As improbable as it may seem with just two weeks left until 2025, Doechii’s breakout year just keeps getting better. After capturing fans’ hearts with her live performances for Colbert, NPR, and the residents of Nickerson Gardens in Watts, California, Doechii’s got another live performance going crazy viral on social media — this time, largely as a result of who joins her in the studio.
Performing “Denial Is A River” for Genius’ Open Mic series, Doechii teams up with the original Awkward Black Girl herself, Issa Rae, who takes on the role of Doechii’s therapist from the song. This turns out to be a very good casting for Issa, who displays captivating chemistry with the Florida-born rapper as they go back and forth over the song’s conversational breakdown. Fans on social media are going gaga over the performance, noting that Doechii would have fit right in on Insecure — and expressing hopes for a return of Issa Rae’s rap alter ego from that show on a potential remix.
Genius producer Andrés Tardio explained the vision behind the performance on his socials, writing, “I had this crazy idea while listening to Doechii’s “Denial is a River” one day. What if Issa Rae played the role of Doechii’s therapist in a special live rendition of the song? That idea is now real! Doechii and Issa showed up and made magic with their incredible talent and star power. Just undeniable greatness. So many great minds came together to bring this to life in such a dope way. Watch the credits for some of those names but also for a special bonus moment too!”
Elliott Wilson has apologized to SZA for his initial response to her new film with Keke Palmer, One of Them Days, as well as his criticism of her interviewing Kendrick Lamar for Harper’s Bazaar. When SZA shared a trailer for One of Them Days, Wilson wrote back on X (formerly Twitter) “Why?” Discussing their relationship on his show, The Bigger Picture, Wilson explained that he regrets the post.
Wilson began by revealing that he already apologized to SZA privately, but wanted to do so publically as well. “I’m a big SZA fan musically. I love the last album,” he began. “She teased more music coming, even though this record’s still top 20. She doesn’t have to give us no music anymore. She’s still on top. I selfishly thought we were getting more music. I had no knowledge that this movie was coming out. And I would assume if she’s in a movie, she’s only doing like a cameo or something. I didn’t know it was like a real thespian-type thing that she’s behind. I didn’t know Issa Rae was part of it. I didn’t know any of this sh*t.”
Feb 4, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; SZA accepts the award for best R&B Song during the 66th Annual Grammy Awards at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY via Imagn Images
Wilson continued: “So, I ignorantly reacted to it. ‘Why we rocking to this? Where’s the slaps?’ That was my initial mentality, but that was ignorant. They tore my ass up on Twitter. ‘I don’t want Black women to win, make movies,’ and all this type of stuff. So, all of that got real nasty, but I already apologized. I just wanna say publically, I was definitely wrong for that.”
Elliott Wilson Apologizes To SZA
One of Them Days will be hitting theaters next January. It’s directed by Lawrence Lamont and written by Syreeta Singleton. Check out Elliott Wilson’s full apology to SZA below.
It’s no secret that Issa Rae and Amanda Seales have had their fair share of differences in the past. During her appearance on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast earlier this year, Seales opened up about some of the downsides to her experience working on Insecure with Rae, claiming that she never felt empowered. “She wasn’t empowering to me. [Issa] didn’t feel like I was needed. She didn’t feel like I deserved to be protected,” Seales said at the time. “I’m only giving a portion of the situation. But that was my experience. And nonetheless, I have still always protected her because I felt like it was my responsibility to do so. But it is not.”
It looks like Rae heard Seales’ comments loud and clear, and doesn’t want to work with her again in the future. Recently on The Breakfast Club, they played audio of her speaking at an event for her wine brand in Brooklyn. When asked who she would never collaborate with again, her answer was Seales.
Issa Rae Addresses Amanda Seales’ Club Shay Shay Comments
“The person I would not work with again… Anyone who goes on a podcast and talks sh*t about me,” she said. The crowd proceeded to go wild, indicating that while Rae did not call Seales out by name, they all knew who she was referring to. This is the first time Rae has commented on her long-rumored feud with Seales publicly, and at the time of writing, Seales has yet to respond.
Seales’ appearance on Club Shay Shayhasn’t only made headlines for reigniting her feud with Rae, however. Sharpe was also under fire following the release of the episode for downplaying Seales’ experiences with bullying, autism, and more. What do you think of Issa Rae claiming that she never wants to work with Amanda Seales again? Does this surprise you or not? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
In their Club Shay Shay interview, Amanda Seales revealed quite a lot to Shannon Sharpe. After stating, she lifted a lot of brothers, specifically naming Boldy James.
