It's the beginning of February and we both know why you're here. You're ready for all of this Black AF content coming to your favorite streaming platform for some hardcore Netflix and Chillin'––and xoNecole is here to give it to you. From OG classics like Purple Rain and Bootycall to introspective, binge-worthy content like Who Killed Malcolm X, we've got all the tea on how to make the most out of your TV time.
Scroll below for 14 Black AF titles coming to Netflix this month:
Ali (Feb. 1)
Ali
The champ is here! This 2001 Academy Award-nominated classic details the life and times of one of the greatest boxers in history. Starring Jamie Foxx and Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith, this is the perfect film to kick off your Black History Month the right way.
Booty Call (Feb. 1)
Booty Call
If you, like myself, were too young to watch Booty Call when it originally released in 1997, Netflix is giving you the opportunity to relish in all of the debauchery this February. This all-star cast of Black AF leads will have you LOL and might even inspire you to ignore that "wyd" message you get later on tonight *insert eyes emoji*...
Purple Rain (Feb. 1)
Purple Rain
Originally released in 1984, this Prince-led film won both an Academy Award and an Oscar for Best Music Score and to this day, it remains a classic.
Scary Movie 2 (Feb. 1)
Scary Movie
Quite possibly the funniest film in the Scary Movie franchise, this 2001 classic comedy stars a young Regina Hall and the Wayans brothers and was directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans.
Police Academy (Feb. 1)
Police Academy
If anybody was hoping to binge six of the 1980s Police Academy movies this weekend, Netflix has you covered.
They've Gotta Have Us (Feb. 5)
They've Gotta Have Us
As a tribute to three generations of Black film, photographer and artist Simon Fredrick brings us They've Gotta Have Us, a three-part series that features interviews from John Singelton and Diahann Carroll, who were both interviewed before their deaths, as well as Jesse Williams, Debbie Allen, and a number of other industry legends.
Who Killed Malcolm X? (Feb. 7)
Netflix
In December, Netflix released the Spike Lee-directed biopic, Malcolm X, and this month, the platform dives even deeper into the Black icon's story with this six-part docuseries that investigates the truth about his tragic death.
Locke & Key (Feb. 7)
Adapted from a comic book series, Locke & Key tells the story of three teens who move into what seems to be a supernatural house after their father's mysterious murder.
Braxton Family Values 11 - Season 1 & 2 (Feb. 15)
Amazon
Making its way to the streaming platform for the first time ever, the first and second season of Braxton Family Valueswill be available to stream on the 15th.
Gentefied (Feb. 21)
Gentrification has been coming for the POC community's necks for years now but this Mexican family of restauranteurs is fighting back. Executive produced by Ugly Betty star America Ferrera, this bilingual dramedy series premiered at Sundance in 2017 and is making its way to our screens Feb. 21.
A Haunted House (Feb. 21)
A Haunted House
A horror parody film produced by the king of horror parody films himself, Marlon Wayans, A Haunted House stars Essence Atkins, Cedric The Entertainer, and Affion Crockett in a goofy mashup of Paranormal Activity and The Devil Inside that you didn't see coming.
Altered Carbon (Feb. 27)
Netflix
Starring Anthony Mackie (Ant-Man), Simone Missick (All Rise), and Lela Loren (Power), this futuristic cyberpunk story is the perfect binge for the sci-fi lover in your life.
Queen Sono (Feb. 28)
I didn't know I needed a series about an afro-rocking, crime-fighting South African spy but Netflix gave it to me and now I can't unsee it.
All the Bright Places (Feb. 28)
Netflix
Based on the 2015 novel by Jennifer Niven, All the Bright Places is a drama starring Justice Smith (The Get Down) that explores mental health and bipolar disorder in an eye-opening way.
Featured image by Ali.
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In a xoNecoleexclusive, the iconic actress opens up about embracing this season of her life, new projects, and overall being a “bad motherfucker.” Gabrielle reveals that she was 37 years old when she was diagnosed with perimenopause and is still going through it at 51 years old. Mayo Clinic says perimenopause “refers to the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause, marking the end of the reproductive years.”
“I haven't crossed over the next phase just yet, but I think part of it is when you hear any form of menopause, you automatically think of your mother or grandmother. It feels like an old-person thing, but for me, I was 37 and like not understanding what that really meant for me. And I don't think we focus so much on the word menopause without understanding that perimenopause is just the time before menopause,” she tells us.
Gabrielle Union
Photo by Brian Thomas
"But you can experience a lot of the same things during that period that people talk about, that they experienced during menopause. So you could get a hot flash, you could get the weight gain, the hair loss, depression, anxiety, like all of it, mental health challenges, all of that can come, you know, at any stage of the menopausal journey and like for me, I've been in perimenopause like 13, 14 years. When you know, most doctors are like, ‘Oh, but it's usually about ten years, and I'm like, ‘Uhh, I’m still going (laughs).’”
Conversations about perimenopause, fibroids, and all the things that are associated with women’s bodies have often been considered taboo and thus not discussed publicly. However, times are changing, and thanks to the Gabrielle’s and the Tia Mowry’s, more women are having an authentic discourse about women’s health. These open discussions lead to the creation of more safe spaces and support for one another.
“I want to be in community with folks. I don't ever want to feel like I'm on an island about anything. So, if I can help create community where we are lacking, I want to be a part of that,” she says. “So, it's like there's no harm in talking about it. You know what I mean? Like, I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change. I'm just getting better and stronger and more intelligent, more wise, more patient, more compassionate, more empathetic. All of that is very, very welcomed, and none of it should be scary.”
The Being Mary Jane star hasn’t been shy about her stance on therapy. If you don’t know, here’s a hint: she’s all for it, and she encourages others to try it as well. She likens therapy to dating by suggesting that you keep looking for the right therapist to match your needs. Two other essential keys to her growth are radical transparency and radical acceptance (though she admits she is still working on the latter).
"I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change."
Gabrielle Union and Kaavia Union-Wade
Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images
“I hope that a.) you recognize that you're not alone. Seek out help and know that it's okay to be honest about what the hell is happening in your life. That's the only way that you know you can get help, and that's also the only other way that people know that you are in need if there's something going on,” she says, “because we have all these big, very wild, high expectations of people, but if they don't know what they're actually dealing with, they're always going to be failing, and you will always be disappointed. So how about just tell the truth, be transparent, and let people know where you are. So they can be of service, they can be compassionate.”
Gabrielle’s transparency is what makes her so relatable, and has so many people root for her. Whether through her TV and film projects, her memoirs, or her social media, the actress has a knack for making you feel like she’s your homegirl. Scrolling through her Instagram, you see the special moments with her family, exciting new business ventures, and jaw-dropping fashion moments. Throughout her life and career, we’ve seen her evolve in a multitude of ways. From producing films to starting a haircare line to marriage and motherhood, her journey is a story of courage and triumph. And right now, in this season, she’s asking, “What’s next?”
“This is a season of discovery and change. In a billion ways,” says the NAACP Image Award winner. “The notion of like, ‘Oh, so and so changed. They got brand new.’ I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
"I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
She continues, “So I'm just trying to figure out what's next. You know what I mean? I'm jumping into what's next. I'm excited going into what's next and new. I'm just sort of embracing all of what life has to offer.”
Look out for Gabrielle in the upcoming indie film Riff Raff, which is a crime comedy starring her and Jennifer Coolidge, and she will also produce The Idea of You, which stars Anne Hathaway.
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Feature image by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images
