Issa

Issa Rae’s Raedio record label has signed Grammy-nominated producer ThankGod4Cody as well as emerging acts Jae Stephens and GAWD. ThankGod4Cody worked on seven tracks from SZA’s SOS, including “I Hate U,” “Love Language” and “Seek & Destroy.” This month he was nominated for album of the year at the Grammys alongside the best-selling singer, who won three honors including best progressive R&B album. ThankGod4Cody also worked on four songs from SZA’s 2017 debut Ctrl, including the multi-platinum…

This story contains spoilers from the the season finale of “True Detective: Night Country.” The darkness has lifted, “True Detective: Night Country” has come to an end, and some of us may never look at an orange in the same way again.Written and directed by Issa López, the latest incarnation of the anthology mystery series relocated the action to the fictional town of Ennis, Alaska, and follows two women — Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster), the local police chief, and Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis), a state trooper, as they…

A somber theme emerges in episode one of True Detective: Night Country.Photo: Michele K. Short/HBOIf you’ve been curious about True Detective: Night Country, but don’t have an HBO or Max subscription, prepare to be further tempted: episode one is now streaming free on YouTube. Writer-director Issa López’s (Tigers Are Not Afraid) new installment of the anthology series is an Alaska-set tale that tips its fur-lined cap to John Carpenter’s The Thing; it also features a rare TV series appearance by Jodie Foster, in a role…

In a cover story with Net-A-Porter published Monday, Insecure‘s Issa Rae opened up about working on the satirical Oscar-nominated drama American Fiction and witnessing the decline of Black-centered stories onscreen. The writer-producer has kept busy within the last year, starring in three films up for Oscar nominations: Barbie, American Fiction, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. During the interview, Rae delved into satirical drama American Fiction, where she plays an author who pens a hit novel, We’s…

Issa Rae recently revisited her experience while filming for the dance sequence on Dua Lipa's song from her Barbie movie. Rae was discussing the predictions for the upcoming 2024 Grammy Awards with The Hollywood Reporter. She was joined by the stars of her Max comedy series Rap Sh!t, KaMillion, and Aida Osman. Issa Rae at the 75th Emmy Awards on January 15, 2024.(AFP) "Dancing to it was my worst nightmare. It was the worst day of my life," she told the publication. The actress stressed that the best day of her…

One of Barbie’s most memorable qualities has to be the music. Audiences cried hearing one of Billie Eilish’s “best vocal performances” singing “What Was I Made For?” and Ryan Gosling’s “I’m Just Ken” was one of the best moments in the movie. But the scene that brought us to our feet was Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night” when the Barbies and Kens of Barbieland danced to the top-tapping song at the Barbie Mansion. This infamous dance sequence may have gotten a lot of praise, but I felt like I was going to lose it after…

For Issa Rae, music has always been an extra cast member on the call sheet. The nine-time Emmy nominee has used music as a storytelling tool, extending the voices of her complex and comedic characters — from the groundbreaking series Insecure and to her current adventure Rap Sh!t to the web series that launched her career, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl. “Music elevates the storytelling of everything. I write to music, you can have a scene that plays out great but music will add that…

Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse LoughreyGet our The Life Cinematic email for freeSeveral high-profile celebrities have shown their support for SAG-AFTRA’s newly-announced strike that will effectively shut down Hollywood.Follow along here for real-time updates on Sag-aftra’s historic strike.On Thursday (13 July), SAG-AFTRA’s negotiating committee, which represents 160,000 TV and film actors, made the official decision to go on strike alongside the Writers Guild of…

When the good dolls of Barbie Land were looking for a leader there was only one real candidate. “Basically, Greta said, very sweetly: ‘I would love for you to be my president,’” recalls Issa Rae, AKA Madam President Barbie, of the Barbie movie’s casting process. “I was like: ‘Awww, that’s so sweet! And also just wrong. Obviously I would not be a good president.” Still, she felt honoured to be the desired pick of Greta Gerwig, an Academy Award-nominated director. There was a catch, though: “I hate the colour pink. I’ve…

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures As the buzz around the highly anticipated live-action Barbie film continues to grow, actress Issa Rae is keeping the momentum alive by remaining tight-lipped and not spilling any secrets about the project. During an interview with People magazine last week while attending AT&T’s Game Ball Experience, Rae, who confirmed to having a role in the movie, shared how excited she is about the comedy. While mentioning the positive reviews Barbie has received from fans since its full…