''Karma's World'' is a

computer-animated Computer animation is the process used for digitally generating animations. The more general term computer-generated imagery (CGI) encompasses both static scenes (still images) and dynamic images (moving images), while computer animation refer ...

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwo ...

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

streaming television Streaming television is the digital distribution of television content, such as TV shows, as streaming media delivered over the Internet. Streaming television stands in contrast to dedicated terrestrial television delivered by over-the-air a ...

series created by rapper Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, who also co-starred in the show. It was released on

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a ...

on October 15, 2021. Produced by

9 Story Media Group 9 Story Media Group Inc. (formerly known as 9 Story Entertainment) is a Canadian children's media production company and international distributor founded by Vincent "Vince" Commisso, Steve Jarosz, and Blake Tohana on September 1, 2002, and head ...

in Canada and

Brown Bag Films Brown Bag Films (BBF) is an Irish television CGI and computer animation production studio owned by Canadian production studio 9 Story Media Group and based in Dublin with 2D and 3D animation facilities based in Bali, Toronto and formerly Man ...

in Ireland, and animated by its

Bali Bali () is a province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and ...

studio subsidiary, the series is loosely based on an educational website of the same name created in 2009 by ''Karma’s World Entertainment'', a consortium created by Ludacris specifically for his eldest daughter, Karma Bridges, whose name and inspiration he cited in interviews as the core reason behind his creation of the series. Netflix renewed ''Karma's World'' for a second season, which was released on March 10, 2022. Season 3 was released on July 7, 2022. Season 4 was released on September 22, 2022.

Premise

The series follows the story of Karma Grant, a young girl who begins

middle school A middle school (also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school) is an educational stage which exists in some countries, providing education between primary school and secondary school. ...

and learns that through her music she can stay "true to herself" instead of letting challenges push her down.

Characters

Main

* Karma Grant ( Asiahn Bryant): The series' main 10-year-old female

protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...

. She is an aspiring rapper who is beginning to realize the power that music and words can have, and believes that she can share her music and even change the world. * Conrad Grant ( Chris "Ludacris" Bridges): The father of Karma who inspires her when she is down, and even raps on stage with her. He is a music teacher. * Keys Grant (Camden Coley): The younger brother of Karma. He is an inventor, but his gadgets do not work well on the first try. * Crash Watkins (Ramone Hamilton): Karma's classmate and also her frenemy. He and Karma might not get along everyday, but they still have a lot in common. * Alex "Switch" Stein (vocals by Aria Capria and beat-box vocals by Kaila Mullady): The female best friend of Karma and Winston who is thoughtful and friendly. She is a gifted

violinist The following lists of violinists are available: * List of classical violinists, notable violinists from the baroque era onwards * List of contemporary classical violinists, notable contemporary classical violinists * List of violinist/compose ...

and

beatboxer Beatboxing (also beat boxing) is a form of vocal percussion primarily involving the art of mimicking drum machines (typically a TR-808), using one's mouth, lips, tongue, and voice.

. * Winston Torres (Isaia Alvarez Kohn): The male best friend of Karma and Switch. He is a sneaker designer, an artist, and a

videographer Videography is the process of capturing moving images on electronic media (e.g., videotape, direct to disk recording, or solid state storage) and even streaming media. The term includes methods of video production and post-production. It ...

. * Ms. Camilla Torres (

Dascha Polanco Dascha Yolaine Polanco (born December 3, 1982) is a Dominican-American actress. She is known for portraying the role of Dayanara "Daya" Diaz on the Netflix series ''Orange Is the New Black'', and for the role of Cuca in the 2021 movie ''In the He ...

): The mother of Winston. She owns a record shop. * Lady K (

Tiffany Haddish Tiffany Sara Cornilia Haddish (born December 3, 1979) is an American stand-up comedian and actress. After guest-starring on several television series and lead role on a cable drama, Haddish gained prominence for her role as Nekeisha Williams on ...

): The head of a recording studio where Karma began working. * Lillie Carter-Grant ( Danielle Brooks): The mother of Karma advises her daughter and lets her know about hair styles of their

black women Black women are women of sub-Saharan African and Afro-diasporic descent, as well as women of Australian Aboriginal and Melanesian descent. The term 'Black' is a racial classification of people, the definition of which has shifted over time and a ...

ancestors. She is a doctor.

Supporting

* Megan Zhang (Olivia Chun): Karma's friend who goes to one of her sleepovers. * Sabiya Abdullah (Swayam Bhatia): Another of Karma's friends who comes to a sleepover. * MC Grillz ( Jordan Fisher): A famous rapper who is the host of "Freestyle Knockout", a popular rapping competition. * Ms. Jackie Washington (

Dawnn Lewis Dawnn Jewel Lewis (born August 13, 1961) is an American actress. Lewis is best known for her role as Jaleesa Vinson–Taylor on the NBC television sitcom ''A Different World'' from the series beginning in 1987 until the end of its fifth season in ...

