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The Trailer for Lena Waithe's Upcoming Drama 'The Chi' Gave Us Goosebumps

The Trailer for Lena Waithe's Upcoming Drama 'The Chi' Gave Us Goosebumps

This coming-of-age story focuses on residents of southside Chicago.

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Showtime is gearing up to premiere, THE CHI, a coming-of-age story focusing on residents in Southside Chicago, produced by Emmy-Winners Lena Waithe and Common.

Fresh off her historic Emmy win, THE CHI is Waithe's first full-length television series with her at the helm, and it's already been described as "emotional, funny, tragic and relevant, all at once." 

Glimpses of tears, adolescence, family, police, and loss flash before our eyes in the two-minute clip. Chance the Rapper's 'All We Got' drives the trailer as we meet the show's beautifully detailed characters, including Moonlight's Alex Hibbert, Straight Outta Compton's Jason Mitchell, and Beautiful Creature's Tiffany Boone. Jacob Latimore, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Yolonda Ross, Armando Riesco and Common also star.

But is it queer? Alex Hibbert's character, Kevin, gets asked the same question by a girl on the street. 

"You sweet?"

"I'm not sweet," he replies.  

"Oh, so you a gangster?" 

Kevin shrugs. "I guess so.' 

We don't want to assume too much about the show's queer elements, but Waithe is very adamant about representing the community. "My LGBTQIA family," she began in her historic Emmy acceptance speech. "I see each and every one of you. The things that make us different, those are our superpowers — every day when you walk out the door and put on your imaginary cape and go out there and conquer the world because the world would not be as beautiful as it is if we weren’t in it."

Waithe tweeted the trailer earlier today, "We coming." 

THE CHI premieres Sunday, January 7 at 10pm ET/PT on SHOWTIME. Watch the trailer below: 

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Taylor Henderson

Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one! 

Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!