Lena Waithe & Cast Of 'The Chi' Say Goodbye After 8 Seasons

After quickly becoming a cult favorite, the hit Showtime series The Chi will officially end after its upcoming eighth season.

Since 2018, audiences have flocked to streamers to see the stories of those living on the Southside of Chicago and beyond as they navigated the dangers, joys, highs and lows of the city. When the show premiered, the cast—which included Jason Mitchell, Tiffany Boone, Alex Hibbert, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Barton Fitzpatrick and Sonja Sohn (all of whom are no longer on the show)—was praised for their performances. The show’s handling of issues affecting the Black community has also been applauded, as it offered a layered depiction that often pushed beyond stereotypes.

Ahead of the show’s heavily anticipated final season, Waithe and the cast—which now includes TV icon Kyla Pratt, singer Luke James and Jason Weaver—had a party in New York City to say goodbye to the beloved series.

In attendance were Birgundi Baker and Jacob Lattimore, whose portrayals as Emmitt and Keisha have made them fan favorites, as well as Yolanda Ross, Michael V. Epps and Shamon Brown.

Throughout the show’s eight seasons, a bevy of celebrities have made appearances and taken on recurring roles including Karrueche, LaLa Anthony, Kandi Burruss, Tabitha Brown, Cori Hardrict, Da Brat, Iman Shumpert, Lynn Whitfield and Girlfriends star, Jill Marie Jones. Rapper Common, who also serves as executive producer on the series, made appearances in earlier seasons as did TV and film veteran, Leon.

The show’s success and power has been fueled by its storylines and the talent of the extraordinary cast with celebrities like Beyoncé naming it amongst their favorites. Waithe hopped into the comments of the show’s Instagram page to tell fans to “grab your tissues” ahead of the final season’s premiere. And anyone whose watched The Chi at any point during its legendary run knows that the show’s writers have no problem hitting you where it hurts.

Congrats to the cast and creators of The Chi on eight great seasons! Season 8 of The Chi premieres on Friday, May 22 on Paramount+.

Hit the flip for more premiere party photos of the premiere party!