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We're All The Way Here For Kofi Siriboe As Crenshawn
Black Twitter has a way of making popular series and award shows so much more entertaining, and something that happened in recent weeks is a perfect example. Kofi Siriboe took social media by storm since his appearance on Season 5 of Insecure. From hilarious memes to endless declarative tweets of love, he has definitely been a hot topic.
But honestly, this thirst is nothing new! A few years back, Kofi was crowned Essence’s Sexiest Man Alive and People's Hot Guy of the Day. And let's not forget the infamous grapefruit scene onGirls Trip that birthed many MCM posts and spicy nighttime sessions. Still, it’s learning about his vulnerability and passion that really connects him to fans and supporters.
Not sure what I mean? Keep reading to find out why Kofi Siriboe is so much more than a handsome face.
Kofi comes from a creative family.
Kofi Siriboe is a middle child and has two brothers who are also actors. His mother, a Ghanaian media strategist, kept them immersed in many hobbies like sports and music as kids. (And here's another random fact: As a youth, he played trumpet and violin.) Later, she became their momager and publicist, aiding in sparking their film careers.
In an interview with The Undefeated, Kofi reflected on his relationship with his mother:
“My mom is one of those people with a big, nurturing spirit, so even simple moments with her feel like pure nourishment for my soul. There’s a level of assurance I carry that trickles into my work, no doubt. I fully trust my mom, and I know she always has my back. That trust allows me the space to be as expansive as God intended me to be.”
He was a child actor.
Kofi is not new to this, he’s true to this. He started acting as a child, and by six years old, he’d already booked guest roles, commercials, and print work. Some of his first roles in television and film included Lincoln Heights, The Longshots, and Entourage.
His big breakout role was as Ralph Angel in Ava DuVernay's 'Queen Sugar.'
Although he had been acting for a long time and had secured recurring roles in shows like MTV’s Awkward and the 2015 film Straight Outta Compton, his life-changing opportunity came in 2016 when he got the role of Ralph Angel in OWN’s Queen Sugar. In an early interview with the Chicago Tribune, he said:
“Prior to this ['Queen Sugar'], I had 10,000 followers, and now it's nearly 100,000 people watching my every move. They're watching. They actually care. There's a resonance there. That, to me, is what's, like, mind-blowing. You couldn't prepare for something like that.”
The show is currently in its sixth season and still has a loyal audience.
Kofi struggles with issues of insecurity and low self-esteem.
When Kofi was younger, he was uncomfortable with his weight and it made him feel, no pun intended, insecure. When he was 17, he went through a bit of a physical transformation and lost 40 to 50 pounds. The Really Love actor jokingly thanked the Nike Run app, brown rice, and chicken for helping him achieve his goals.
Today, an insecurity stems from fame and success. During an episode of A Sip, Kofi told Issa Rae:
“I'm insecure about accomplishing everything that was supposed to make me feel happy but I realize I’m still not fully happy.”
He continued, “I’ve accomplished amazing human goals, but it’s not enough. So, I’m insecure about that.”
He's passionate about mental health.
In 2018, he released a powerful film called Jump, a project launched via his production company, to raise awareness about the struggles of depression and anxiety. He told Oprah Daily:
“Not only am I learning about new things, topics, and social issues, but I also had a chance to take a stab at some things I was already dealing with and saw in my personal life and people around me."
He created a media lifestyle brand.
In March 2021, he launched a fun and interactive platform called We’re Not Kids Anymore. The nostalgic site allows users to share and reflect on current and past cultural moments. Kofi told Forbes:
“Young Black people don’t have media spaces that are geared toward them. Talking to people and humanizing celebrities and our experience, that's really the goal.”
There seem to be similarities between him and the role he plays on 'Insecure.'
Art is imitating life a little bit because he’s literally playing an artist who is also an advocate, which clearly shows some resemblance to Kofi's true character.
