Issa Rae's New Record Label Proves That She Is The Queen Of Making Silent Moves
This time next year, we will finally have a reason to renew our HBO Go subscriptions because our favorite Awkward Black Girl is bringing her hit show back to television after a year-long hiatus and we've already got our popcorn ready.
While Issa Rae has spent the past few years making some major moves in the film and TV industry, kicking it with industry heavy hitters like Ava DuVernay, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Shonda Rhimes, now, this mogul is on a mission to take over the music game. Last Friday on Instagram, Issa revealed her latest business endeavor and it's one that'll get your weekly playlist all the way together.
Raedio, Issa's new record label, is a joint venture with Atlantic Records that is dedicated to championing independent female artists. The first of which is breakout artist, TeaMarr, who recently released her first single "Kinda Love". In a statement, Issa explained:
"Music has always been an essential part of every project I do and working with emerging talent is a personal passion. Raedio allows me to continue that work within the music industry and audio entertainment space. The Atlantic Records team are innovators in terms of shifting and shaping culture. I'm excited to join forces with them to discover new artists."
The loudest person in the room is usually the least important and over the past few years, Issa has proven that she is the queen of making moves in silence. Along with Raedio, Issa has also had her hand in a few other (money) bags this year, proving that diversifying your income always pays off and we have the details on exactly how she did it.
Here are three power plays Issa made this year that will inspire you to get all the way in your bag.
Partnering with Google
I didn't know I needed Issa Rae to tell me the current weather conditions until today and now my life will never be the same.
Following in the footsteps of Samuel L. Jackson, who was recently announced as the first celebrity voice of Amazon's Alexa, Issa Rae recently linked up with Google to be the voice assistant you didn't know you needed. In an interview with CNN, the actress explained that although she was intially taken aback by the company's offer to collaborate, she soon realized that she was the perfect person for the position:
"I was like, 'What? Me?' I was a little scared… Google is huge, and I had never done anything like this. I do consider myself to have a very helpful voice."
Production Hustling
Although the Insecure crew took a one-year hiatus from the show, Issa has been working, dominating both the big and small screen. But these days, Issa is doing a lot more work off-camera. Earlier this year, it was announced that the 34-year-old hustler would be producing a remake of the 1996 classic Set It Off and helped bring all of our favorite women together for an epically televised family reunion on A Black Lady Sketch Show.
Securing A Bag In Streaming
You should never put all your eggs in one basket, and if we take a page out of Issa's book, we'd know that you should never invest all your time in one industry. Sis says she was rooting for everybody black, and she meant it; especially when it comes to her business endeavors. Issa recently put her money where her mouth is, investing in Tech Guru and serial entrepreneur, Angela Benton's L.A.-based startup company, Streamlytics. In a statement, Issa shared:
"As streaming services become the standard for how people consume content and information, tools and companies like Streamlytics are necessary for transparency and consumer ownership. Angela's drive and innovative spirit is the reason why she is a pioneer in the tech space and why I'm excited to partner with her in this endeavor."
Featured image by NBC via Instagram/@issarae.
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Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Why We'll Probably Never Hear Lupita Nyong'o Share Her Relationship With The World
Lupita Nyong'o is sharing a transparent look into her life after a recent breakup.
In a cover story for NET-A-PORTER, the A Quiet Place: Day One star shed light on the significant heartbreak she experienced following the end of her relationship with ex-boyfriend and TV host, Selema Masekela.
As a public figure, Nyong'o, 39, sought to divulge the news of the breakup in hopes of presenting a more authentic perspective on the pain that follows a separation.
"I was living in a lot of pain and heartbreak," she told the publication. "I looked at the environment of my social media and thought I don’t want to be a part of this illusion that everything is always coming up roses. Surely there is a lesson for me to learn in this, and I just want to be real about it."
The Black Panther star went on to explain that her choice to be transparent with her fans about her breakup came from the certainty she felt after ending the relationship. “In my mind, when I shared my relationship status with the world, it was because I felt sure about it,” she said.
While she didn’t know how the news would land with her fans, she found relief in knowing she wasn’t alone in her experience.
“I knew how it could be interpreted; I knew it would have a life of its own,” she reflects. “But then I started to see the comments and people were being so loving and supportive. The ones that moved me the most were other people sharing their pain and their heartbreak.”
Nyong'o and Masekela went Instagram official in December 2022, publicly announcing their relationship in a couple's video. In October 2023, Nyong'o took to her personal Instagram account to share the news of her breakup in her caption, writing, "At this moment, it is necessary for me to share a personal truth and publicly dissociate myself from someone I can no longer trust.”
She continued the vulnerable note, "I find myself in a season of heartbreak because of a love suddenly and devastatingly extinguished by deception. I am tempted to run into the shadows and hide, only to return to the light when I have regained my strength enough for me to say, 'Whatever, my life is better this way.' But I am reminded that the magnitude of the pain I am feeling is equal to the measure of my capacity for love."
These days, Nyong'o tells NET-A-PORTER that she is prioritizing profound self-discovery that extends beyond her career. She notes having a deliberate and unhurried approach to understanding herself.
She also alludes to keeping her relationships private moving forward after noting it was "very, very sage" of her not to talk about her private life professionally in the days before her last relationship. "I'm going back to those days by the way," Nyong'o shares of her reinstated boundaries around her personal life.
Earlier this month, Nyong'o made headlines alongside her new boyfriend actor Joshua Jackson. Nyong'o and Jackson went through public splits from their respective SOs in October 2023, with the latter splitting from his long-time partner Jodie Turner-Smith following her divorce filing from the Dawson's Creek alum.
The pair have been spotted together as early as December 2023, but nothing screamed "couple" quite as loudly as their recent getaway to Mexico for Nyong'o's 41st birthday featuring passionate displays of affection.
"Our purpose in life is to love. And so you have to get back in it," she tells the outlet, seemingly alluding to her budding new romance.
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Featured image by Taylor Hill/Getty Images