Showtime renewed The Chi for Season 8 early, ratings for the season's premiere broke records

The Paramount+ with Showtime series, which drops Paramount+ for Showtime plan customers before showing on the traditional channel, has broken the record for the most-watched premiere.

"With the seventh season of The Chi, Lena Waithe raised the bar creatively and it shattered viewership records, becoming the most-watched season premiere in the show's history," said Chris McCarthy, Co-CEO of Paramount Global and President of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios. "Lena's storytelling defies convention and cuts through cliché, revealing the depth, power, and complexity of life on the South Side of Chicago with fearless honesty."

Season 7's ensemble cast includes Jacob Latimore, Lynn Whitfield, Yolonda Ross, Shamon Brown Jr., Michael V. Epps, Birgundi Baker, and Luke James.

Kadeem Hardison, Chris Lee, Brett Gray, Rotimi, Jackie Long, Charmin Lee, Jill Marie Jones, and Daniel J. Watts return, as do Hannaha Hall, Jason Weaver, La La Anthony, Vic Mensa, Kandi Burruss, Tai Davis, Rolando Boyce, Ahmad Ferguson, Cortez Smith, Genesis Denise Hale, Joel Steingold, Judae'a Brown, Zaria Imani Primer, L'lerrét Jazelle, and Brian Keys.

Lena Waithe created and executive produces the series, which is also executive produced by co-showrunners Justin Hillian and Jewel Coronel, Common, Aaron Kaplan, Rick Famuyiwa, Reshedia Brady-Anderson, Derek Dudly, Shelby Stone, Naomi Funabashi, and Rishi Rajani.