Featured image by Raymond Liu/HBO
Kirby Carroll grew up in VA but now calls Atlanta, GA home. She has a passion for creating content and helping brands grow through storytelling and public relations. When not immersed in work, you can find her sipping a mimosa at brunch or bingeing a new TV drama on Netflix. Keep up with her on social media at @askKirbyCarroll.
This article is sponsored by Hulu.
UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
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Mariee Revere On Her History-Making Million-Dollar Sales And The Future Of MoonXCosmetics
If the name Mariee Revere sounds familiar, it's probably because you heard of her beauty and skincare brand, MoonXCosmetics, or you may have heard about her history-making achievement of making $1.8 million in less than eight minutes. But before starting her million-dollar brand, Mariee was just a teenager trying to cure her acne.
While she grew up in the skincare capital of the world, South Korea, Mariee didn't really experience breakouts until her senior year of high school. Like many people who get their first breakout, she didn't know what to do, and there weren't many products out there at that time. So she decided to experiment. What she didn't know was that what she came up with would ultimately be her ticket to success.
"When I graduated high school, I moved back to America, Georgia, and I ended up making, like, the oil, the Rose Galore oil, which is like the staple product of my brand. I don't know what made me make it, but I did, and it literally cleared my face up," she tells xoNecole in an exclusive interview.
"I end up selling it as a body oil first because, obviously, I'm 17, [and] don't have any background as an esthetician or anything like that. I just made a product that worked for me, but people bought it and was using it, and I reformulated it, and then it just stuck like with me."
While MoonXCosmetics is known for its facial products, it wants to expand to body care and home. It just released its new product, Moon-Gel body wash, and it's only up from there. As Mariee continues to grow the brand, it's more than likely that she will see more history-making moments. And so far she has.
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When asked if she feels pressure to obtain more of those milestones, she says yes and no. "I did $1.8 [million] again, and then I did $2 million but I feel like now, currently, I don't look at that as one of my goals anymore because [of] the headache and just everything that came with it, but I was thankful and blessed to have that milestone, but now I'm looking for more," she says.
"I want to say more reach than more like fast-paced sales. I do want that. Obviously, every girl wants that, but I do want to have a better overall reach for my brand because I did take two years off so I was able to learn, [and] study a lot of different things. See how things have changed from 2020 to now."
"I did $1.8 [million] again, and then I did $2 million but I feel like now, currently, I don't look at that as one of my goals anymore because [of] the headache and just everything that came with it, but I was thankful and blessed to have that milestone, but now I'm looking for more."
Another part of expanding for any company is hiring people. Finding the right person to help you can be a hassle, especially for business owners who are used to doing all the work themselves. Mariee can relate to this, and she touched on this topic in her documentaryThe Million Dollar Story. She recommends having someone be your "right-hand man" who you trust to handle the ins and outs of the company.
"I could say, definitely get, like a right-hand man to help you within the process because that really was what helped me. I never had a job. I literally was 18 now, being like, you know, the boss of over 30+ employees at one point in time, and I didn't know anything. I didn't know anything about no W-2s, no taxes, no clock in, clock out because all I [have] ever known was my brand," she explains.
"So I definitely partner with people who are very skewed and versed in those areas, and they helped me get through it. Even to this day, I still have my same person helping me with hiring, firing, [and] doing everything that I can right now because I'm still learning. But obviously people get jobs young, so they have way more experience than me, but still learning."
And though she is still learning, one thing she makes sure to stay on top of is being consistent. Consistency is what trips many people up when it comes to achieving goals, but Mariee says it's all about scheduling. Whether it's when to post on social media or email marketing, scheduling it out can make a world of difference. That same practice also works when planning out her future goals for the company.
"Right now, future goals would be to drop at least five more products before the end of the year. We always do outreach, where we do drives and all that, but definitely do way more this year, she says. "Then really dive into body [care], and then hopefully open up MoonXBody underneath MoonXCosmetics to let that branch out and be open and definitely get back consistent."
For more information, visit moonxco.com.
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