): The Neighborhood Council President of Hansberry Heights. Her nickname is Ms. Dubs. * Chris Douglas (Ares Totolos): Crash's best friend. * Chef Scott Crowley ( Marc Thompson): The owner of the Duet Diner. Karma, Winston, Switch, and Keys are his favorite customers. His diner's most popular item is purple scones. * Mr. Mervin Crawford (Dean Irby): The neighborhood grump. He loves playing chess. * Mr. Rishi Singal (

Karan Soni Karan Soni (born January 8, 1989) is an Indian-American actor and comedian. Often appearing in comedic roles, he came to prominence for playing Dopinder in the films ''Deadpool'' (2016) and its sequel ''Deadpool 2'' (2018). Born in New Delhi, ...

): Karma, Winston, and Switch's middle school teacher. * Doña Maria Torres (

Ivonne Coll Ivonne Coll Mendoza (born June 18, 1947) is a Puerto Rican actress. She was Miss Puerto Rico in 1967 and competed in the Miss Universe pageant the same year. She later became an actress, appearing in films such as ''The Godfather Part II'' and ...

): Camilla's mother and Winston's grandmother. She is confined to a wheelchair due to having a stroke.

Episodes

Series overview

Season 1 (2021)

Season 2 (2022)

Season 3 (2022)

Season 4 (2022)

Production

The series is produced by the

studio subsidiary of

and Creative Affairs Group, both subsidiaries of

, and Karma's World Entertainment,

Ludacris Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (, homophonous with 'ludicrous' in American English), is an American rapper, actor, record producer and record executive. Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludac ...

' consortium/production company. Apart from Ludacris, Vince Commisso, Cathal Gaffney, Wendy Harris, Darragh O'Connell, Angela C. Santomero, Jennie Stacey are also

executive producers Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights ...

for the series, while Danielle Gillis, Lorraine Morgan, and Lisa O'Connor are producers. They are joined by Bronagh O'Hanlon as the show director and Elaine A. Lugo Herrera as

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and unify the vis ...

. Additionally, the show's head writer is Halcyon Person. On October 13, 2020,

announced the

green-light To green-light is to give permission to proceed with a project. The term is a reference to the green traffic signal, indicating "go ahead". Film industry In the context of the film and television industries, to green-light something is to ...

ing of the series with a 40-episode order, each of which would be 11 minutes long. The series was targeted at children who are 6–9 years old. Ludacris also claimed that the show would "move hip hop culture forward" by showing young girls they can change the world with the tools at their disposal. On June 14, 2021, a sneak peek of the series was shown at the

Annecy International Animation Film Festival The Annecy International Animation Film Festival (french: Festival international du film d'animation d'Annecy, officially abbreviated in English as the Annecy Festival, or simply Annecy) was created in 1960 and takes place at the beginning of J ...

. At the festival, Ludacris said he hoped that the show would be something that has a "a long-lasting impression" on children. Person, on the same panel, argued that the show, set in a fictional neighborhood of

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, said that the series includes a diversity of "hair texture and diversity of skin tones" in order to make sure all kinds of characters are celebrated, and argued that the series "models great behavior" for children. The official trailer for the series was released on September 23, 2021. The show's first episode premiered on

YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...

on October 4, 2021. The show's first season premiered on 15 October 2021. All 15 episodes of the season premiered on the same day. Before the show's premiere, Ludacris said that the show was inspired by his eldest daughter, Karma. He also said that he tried to "make every single character unique" and hoped that his daughter would be able to guest star on the show in the future. He additionally said that having positive roles and "different ethnicities" he tool from the Fast & Furious franchise. On November 5, 2021, Ludacris told

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...

that the show had been "close to 14 years in the making" and hoped that would be a show for everyone, kids and adults. He said that he believed the series would change "young people’s lives for the better." On November 8, 2021, Person told

Essence Essence ( la, essentia) is a polysemic term, used in philosophy and theology as a designation for the property or set of properties that make an entity or substance what it fundamentally is, and which it has by necessity, and without which it ...

about how with Karma they tried to celebrate her hairstyle and everyone's, working "really hard to try and get right" in order to have "authentic storytelling." She also noted that she and writers she worked with collaborated to address

microaggressions Microaggression is a term used for commonplace daily verbal, behavioral or environmental slights, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative attitudes toward stigmatized or culturally marginalized group ...

, working with an organization named the Perception Institute, which analyzes people's perceptions as they're watching media. She also praised Netflix for giving them the opportunity to tell these stories about Black culture. On March 10, 2022, the show's second season premiered on Netflix. All eight episodes premiered the same day. On July 7, 2022, the show's third season premiered on July 7, 2022. All nine episodes premiered on the same day. On September 22, 2022, the show's fourth season premiered on September 22, 2022. All eight episodes premiered on the same day.

Music

The show's original music and sound design are supervised and created by Ludacris and James Bennett Jr., while Gerald Keys is a producer. Songs tackle issues such as

discrimination Discrimination is the act of making unjustified distinctions between people based on the groups, classes, or other categories to which they belong or are perceived to belong. People may be discriminated on the basis of Racial discrimination, r ...

body positivity Body positivity is a social movement focused on the acceptance of all bodies, regardless of size, shape, skin tone, gender, and physical abilities, while challenging present-day beauty standards as an undesirable social construct. Proponents fo ...

self-esteem Self-esteem is confidence in one's own worth or abilities. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs about oneself (for example, "I am loved", "I am worthy") as well as emotional states, such as triumph, despair, pride, and shame. Smith and Mackie (2007) d ...

