The first 60 seconds of Issa Rae's new HBO series Rap Sh!t are a glorious whirlwind. The Earth spins, zooming into Google Maps’ street-level view of Miami before transitioning to a swirl of Instagram stories that moves down South Beach. We’re introduced to the show’s protagonist Shawna (Aida Osman) via a hotel guest’s video, and the texts and notifications don’t stop there — they’re constantly in frame, mimicking the 24/7 rhythm of life in the social media age. While the dramedy about two friends with rap girl dreams is nominally about music, it’s social media — and the ways Shawna and her friend Mia (KaMillion) use it as they navigate their lives — that steals the show.
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