Issa Rae says she doesn’t feels successful right now. Did the industry switch up on black content?

[WIA20XX]

But there's a clear inability/refusal to approach these themes (or any themes) without the most basic, generic bullshyt framework exhaustively designed to get black twitter talking.

I often wonder how much of this is on

1) Hollywood
2) The Creators
3) The Black Audience
4) The White/Majority audience
5) The algorithm

Cause a lot of spaces (videos, film, music, restaurants, clothing brands, businesses) where Black folks don't need to answer to white people for money/distribution - they end up making some BS anyway.

 

[NO-BadAzz]

How many times have those Youtube creators been tapped on the shoulder, like Big Jah and the chick with the fade (I've seen her in Tubi movies)

Why can't she bring her material to upcoming networks, like Tubi or the low tier streaming sites.

 

[NO-BadAzz]

A lot of Black folks watch Tubi, and those tubi movies.

Why not carve out a lane on that network. Black folks are so used to building other ppl shyt and making it pop.

 

[Piff Perkins]

I often wonder how much of this is on

1) Hollywood
2) The Creators
3) The Black Audience
4) The White/Majority audience
5) The algorithm

Cause a lot of spaces (videos, film, music, restaurants, clothing brands, businesses) where Black folks don't need to answer to white people for money/distribution - they end up making some BS anyway.

I kinda feel like this answers the question. The focus is so heavily on wielding blackness as a caricature in order to gain support (and go viral), instead of focusing on making a good product. If it's a restaurant that means ridiculous menu item names, adding Hennessey into food items, and blasting music. If it's a show that means overweight black women, gay black men, etc acting as outrageous as possible. It's all geared to appealing to very specific types of black people who are hyper-online. And to be clear I'm not saying only black people do this. What Ryan Murphy is doing right now on Netflix, FX etc is laughable. You could argue he started the low effort, hyper glossy "camp" shyt that so many TV shows imitate now. American Horror Story was prob the first time I watched something and felt like alright this shyt is egregious.

 

[dora_da_destroyer]

Yet somehow Tyler Perry has been and is still eating through all of this. Looks like bruh playing the long game with what he was putting out there was the right move.

he also had way longer to build his brand (been around since the late 90's) in a more predictable market and via more profitable channels (film vs cable/streaming), and he also appeals to a more predictable and loyal audience (gex x and boomers) vs milennials and gen z where what's hot changes more frequently

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

I don't even view that show as similar to the other shyt. Abbot Elementary is a legit comedy, in line with The Office and other successful shows. And it's not just a "black show" either. There are a lot of black people in it, amongst others. Too often you get these weird caricature driven, targeted black shows instead of just making a good fukking show. I never watched Mad Men and thought "this is a good white show." It's a good show.

IMO too many of these black showrunners are stuck creatively because all they can do is hyper focus on what they deem to be black interests and stereotypes. So you get the black woman girl boss (with a gay best friend) who is too busy for love until she falls for a white guy. Or you get exaggerated super gang shows with some type of "Tupac in a business suit" emphasis or generic "rise and fall of a drug lord." Those are your options. And I'm not saying black creators shouldn't make shows about professional women or criminal men. But there's a clear inability/refusal to approach these themes (or any themes) without the most basic, generic bullshyt framework exhaustively designed to get black twitter talking.

I dont even think you could make ATLANTA today.

 

[Tribal Outkast]

he also had way longer to build his brand (been around since the late 90's) in a more predictable market and via more profitable channels (film vs cable/streaming), and he also appeals to a more predictable and loyal audience (gex x and boomers) vs milennials and gen z where what's hot changes more frequently

You are absolutely right and I agree with everything you said. I’m just saying why can’t she have that too? She’s been around for years at this point and has created a decent amount of content. I know things change or whatever, but she’s been around for 10 or more years at this point. Tyler’s audience should be predictable for his group and hers should be predictable for her group. It’s not her fault things change quickly. Personally I think having all these different streaming companies and tv stations hurt creators more than it helps but it is what it is. My favorite things from Issa Rae are the movies Little, and the movie The Photograph. Little is kinda dated because of the timeframe but the photograph is more timeless imo. She should’ve leaned more into doing movies like the photograph. I loved everything about her in that movie. Plus it’s a big memory with me and the wife because going to see that in theaters was the last big thing we did before Covid crushed the buildings

