What happens when you put a handful of talented black actors in a room with super-producer Will Packer? You get the recipe for one of the most hilarious movies in theatres this fall, Night School.
The film's all-star cast features some of the hottest names in the industry, including Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish, Yvonne Orji, and Bresha Webb and teaches us an important lesson about the power of persistence.
When the film begins, we meet Teddy, a manipulative salesman with a silver tongue who lives a lavish lifestyle, that is, until he encounters an unexpected disaster at his workplace that results in him losing his job. His wit was enough to get him to the top of the food chain as a locally owned grill business, but without a highschool diploma or a college degree, he is unable to secure another job that offers a salary cohesive with his expensive way of life.
In an effort to impress his girlfriend, played by Megalyn Echikunwoke (CSI: Miami), and maintain the facade of a success, Teddy enrolls in night school at his almost alma-mater to get his GED. It's at Piedmont Point High school where our smooth-talking protagonist meets his match in his new night school teacher played by Tiffany Haddish: Carrie Carter, who has a short fuse and no time for Teddy's BS.
We caught up with the cast of
Night School at the red carpet event on Monday (September 24), and they all agreed that this movie is true testament to the positivity that came come from life's second chances. On the red carpet, Kevin Hart told xoNecole:
Kevin Hart is dressed to the nines in a bold red number.Getty Images
"It's not just about the funny, it's about the message within the funny. Second chances are okay, there's nothing wrong with not getting it right the first time. Coming back the second time and doing it again is welcome. So many people look down on those situations, this is a movie that highlights it. And it also highlights that it's okay to be yourself, flawed and all. Be you and be true to you and ultimately people will be there for you. And you'll see that in Night School."
Tiffany also shared her own words of advice for anyone interested in taking a second, third, or fourth chance at pursuing the life of their dreams:
"Figure out exactly what it is, like what is the goal, and do something everyday towards it and you will eventually achieve it. If you can do five things towards it everyday, you'll get there. Look at me, I did one thing everyday to make it in this business, and bam! Here I am. Really I did 10 things everyday, but still, I put in the work."
The film's leads Tiffany Haddish and Kevin Hart.Getty Images
"Figure out exactly what it is, like what is the goal, and do something everyday towards it and you will eventually achieve it. If you can do five things towards it everyday, you'll get there."
Insecure's Yvonne Orji, who plays the best friend/coworker of Kevin's love interest in the movie, also came to slay at the Night School red carpet. She had a word for anyone thinking about giving up on their dreams without a fight, she told xoNecole:
"Listen 2014, life was hard. And it was just like, 'Are we about to give up? Are we about to not make it?' I got a second chance and second wind, sometimes you need all of them working and propelling you to go further. Listen, I didn't think I had that much fight in me. When the all chips are stacked up against you, find something in you that's beyond you. I know for me that was Jesus, just telling me like, 'Don't you dare give up.'"
Yvonne with her main squeeze Emmanuel AchoCelebzz
"And I think that's what Kevin's character goes through in this [film]. Don't give up, if at first you don't succeed try and try again. Everyone who has a dream, especially in Hollywood, there's those times you want to give up. Even, heck, being single, it's like 'There aren't any good men out there.' Don't give up girl."
This all-star film is sure to be one for the books and is a reminder that it's never too late to go after the life that you deserve, even if that means ending up in Night School with a quirky teacher and a class full of misfits. You just might learn something.
Check out our exclusive coverage from the premiere below, and make sure to catch the full movie in theatres everywhere this weekend!
Featured photo by Getty Images
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.
There’s just something about HBCU Homecoming that just hits different. Whether it’s your first time stepping onto the yard since graduation or you’re a regular at every Homecoming tailgate, HBCU pride is undeniable. It’s a vibrant celebration that unites the legacy of excellence and tradition with the energy and resilience of Black culture.
The experience goes beyond a typical college reunion; HBCU Homecoming is a family reunion, a fashion show, a cultural festival, and a week-long turn-up that embodies what it means to be unapologetically Black and educated. For HBCU alumni, the journey back to the yard each year is rooted in a love and pride that’s hard to put into words but impossible to deny.
From statement pieces to tech must-haves, every item represents the intersection of Black pride and HBCU love, ensuring that you show up to the yard in style and with intention. So whether you’re repping your alma mater for the first time since graduation or looking for fresh pieces to express your HBCU pride, these essentials will have you standing out, because, at HBCU Homecoming, it’s not just about showing up—it’s about showing out.
Thread Goals
diarrablu Jant Pants in Alia Noir
High-waisted, wide-legged, and ready to shut down the yard, the Jant Pants by diarrablu bring a whole new meaning to campus chic. Handcrafted in Dakar, Senegal, these free-flowing jacquard pants are perfect for stepping onto the yard with style and ease—making them a must-have for any HBCU alum’s closet.
