Syreeta Singleton knows she can have anything she wants and is willing to work for. Thats her lifes motto. Its also the driving force that took her from being Prentice Pennys assistant during the first season of Insecure to joining the shows writers room to becoming a showrunner for Issa Raes Rap Sh!t .

Rap Sh!t follows Shawna and Mia, best friends from high school who have reconnected as adults to start a rap group. Based in Miami, the duo are the perfect balance of fun, driven, loud and a little hood. The eight-episode first season, which premieres July 21 on HBO Max, features original music from Miami artists and producers. Its music also samples songs from Khia and Trina, artists who have captured that iconic Miami hip-hop sound. Raes audio company Raedio handled music supervision for the show.

More than anything, though, this story is about friendship, Singleton said.

Im really just excited for [audiences] to see this female friendship. I feel as basic as it is, I dont think theres a lot of it on TV. Im excited for them to just see these two very different women, she said. I really hope that they see themselves in Shawna and/or Mia. Im excited for them to experience the music of the show and to take another look at even some of the social media interactions that we have on the show.

It was always in Singletons dreams to become a showrunner, but she was surprised when Rae asked her to head up Rap Sh!t. Though shed always been a hard worker, she didnt expect it to happen so soon. She recalls a conversation she had with script coordinator Jen Regan during the first two seasons of Insecure. Singleton, who has also written for Showtimes Black Monday, compared herself to others in the writers room who went to Harvard or wrote on Saturday Night Live. She believed she needed to make her jokes and pitches more like theirs.

Though she hadnt confided with Regan about that, one day Regan told Singleton: Youre perfect for this show. You know this world better than anybody here. This show is in your city. It is about Black women who are your age. This is a voice that other people are trying to write. This is who you are. Its going to be natural for you.

In this pivotal moment, Singleton said, a light bulb went on for her.

I dont have to try to tell any of anybody elses story, she said. I dont have to try to speak from anybody elses POV. I can speak from mine. And that is OK. I dont have to have the same education. I dont have to use the same vocabulary words to get my point across. I can do this right from where I am.