Airing out her laundry, Seales says, “I’ve done paid probation fees because n—as could rap and I want them to be able to live in their talent and their truth. I done spoke to a damn P.O. to vouch. Boldy James. And you owe me money.”
Boldy hasn’t confirmed or denied the accusations, and he may not have to. The Twitter streets found the facts in his raps.
During the same episode, Seales stated she does not feel protected by Issa Rae.
Seales appeared on Insecure with Issa Rae and revealed how their relationship went south during an Emmys party called the Black Emmys, which Issa was part of planning. Seales stated there was an issue between Seales and her publicist, but Issa Rae would not get involved in the matter. The following year, Seales stated she promoted the party and attended with Insecure co-star Kendrick Sampson but was stopped from entry by a woman who was “white-passing.”
Later in the conversation, Seales says, “I know Issa is doing something within this business that so few people get to do. I know her role is very important and so I’ve always protected Issa. However, there’s been enough instances at this point where I should’ve been protected by Issa and I wasn’t.”
She added, “My protecting of Issa is being turned on me and is something being used against me.”
You can hear it all from Amanda Seales below.
“I know Issa is doing something within this business that so few people get to do. … I know her role is very important and so I’ve always protected Issa. However, there’s been enough instances at this point where I should’ve been protected by Issa and I wasn’t.” – Amanda Seales pic.twitter.com/yHQY1J3mS9
While TikTok has been fighting for its ability to stay live in the U.S. app store, Snap has been busy making moves. During Snapchat’s NewFronts presentation to advertisers, parent company Snap Inc. unveiled a series of initiatives, including high-profile collaborations with “Insecure” creator and star Issa Rae, Live Nation, and the debut of an in-app sports channel.
At the event held in New York on Wednesday night, Snap announced the renewal of agreements with the NBA and WNBA, as well as a new partnership with NBCUniversal. The latter focused on the Paris Olympics. That’s a big deal. As part of the NBCU deal, prominent Snap Stars such as Livvy Dunne, Harry Jowsey, Kai Cenat, Duke Dennis, and Enisa will provide their unique perspectives on the Games to Snapchat users live from Paris, on the platform.
In even more exciting news, Issa Rae’s Ensemble, a recently launched platform to spotlight brands and the creator economy with a multicultural lens, is joining forces with Snap’s 523 Program. Together, they aim to expand Snap’s 523 creator accelerator program to include creators from all minority ethnic groups and the LGBTQ+ community. The ensemble will support brands and 523 creators in content creation and mentorship.
“Ensemble shares our commitment to amplifying the voices of creators from underrepresented communities,” stated Snap Inc. “Through this partnership, we will empower this year’s 523 class of storytellers while offering brands opportunities to collaborate directly with them.” Applications for the 2024 creator cohort are open from May 1 to June 1. So get busy if you plan on applying.
Snap also introduced a new in-app sports channel to engage its 422 million daily active users. Let’s stop sleeping on Snap. The collaboration with Live Nation aims to provide users exclusive access to music experiences through Live Nation.
The presentation also revealed plans for augmented reality tools to enhance users’ advertising experiences and AR and machine learning tools to boost consumer engagement with ad content.
Snap is certainly growing amid the battle for our attention on social media.
It’s been almost three years since HBO’s Insecure finished airing, and the critically acclaimed show continues spawning new fans. It is often named among the best comedy drama shows of the last decade, and rightly so. Its characters, and the actors who portrayed them, are also greatly loved by fans. However, it seems the chemistry and friendship some characters shared in the show does not exist in real life. For example, it’s been just about confirmed that Issa Rae and Amanda Seales are not the biggest fans of each other. Seales recently appeared in another viral episode of Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay. There, she spoke extensively about her and Issa’s failed friendship.
Amanda Seales Addresses Feud Rumors On Club Shay Shay
On April 24, 2024, an episode of Club Shay Shay featuring Amanda Seales premiered on YouTube. In the interview, the actress spoke about several interesting topics. However, the subject getting the most attention is what happened between Issa Rae and Amanda Seales. The two were co-stars on Insecure and were friendly a few years ago. Surprisingly, however, over the years, their relationship soured as they worked together on the set of the hit show. Many fans have noticed a distance between the two for some time, but it has been all speculation until now.
What Happened Between Amanda Seales & Issa Rae?