Silver & Riley Convertible Executive Leather Bag Classic Size in Olive
This all-in-one luxury bag isn’t a bestseller for nothing. The Silver & Riley essential is made of Italian calfskin leather and thoughtfully designed, as it can be worn in four different ways: a shoulder bag, crossbody, a top handle, and a backpack. Chic and elegant, the Convertible Executive Leather bag is “the bag that every woman needs in her collection.”
Renowned Women's Intuition Cotton Graphic T-Shirt
Renowned
Renowned’s Women’s Intuition Cotton Graphic T-shirt features a bold graphic print inspired by the power and essence of women’s intuition. With its striking design, this all-cotton tee is a vibrant thing, making it a statement piece that celebrates feminine energy.
Mifland Million M Mesh Crop Shirt
Talk about bold, the Million M Mesh Crop Shirt combines edgy style with comfort, featuring Mifland’s signature print on a semi-see-through mesh fabric. Show up and show out in sophisticated flair.
HBCU Love FUBU
Melanin Is Life Melanated & Educated - I Love My HBCU Hoodie
Show off your HBCU love with this piece that represents everything you gained from your alma mater: a top-tier education, a community that lifts you up, and a deep sense of esteem for yourself and your culture. Wear it loud and proud, because being melanated and educated isn’t just a flex—it’s a legacy.
HBCU Culture Spelmanite Sweatshirt in Navy
Spelmanites, rep your Spelman pride with this unisex crewneck sweatshirt, designed for ultimate comfort and a relaxed fit. Made from a cozy cotton/polyester blend, this classic sweatshirt is as durable as it is stylish—making it an ideal piece for any Spelmanite showing love for their alma mater.
HBCU Culture Howard Is The Culture T-Shirt
Rock the ultimate flex by showcasing your Howard U love with HBCU Culture’s Howard Is The Culture t-shirt. This unisex tee offers a comfortable, relaxed fit that’s perfect for celebrating your HBCU spirit without sacrificing style or comfort.
DungeonForward FAMU - Strike Bucket - Reversible
DungeonForward’s Strike Bucket Hat brings versatility and style to the FAMU Crown collection with its reversible design, giving you two looks in one. Featuring a sleek black snakeskin-embossed brim lining and a bold outline Rattler emblem, this hat is all about repping your Rattler pride in style.
DungeonForward Savannah State University - HBCU Hat - TheYard
The Savannah State University HBCU Hat by DungeonForward is more than just a hat—it’s a symbol of Tiger pride and a nod to the culture. Perfect for gamedays, tailgates, or just showing off your HBCU love, this hat lets you carry a piece of the yard wherever you go.
Tech the Halls
Anker iPhone 16 Portable Charger, Nano Power Bank
Stay charged up with the Anker Nano Power Bank, which features dual USB-C ports, a foldable connector, and a compact design, making it perfect for those HBCU tailgates and late-night parties you pull up to.
Drip Check
Wisdom Frame 14 Square Sunglasses
Elevate your look with these angular square-frame sunglasses by Wisdom, bringing an ultramodern edge to any outfit. The sleek design makes them perfect for blocking out the haters while you stunt on the yard.
Coco and Breezy Eyewear Fortune in Gray Turquoise
The Fortune Glasses in Grey Turquoise is a bold statement piece to any Homecoming weekend ‘fit that “embody our fearless and outspoken DNA.” With their color and edgy design, these frames by Coco and Breezy are perfect for anyone looking to stand out and express their unapologetic confidence.
Howard U Lapel Pin
Rep your Bison pride wherever you go with this Howard U Lapel Pin from Pretty AmbVision. Whether adding it to your jacket, shirt, or bag, this pin is the perfect way to showcase your love for your alma mater while rocking your HBCU love with honor and distinction.
Mifland Standard Rucksack Mini
The Standard Rucksack is designed to evolve like that HBCU pride—getting richer, bolder, and better with time. Durable, stylish, and built to last, this Rucksack by Mifland is a timeless piece equipped with versatile carrying options and fully adjustable back straps for ultimate comfort.
Stay Fresh, Stay Blessed
Slip Pure Silk Sleep Mask in Pink
Keeping it cute starts with beauty sleep. This luxurious silk mask is an essential for a reason. If protecting your skin and waking up refreshed is your priority, look no further than this Homecoming essential.
Liquid I.V.® Hydration Multiplier Lemon Lime - Hydration Powder Packets
Stay hydrated and energized throughout Homecoming weekend with this Liquid I.V.® Hydration Multiplier in Lemon Lime. Just add a packet to your water bottle, and bless your body with 2-3 times more hydration than water with every packet. Because staying hydrated is the key to popping up and showing out all weekend long!
Loop Experience Plus Earplugs High Fidelity Hearing Protection
Designed for your hearing protection, these sleek earplugs reduce noise without compromising sound quality—perfect for enjoying the band’s halftime show, late-night parties, and DJ sets. Whether you’re front row at the step show or hitting the yard, your ears deserve to be protected in style!
Black Girl Magic Glass Cup
Sip in style and celebrate your melanin with the Black Girl Magic Glass Cup. Perfect for morning coffee, your favorite iced drink, or showing off your HBCU pride on the yard—this cup is all about keeping it cute while radiating your endless supply of Black Girl Magic.
Glow Up & Show Out
Black Girl Sunscreen SPF 30
What Homecoming weekend can be complete without an assist from this beauty find? Formulated to blend seamlessly into melanin-rich skin (no white-cast), protect your glow while you turn up with the Black Girl Sunscreen SPF 30.
Sienna Naturals Issa Rae's Wash Day Ritual Set
Issa Rae’s Wash Day Ritual Set from Sienna Naturals includes the H.A.PI. Shampoo, the Plant Power Repair Mask, Dew Magic, and Lock and Seal to get your crown right. Whether you’re repping your coils or rocking a new color on the yard, these products restore and nourish your strands, keeping your hair healthy, strong, and Homecoming-ready!
54 Thrones Ivorian Cocoa + Ghanaian Coconut Beauty Butter
Stay glowing from the tailgate to the after-party with the 54 Thrones Ivorian Cocoa + Ghanaian Coconut Beauty Butter. Infused with African-sourced ingredients, this rich, multi-purpose butter is the answer to keeping your skin soft and radiant through all the festivities all Homecoming long.
Saie Glossybounce Hydrating Lip Oil
Keep your lips looking luscious and nourished with the Saie Glossybounce Hydrating Lip Oil. Perfect for adding an extra pop to your pout before hitting the yard or freshening up between events, this lip oil is a beauty essential for staying camera-ready all weekend.
Join us in celebrating HBCU excellence! Check out our Best In Class hub for inspiring stories, empowering resources, and everything you need to embrace the HBCU experience.
Featured image by Visual Vic/Getty Images
Kendrick Lamar On Embracing Vulnerability, Self-Transformation & Feminine Energy
Kendrick Lamar is opening up about masculinity and vulnerability. The Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper sat down with former labelmate SZA for Harper's Baazar, and they discussed Kendrick's spiritual practices, self-transformation, and more. The Compton artist is known for keeping his personal life private but uses his music as an outlet that gives insight into his childhood, family life, and inner thoughts.
Here are some of the highlights:
Kendrick on his spiritual practices
Ain’t no bullshit. Ain’t no cliché. But I literally talk to God. Like, it’s to a point where I’ll be starting to think I’m going crazy. But then He has to remind me, “No, this is really me.”
My early-morning practice is that I have to run. When I started running, that’s where I started to understand. There was this threshold of pain in the spirituality for me. I remember my shins was aching and I was like, I got one mile to go. Then I get whispers and downloads and start talking about shit that I want to know about. And next thing I’m three miles in, four miles in. I wake up and do that shit every day.
Kendrick Lamar
Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage
Kendrick on his top three keys to self-transformation
The power of honesty and being honest with myself, perspective about the person sitting across from me, and learning that vulnerability is not a weakness. That last one probably been one I’m still developing.
Kendrick on vulnerability and childhood
We talk about our childhood. I hate going back to that. It’s traumatizing. My pops, he was tough. He was militant, as far as every day you are expected to go to work, take care of your family, get back up to do it all over again. Being-a-man type shit, right? And he never showed no weakness. He never showed any emotion that could garner a one-up from the person sitting across from him. And I learned to experience that, not knowing I had them same traits, right?
But for what I do, there is certainly no growth without vulnerability. If I understood the power of vulnerability earlier, I could have had more depth and more reach to the guys that was around me in the neighborhood coming up.
You know, our parents, they never had these outlets to express themselves the way they wanted to. I’ve always looked at us as somewhat of a beacon of hope [for them].
Kendrick Lamar
Photo by Pierre Suu/Getty Images
Kendrick on balancing his masculine and feminine energy
I have to balance both. At first, all I knew was the masculinity, and I always kept that wall up because of my pops.
But the more I delve deeper into my music and the more expressive I get with myself … that is the feminine energy right there. That’s not the bravado that I grew up seeing all the time. This is who I am, the soft-spoken me, and I have to own it.
This is where my superpower lies. Because if my job is to communicate, I need to be able to communicate with everyone. I need to be able to sit in front of SZA and talk to you in a way where you feel comfortable, in a way where it feels authentic from me to you, you to me, and I can’t do that with a wall up. I can’t do that with my full masculinity.
Kendrick on anger
I don’t believe I’m an angry person. But I do believe in love and war, and I believe they both need to exist. And my awareness of that allows me to react to things but not identify with them as who I am. Just allowing them to exist and allowing them to flow through me. That’s what I believe.
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Feature image by Arturo Holmes/MG23/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue