Issa Rae: The Awkward Black Girl
NecoleBitchie sat down with Issa Rae, better known as The Awkward Black Girl. Issa is definitely an inspiration for young women who are looking to create a brand on their own terms- not what the media is forcing us to believe.
Most people wait for the right opportunity. Issa Rae decided to create one.
After years of struggling to find good characters, the aspiring Director/Actress (and Stanford graduate) created what can only be described as a phenomenon. Awkward Black Girl is a ten-minute, award-winning web series that follows J, an unlikely heroin as she struggles to find love, keep sane and power through her awkwardness in Los Angeles.
Season one was an undeniable success, with Issa Rae raising an impressive $40,000 from fan donations to produce a new season. Smart, quirky and hilarious, Awkward Black Girl, debuted season two last week to an overwhelming 100,000 views in the first three days. We spoke to Issa Rae – the shows creator and star on the eve of the premiere – about the growth of the series, how she caught the attention of Pharrell Williams, and just how awkward she is in real life…And we found out that she really is awkward.
Where was Awkward Black Girl born?
ABG was born in New York. I was extra lonely and feeling sorry for my self. At first I wanted to do animated but that takes a lot of time to get it right but then the rush came when I saw an article in Clutch about a lack of self-created content for women of color. I knew I had to jump on this idea before anyone else.
So really you wanted to see more of yourself…
I definitely set out to see the reality that I didn’t see on television. I never see black people or when I do, we’re stereotypes. I love this quirky humor. Black comedy never depicts that side. I love Arrested Development, The Office, Community, and Parks & Recreation. So I wanted to create that, for us.
Are you surprised by the success of the show?
It was odd to me. After the first 2 days got 10k views, I couldn’t believe it. I was like ‘Oh my God, they love it?’ I’d done stuff before but never put my face out there. And then (prior to putting it out) I’d only shown the show to my best friend.
Do you read the YouTube comments? They can be pretty nasty.
Every single comment. I need to hear cruel things, to get this out of my system. I need to hear the negativity. So I feel balanced, so I always work hard.
So you’ve partnered with Pharrell’s I Am Other YouTube channel for season 2, how did this come about?
Mimi Valdes, I Am Other’s Creative Director, contacted me. From there she set up a phone call with Pharrell, which was surreal. He basically told how much he really, really liked it. He kept talking about this new secret deal, and how he’d love to have it on his channel. He told me ‘Keep everything, keep nigga, don’t change anything. We’ll give you creative control to do you.’ The (I Am Other) team is mostly women and very down to earth.
Let’s talk about the word ‘n*gga’ and your choice to use it n the show. Do you catch any flack for it?
I get angry emails like ‘you shouldn’t use that word.’ There are two reasons I do. First, Jay embraces Hip Hop culture. Hip Hop culture embraces the ‘n word’. The second is because I want to be true to how raw the character is. If you’re hearing the word, you’re inside Jay’s thoughts. She’s never called anyone that out loud.
If a network offered you a deal, but the caveat was that you couldn’t use the word, would you take it?
I wouldn’t. If any of the networks want to take it to TV, they have to take it as it. Just because you feel a certain way about the word, doesn’t mean I feel that way about the word.
So you’re fine with staying online for now?
For now. I want I to grow more, just for the purpose of having leverage for networks. I’m not experienced enough to run a show so we have to show them we have an audience.
What’s the ultimate goal for the show?
In a perfect beautiful world, it’d be an HBO series and I’d have full creative control.
How have things changed with the success of the series?
It’s a lot of the same and a lot is different. I just came back to Philly and I was getting stopped at every turn. It made me feel like a celebrity it was really, really cool. I’m taking it all in but I’m not like ‘this is it, I made it.’ I’m still experimenting creatively. So I’m enjoying this time.
What does your family think for all the notoriety?
My family is very supportive and very proud. My mom wanted to be a director so she told me she’s living through me. For my dad, this solidified what I do. My family is Senegalese and of course they wanted me to be a doctor or a lawyer. He didn’t really get that I wanted to act or direct. And I was relying on him financially, which I hated, so that was hard. But now he gets it.
Besides Awkward Black Girl, what else are you working on?
I have a couple other projects, a feature and TV series. I have another web series called The Michelle Obama Diaries. And I’m also continuing to develop @IssaRae Presents.
To read the full interview go to Necole Bitchie.com
