SZA and Keke Palmer Land Lead Roles in New Issa Rae-Produced Comedy Film

An epic trifecta has formed around an upcoming TriFecta Pictures comedy. With Hollywood force Issa Rae at the helm as producer, the currently untitled film will star the triple-threat actress Keke Palmer and Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter SZA, according to Deadline.

The film will reunite creators from the Max original series Rap Sh!t, which was produced by Rae and scrapped at the network after two seasons. Director Lawrence Lamont will direct the film with a screenplay from showrunner Syreeta Singleton. It will mark Singleton’s studio feature debut.

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SZA and Palmer first united in December 2022 when they appeared on Saturday Night Live as musical guest and host, respectively. The episode gifted the internet with “Big Boys,” a song SZA performed during a skit about getting ready for cuffing season that should be a hit but unfortunately doesn’t exist outside of the show. It also starred Palmer in a hilarious skit issuing a public service announcement about Drake from every woman he’s ever encountered, collectively known as The United Tingz of Aubrey.

“Can’t believe this is happening lmao,” SZA wrote on Instagram while announcing the episode, her first appearance on SNL since 2017. “I plan on acting a fucking fool.” The premise of the forthcoming film, while sparsely detailed as of now, is essentially the same, and it marks the musician’s official acting debut.

With Palmer and SZA leading the buddy comedy, Rae will produce alongside Sara Diya Rastogi through her production company Hoorae. They will be joined by ColorCreative’s Deniese Davis and Macro Film Studios’ Charles D. King, James Lopez, and Poppy Hanks.

Hoorae is overseeing all of the film, television, music, and events that Rae has in the works. In tandem with the company, she also launched an audio arm called Raedio, which is currently in a multi-year deal with Def Jam Recordings. Earlier this year, Raedio signed the producer ThankGod4Cody, who has credits on seven tracks from SZA’s latest studio album SOS, including “I Hate U,” “Love Language,” and “Seek & Destroy.”

“I guess I feel more empowered in the film and television industry,” Rae told Rolling Stone in 2021. “We have our own problems, but it is nothing like the music industry. I’m in awe every single day of just, ‘Y’all can do this? This can happen, and it’s still going to happen?’ I have a lot of catching up to do. That feels exhausting in a different way.”

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