Jonica Booth is the breakout star on Issa Rae’s critically-acclaimed comedy series Rap Sh*t.
Loosely based off the real-life rise to fame story of Miami’s female rap duo the City Girls, Rap Sh*t follows two estranged high school friends Shawna (Aida Osman) and Mia (Kamillion) from Miami, who come back together to form a rap group. Jonica plays Chastity, a “sex work manager” who refers to herself as the “Duke of Miami” and takes on the role of managing Shawna and Mia’s rising hip-hop group.
Season 2 of the HBO Max comedy wrapped on Thursday, Dec. 21, and saw the rap duo cut ties with Chastity to embark on new management from Shawna’s shady, on-and-off friend Francoise Boom (Jaboukie Young White). Seasons 1 and 2 saw Chastity’s unwavering loyalty to aid in the success of Shawna and Mia, despite being a newcomer to the entertainment industry herself.
Torn between her job as a sex work manager and artist manager, Chastity works to defeat all the odds against her while working to help Shawn and Mia rise to the top of the hip-hop game. It was a huge leap for Booth to secure the role of Chastity, after getting her start in reality television before relocating to Los Angeles, where she became known as an acclaimed comedian and actor.
“For me, it’s reality to reality,” Booth told BLACK ENTERPRISE of her career journey.
Having gone from starring on season 12 of Bad Girls Club to starring on Issa Rae’s second HBO series, Booth is seeing a whole new side of the entertainment industry and has no plans of going back to reality TV. While it helped her “understand how TV works,” she said, “I don’t have to go back.”
Elsewhere, Booth improves her improv skills as a standup comedian who has opened for the likes of Gary Owens. It’s a skill she’s had to use on Rap Sh*t in scenes where she was tasked with acting out scenarios she’s never encountered in real life.
With Owens being one of her comedy inspirations, working with him was a blessing. Much like her current work with Issa Rae, another one of her inspirations in film, Chastity is in her element being surrounded by like-minded creatives in television.
As for who Booth hopes to have as a guests on future episodes of Rap Sh*t, she wants to see the City Girls of course, and Teyana Taylor.
“If we get the City Girls and Teyana that’ll be a good start for some new stuff for us,” she said.
Booth is fresh off the heels of signing with ColorCreative Management and has high hopes for her career in 2022.
“I’m excited to be with a new team just to see what they can do for me,” she says of joining ColorCreative.
“I’m glad the strike is over because I expect some great auditions. I’m going to keep studying and prepping myself so when I get the call, I don’t have to get ready I’ll just be ready.”
In addition to Rap Sh*t, Booth performs regularly at The Laugh Factory, The Comedy Store, The Improv, and Flappers. Press play below for the full interview and watch the season 2 finale of Rap Sh*t on MAX.
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