ABC Preps Cancellation of Another Show, Report Says

Renewals and cancellation season is in full motion, and many fans are wondering if their favorite series are set to return or doomed to oblivion. ABC’s lineup has been pretty consistent over the years, though its veteran comedy black-ish is coming to a close and gearing up for its finale episode. So far, the network has renewed its beloved strongest dramas, Shondaland’s Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19. Popular mockumentary Abbott Elementary starring Quinta Brunson and Sheryl Lee Ralph has also been renewed. Deals are being sorted out for a few other veteran family comedies, including The Goldbergs and The Conners as well as the reboot of The Wonder Years. But one show that is not expected to get picked up for a second season is the musical drama Queens, per Deadline.

The series starred Brandy, Naturi Naughton, Eve, and Nadine Velazquez as the hip hop charting rap group Nasty Bitches who reunite after 20 years to reclaim their throne under the new moniker Queens. Midway through filming the first season, Eve, who played Briana, had to exit for maternity leave. The Philadelphia native gave birth to her first child, a son Cooper, in February. The way her character exited the series gave room for her return if she chose to. But the Barbershop star lives across the pond in London full time, so her status remained in limbo.

As for why the show wouldn’t be renewed is unknown. But the show was a dream come true for Brandy, who played the role of Naomi in the series. It gave her the long-awaited opportunity to showcase her rap skills.

In an interview with theGrio, Brandy said it would be a no-brainer for her to incorporate more rap in her music moving forward. “Absolutely. I’m definitely considering it,” she said, adding “it would definitely have to be the right way.”

She continued: “Rap is a passion of mine. I’ve always loved it. When I was doing it consistently, I was writing [and] finding my own sound. It’s just testing my instrument,” she added. “It’s fulfilling to me the way singing is, the way acting is, the way entertainment is. Rapping has that special place in my heart … When I first started rapping, I didn’t have this tone that I was able to find and really work on during the show. And so now I have a different tone and I want to dig more into that and get better and really incorporate it into my music.”