 

[dora_da_destroyer]

I dont even think you could make ATLANTA today.

the Vince Staples show says hello

 

[dora_da_destroyer]

You are absolutely right and I agree with everything you said. I’m just saying why can’t she have that too? She’s been around for years at this point and has created a decent amount of content. I know things change or whatever, but she’s been around for 10 or more years at this point. Tyler’s audience should be predictable for his group and hers should be predictable for her group. It’s not her fault things change quickly. Personally I think having all these different streaming companies and tv stations hurt creators more than it helps but it is what it is. My favorite things from Issa Rae are the movies Little, and the movie The Photograph. Little is kinda dated because of the timeframe but the photograph is more timeless imo. She should’ve leaned more into doing movies like the photograph. I loved everything about her in that movie. Plus it’s a big memory with me and the wife because going to see that in theaters was the last big thing we did before Covid crushed the buildings

insecure came out in 2016...and is still her biggest project, on a cable channel. even tho she was known earlier, she wasn't getting paper like that from a web series. tyler perry likely had more money than her just from his play circuit than she did coming off youtube. and movie paper (where tyler really took off) is much longer than cable/streaming paper. lastly, she seems to want to make tv shows which definitely requires more dependency on studios/streamers vs film.

most of her film credits are films she didn't write, produce, or direct. i'm with others in that i don't really enjoy her as an actress and think she should focus on various aspects of content creation, but the industry changed and she's coming off a mid show in Rap shyt so it's taking a bit to get something else going. she will get another shot...people like kenya barris and lena waithe are pretty one trick and still getting green lights, so she'll be ok

 

[Ol’Otis]

the Vince Staples show says hello

Show is a legit rip off

 

[V Skyye]

A lot of Black folks watch Tubi, and those tubi movies.

Why not carve out a lane on that network. Black folks are so used to building other ppl shyt and making it pop.

Tubi has also used Black people to pop and then pivoted when they gained enough revenue to become a legitimate streaming channel. They are not a Black owned station. And you now see more mainstream movies on there as opposed to hood flicks. They currently have a better movie selection than Prime.

 

[NO-BadAzz]

Tubi has also used Black people to pop and then pivoted when they gained enough revenue to become a legitimate streaming channel. They are not a Black owned station. And you now see more mainstream movies on there as opposed to hood flicks. They currently have a better movie selection than Prime.

I agree.

I was saying, for her to maybe invest in a low upcoming streaming service, get equity into the company and run with that.

 

[VertigoKnight]

I dont even think you could make ATLANTA today.

It's intresting the channel that Atlanta was on used to specialize in riskier shows that took time to find an audience.

I will say 20th Century Fox used to take some major risks with its output. Much more edgy adult themed TV and themes.

Since they've come under Disney I see less riskier shows overall.

Back in the day they had stuff like

Justified
The Sheild
Snowfall
Sons of Anarchy

Unfortunately most of those shows probably would have been canceled after 1 season if they came out now.

 

[VertigoKnight]

The tides have changed at the big companies. Been obvious for a while.

Trump friendly Conservatives want to snatch them up. I hope to god the Ellisons who own Paramount do not get WB as well. They also want to grab up Tik Tok. It's a cultural takeover.

Conservatives are sweeping in so someone like Issa Rae has no protection or champions. She doesn't have huge appeal outside of mostly black females. That puts her at a disadvantage when shes selling her creative brand.

Where would she land? Don't think Netflix would be interested. They already have Shonda and Tyler Perry.

Tbh she should look to Amazon Prime, I think her style would fit in well over there.

 

[dora_da_destroyer]

I agree.

I was saying, for her to maybe invest in a low upcoming streaming service, get equity into the company and run with that.

we are in a consolidation period, it doesn't make sense to be investing in a new streaming service when streamers are merging, cutting content to lower costs, and raising prices. even "free" services like tubi and pluto are owned by fox and paramount.