, friendship, family, and differences. The show's theme song, "Welcome to Karma’s World", is sung by

Asiahn Asiahn Bryant (previously Asia Bryant and born November 24, 1987) is an American singer-songwriter from Paterson, New Jersey, currently signed to the SinceThe80s and Motown record labels. Since 2021, alongside her music, she provides vocal perfor ...

, the voice actress for Karma. On September 14, 2021, Ludacris unveiled the show's soundtrack, which was released by

Universal Music Group Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch–American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...

through its

Def Jam Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The l ...

label on the same date as the show's Netflix premiere.

Merchandise

Books

In March 2021,

and Karma's World Entertainment started a deal with

Scholastic Corporation Scholastic Corporation () is an American multinational publishing, education, and media company that publishes and distributes books, comics, and educational materials for schools, parents, and children. Products are distributed via retail and on ...

, with the books planned to be released between January and March 2022 to accompany the Netflix series. All three books were co-written by Person. In an October 2021 interview, Ludacris noted that a Karma's World entitled ''Daddy and Me and the Rhyme to Be'' was coming out. Apart from the aforementioned book, currently the

juvenile fiction Young adult fiction (YA) is a category of fiction written for readers from 12 to 18 years of age. While the genre is primarily targeted at adolescents, approximately half of YA readers are adults. The subject matter and genres of YA correlate ...

books ''The Great Shine-A-Thon Showcase'', and ''Viral Video Showdown'', and journal ''Karma's World Creativity Journal: Freestyling With Friends'' are listed on the Scholastic website.

Toys

In April 2021, 9 Story and Karma's World Entertainment signed a deal with

Mattel Mattel, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment company founded in January 1945 and headquartered in El Segundo, California. The company has presence in 35 countries and territories and sells products in mor ...

to develop a

toy line A toy or plaything is an object that is used primarily to provide entertainment. Simple examples include Toy block, toy blocks, Board game, board games, and Doll, dolls. Toys are often designed for use by children, although many are designed sp ...

for the franchise, including

dolls A doll is a model typically of a human or humanoid character, often used as a toy for children. Dolls have also been used in traditional religious rituals throughout the world. Traditional dolls made of materials such as clay and wood are found ...

, "doll accessories," and other elements. In March 2022, it was announced that the dolls would be released in the summer of 2022.

Clothing

In February 2022, FIT's Design and Technology Lab (DTech) announced a deal with Karma's World Entertainment and 9 Story to create a 50-piece fashion set for children which was inspired by the series, including

dresses A dress (also known as a frock or a gown) is a garment traditionally worn by women or girls consisting of a skirt with an attached bodice (or a matching bodice giving the effect of a one-piece garment). It consists of a top piece that covers ...

jackets A jacket is a garment for the upper body, usually extending below the hips. A jacket typically has sleeves, and fastens in the front or slightly on the side. A jacket is generally lighter, tighter-fitting, and less insulating than a coat, which ...

, and

footwear Footwear refers to garments worn on the feet, which typically serves the purpose of protection against adversities of the environment such as wear from ground textures and temperature. Footwear in the manner of shoes therefore primarily serves ...

. 9 Story called it a "unique partnership."

called it a "fashion-forward" collection, while one of the designers, Hawwaa Ibrahim, said they were grateful for the opportunity to apply their skills.

Other merchandise

9 Story and Karma's World Entertainment have announced planned expansions of the franchise beyond books, toys, and clothing. In November 2021, 9 Story noted that the franchise would be expanded to bags, backpacks,

consumer electronics Consumer electronics or home electronics are electronic ( analog or digital) equipment intended for everyday use, typically in private homes. Consumer electronics include devices used for entertainment, communications and recreation. Usuall ...

skateboards A skateboard is a type of sports equipment used for skateboarding. They are usually made of a specially designed 7-8 ply maple plywood deck and polyurethane wheels attached to the underside by a pair of skateboarding trucks. The skateboarder ...

, and other materials.

Reception

The series has been received positively. Joly Herman of

Common Sense Media Common Sense Media (CSM) is an organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology with the goal of providing information on their suitability for children.

described the series as "top-shelf", saying that it has "creative, fully fleshed-out characters" and has the characters artfully face "heartfelt, complex issues." Herman also argued that the series is "full of empowering moments" and said that it uses art to "inspire, empower, and elevate through storytelling," calling it an excellent series for "young tweens." Claretta Bellamy of

NBC News NBC News is the news division of the American broadcast television network NBC. The division operates under NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, a division of NBCUniversal, which is, in turn, a subsidiary of Comcast. The news division's v ...

stated that the show's second season tackles challenges such as personal space and body shaming in a way that "both entertains and allows for kids to comprehend."

Awards and nominations

References

External links