show marks the first major acting role for both Osman and Love & Hip Hop alum/rapper KaMillion.
Ahead of its premiere, Shadow and Act spoke with Osman and KaMillion about how they prepared to go from behind the camera and transition from reality TV respectively, how they relate to their characters and how the music fuels the show.
Osman was initially just a writer on the show before she was landed the one of the lead roles as well. KaMillion is coming from a completely different world but is excited to show that she’s more than just a reality star with rap dreams
The former Keep It! podcast host says the experience has been magical and confusing.
“When the pilot came in and I read it, I was like, ‘Oh, I have to be a part of this. I have to write on it.’ It’s not even a question,” she told us. “I was terrified…we wrote like a month’s worth of television, and I had done an audition, but they didn’t have me back. So I was like, ‘Let me just sit in the writer’s room and give Shawna all my stories and let this character pretty much become me,’ because I was still going to be a good writer in the writer’s room. And then I got a callback, and it was a chemistry read [with KaMillion] and we read lines together and it was like magical, honestly. Immediately it felt right.”
“I think what will surprise them [the viewers] is just my ability to actually really tap into this acting world,” she gushed. “Coming from a reality TV, when I did Love & Hip Hop – when you see the girls on Love & Hip Hop, you hope that they go on to do something greater than [to] just keep coming season after season. So I think it’s motivation. And I really had to discipline myself to become a real actress. Once I got the role, I’m like, ‘Okay, girl, you ain’t got no choice. We got to start filming right away. Get it together.’
KaMillion sees this as an opportunity for her to show her true talent and not be labeled as a person who appears on a revolving door of reality TV.
“I think what will surprise them [the viewers] is just my ability to actually really tap into this acting world,” said the star, who also has an assortment of appearance and songwriting credits from film, TV and more. “Coming from a reality TV, when I did Love & Hip Hop – when you see the girls on Love & Hip Hop, you hope that they go on to do something greater than just keep coming all season after season. So I think it’s motivation. I really had to discipline myself to become a real actress. Once I got the role, I’m like, ‘OK girl, you ain’t got no choice. We got to start filming right away. Get it together.’”
They both agree the music is transferable outside of the show for the world to enjoy
KaMillion says viewers are in for a treat.
“You can really listen to it, it’s not TV music… it’s not like Cheetah Girls. And I’m not trying to be funny,” she joked, before asking Raven Symone’s fans not to come for her.”
These ladies are really delivering it for the summertime!
Watch the full interview below:
