Sh*t has officially gotten real, ladies and gentlemen. Outside has been canceled until further notice and we are really in this bih.
In light of recent events, we've been confined to our respective spaces and asked to practice extreme social distancing. But instead of letting worry and anxiety consume you, pour up a glass of wine and consume this Black AF content that's coming to a streaming service near you.
From old school classics like Lethal Weapon and School Daze to new Netflix originals like #blackAF and Coffee + Kareem, here's what's new on Netflix this April:
School Daze (April 1)
School Daze
Netflix is throwing us all the way back to 1988 with this Spike Lee-directed coming of age story that paints a vivid portrait of HBCUs that will put your nostalgia in full-throttle. Starring Larry Fishburne, Giancarlo Esposito, and Tisha Campbell-Martin, this old school classic will have you in your living room feeling melanated AF.
Cadillac Records (April 1)
Cadillac Records
The year is 1942. Beyonce is Etta James and everything is right with the world.
In this 2008 NAACP award-winning autobiographical drama, we see Queen Bey star alongside Mos Def and Columbus Short in a film that tells the untold stories of Chi-town music legends, Muddy Waters, Leonard Chess, Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf, Etta James, and Chuck Berry.
Lethal Weapon 1-4 (April 1)
Lethal Weapon
Before Bad Boys, Rush Hour, and Training Day, there was Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, a dynamic duo who has been kicking ass and taking names since 1987. More than 30 years after this action-packed buddy cop action comedy film was originally released in theaters, the entire Lethal Weapon franchise is making its way to the streaming platform on April 1st.
Nailed It!: Season 4 (April 1)
In this time of chaos and the Coronavirus, we have to laugh to keep from panicking and Nicole Byers and her squad of home bakers fighting for their shot at $10,000 are back for Season 4 of Nailed It! to help us do exactly that.
The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions (April 1)
The Matrix
Morpheus asked Neo if we wanted the red or the blue pill and judging from how this pandemic is looking, I'd suggest he take both for good measure. Featuring Keanu Reeves and Lawrence Fishbourne, this classic trilogy is available to stream April 1st.
Soul Plane (April 1)
Soul Plane
We might be on lockdown, but that won't stop us from getting high AF and enjoying a ride aboard the 2004 comedy classic, Soul Plane. With an all-star cast of entertainers like Mo'Nique, Kevin Hart, Method Man, Snoop Dogg, Loni Love, and D.L. Hughley, this film is sure to give you the belly laugh you didn't know you needed.
Community: Seasons 1-6 (April 1)
Community
Rapping, singing, acting––Is there anything that Donald Glover can't do? But before his entertainment career took fire, the comedian tried his luck as a community college student. Before the premiere of his popular FX series, Atlanta, Childish Gambino had a lead role on the quirky NBC sitcom, Community, and you can stream the entire series April 1st.
Lovebirds (April 3)
Lovebirds
The Coronavirus shut down movie theaters and dashed our dreams of seeing Issa Rae get her swirl on in her latest rom-com, Lovebirds, but Netflix knew our hearts. In lieu of the movie's canceled premiere date, the film will be available for streaming on April 3rd.
Coffee + Kareem (April 3)
I didn't know that I needed to see Taraji P. Henson and that guy from The Office in a fictional on-screen relationship but it's here and I can't unsee it. A film about a 12-year-old who isn't here for his mom's new police-officer boyfriend, Coffee + Kareem is jam-packed with action, comedy, and a whole lot of ass-kicking.
#blackAF (April 17)
The Office… but make it #blackAF.
In the newest sitcom by Kenya Barris, we see the screenwriter star in #blackAF, a mockumentary-style series starring Rashida Jones and featuring cameos by Issa Rae, Tyler Perry, and Nia Long, that is loosely based on his reality.
Cooked With Cannabis (April 20)
Netflix
Nothing eases the soul like some home-cooked comfort food and there's nothing more comfortable than sitting back on your couch and binge-watching a show about cannabis-infused cuisine. Hosted by Kelis and Leather Storrs, this 6-episode features 18 home cannabis cooks who aren't going home without their piece of the pie.
Django Unchained (April 25)
Django
I'm not ashamed to say that I've seen this pre-ScandalKerry Washington-led film a thousand times and thanks to Netflix, I'll have the opportunity to watch it 1,000 more. 8 years after this Quentin Tarantino-directed film debuted in theaters, Django: Unchained will be available to stream April 25th.
Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story (April 29)
Netflix
Netflix has lowkey been hitting it out the park with their documentaries lately, and we hope that Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story keeps that same energy.
Featured image by School Daze.
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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
