The Chi

About The Chi

The Chi is a drama series produced by Showtime and first premiered on January 7, 2018. The story, created by Lena Waithe, is a coming-of-age story featuring an interconnected group of working-class African-Americans on Chicago's volatile south side. The plot intricately weaves the lives of the characters as they navigate the challenges of life in their community, including love, loss, and triumph.

Making / Production

The show was brought to life by executive producer Lena Waithe and Common, a Grammy, Oscar, and Emmy Award-winning artist. The latter's deep roots in Chicago's South Side helped to bring a much-needed authenticity to the series. Another key person in the production of The Chi was Ayanna Floyd Davis, who served as the showrunner and executive producer for Season 2.

Actors

• Jacob Latimore as Emmett Washington: Emmett is a young man with entrepreneurial spirit who struggles to remain responsible while juggling his business and personal life.
• Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine as Ronald "Ronnie" Davis: He plays a man tortured by a past mistake and seeking redemption.
• Alex Hibbert as Kevin Williams: He depicts the role of a school-going kid who gets tangled up in a murder investigation.
• Yolonda Ross as Jada Washington: She plays the role of Emmett's hardworking single mother who wishes the best for her son.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The series is filmed in Chicago, and several of its stars are also from the city.
• Although the show covers serious societal topics, light-hearted themes of friendship and community are strongly represented.
• The original pilot was directed by Rick Famuyiwa, who is well-known for his movie ‘Dope’.

Awards

Lena Waithe, the creator of the show, won an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for her work on Master of None. However, The Chi itself has also received critical acclaim and has a nomination for Best Drama Series at the NAACP Image Awards.

Quotes

• "We all got a path. But you got a destiny." – Ronnie
• "The past is nothing but a story we keep telling ourselves." – Miss Ethel
• "You can't raise a man, cause you ain't one." – Laverne

Music, Soundtrack

• The series uses a lot of local Chicago-based music in its soundtrack to give that authentic vibe.
• Music supervisors Lynn Fainchtein and Jessie Katz put together an impressive tracklist with songs from artists like Chance the Rapper, Kanye West, and Noname.
• A mix of hip-hop, R&B, and gospel music is used appropriately to highlight and intensify scenes.