INGLEWOOD, CA – JULY 15: (L-R) Amanda Seales, Yvonne Orji, executive producer and star Issa Rae, Jay Ellis and Natasha Rothwell attend a block party celebrating HBO’s new season of “Insecure” on July 15, 2017 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for HBO)
According to Amanda Seales, the rift between her and Issa Rae was first made apparent in 2019. She narrated to Shannon Sharpe how Vanessa Anderson, Rae’s publicist, barred her from entering into an Emmys party for Black actors in 2019. Subsequently, two days later, the Insecure creator reached out to Seales. However, she allegedly only claimed not to have anything to do with what happened and asked if Seales was willing to talk to Anderson.
“I’ve never talked about this publicly because it’s always been incredibly important to me to protect Issa,” Seales said. “However, there’s just been enough instances at this point where I should have been protected by Issa, and I wasn’t,” she continued. According to Seales, being so protective of Issa Rae was becoming detrimental to her. “There’s a whole narrative that is completely false that people keep spinning. They keep saying, you know, that I’m this mean girl on this set, that I harmed these people on this set. I just want to point out something very basic. How can I be a mean girl on a set that ain’t my set? How? It’s your show. You are my boss. I don’t even have the capacity to be the mean girl here because you can fire me,” she continued.
Unfortunately, the tension between the two actors only grew from that point onwards. Their relationship did not improve. Instead, it deteriorated to the point where other castmates could tell things weren’t great between them. “Everybody knows what’s going on. They don’t say nothing to me. And that’s just f*cking mean. It’s mean,” Seales said. Speaking further on the topic, she shared, “By the end of the show, you know, there were just certain scenarios where I had to really always be the bigger person and be the balm to the situation. And in Season 5, she just came out of her face at me one time too many and I just chose to stop being the balm because the show was wrapping.” When Sharpe asked Seales what she did, Seales replied, “Nothing, I just stopped communicating.”
Afterward, Sharpe mentioned that many people consider Issa Rae to be very empowering to women, but Amanda Seales disagreed. “She wasn’t empowering to me. [Issa] didn’t feel like I was needed. She didn’t feel like I deserved to be protected,” Seales said. “I’m only giving a portion of the situation. But that was my experience. And nonetheless, I have still always protected her because I felt like it was my responsibility to do so. But it is not.”
Issa Rae has not commented on Seales’s allegations at this time. However, fans are anticipating her reaction if it ever arrives.
Actress, comedian, and TV personality Amanda Seales joined Shannon Sharpe on Club Shay Shay for an extensive three-hour discussion. During the conversation, Seales delved into quite a bit of detail about her life and career thus far. There were more than a couple of bombshells revealed during the discussion that have since gone viral. In true Amanda fashion, there were also important conversations about racism, bias, and mental health. In fact, social media has been pretty united in claiming that perhaps Sharpe was not the best interviewer for someone like Seales. Nonetheless, here are some of the biggest takeaways from Amanda Seales’ appearance on Club Shay Shay.
During her time on Club Shay Shay, Amanda Seales addressed her rumored conflict with Issa Rae. Despite speculation that their issues originated during their time on Insecure, Seales clarified that it was Rae’s publicist who initially had an issue with her. However, Seales believes this snowballed into Rae failing to protect her. Reflecting on their rumored conflict during the series’ production, she said, “So, I’ve never talked about this publicly because it has always been incredibly important to me to protect Issa. Because I know that Issa is doing something within this business that so few people get to do. And it’s not something I desire to do… She wasn’t empowering to me. She didn’t feel like I deserved to be protected. But that was my experience. And nonetheless, I have still always protected her because I felt like it was my responsibility to do so. But it is not.”
Her Autism Diagnosis
In the three-hour interview with the retired athlete-turned-podcaster, Amanda Seales disclosed that she is on the autism spectrum. She described her current state as one of evolution, acknowledging that she has been receiving a mix of new information and criticism simultaneously. She stated: “I was recently diagnosed as someone who has autism spectrum disorder which is very difficult to identify in Black women because of racism. What it typically means is that your brain functions in a different way, so you’re neurodivergent. When you take the test, you’re like ‘Hold up! I’ve been thinking my whole life that this was a problem.’ The fact that I have to be doing things all of the time to be stimulated. It’s literally called stimming. These are small things that are indicative of how your brain functions in a very particular way. It’s also atypical to the way our society functions.”
This particular discussion has since garnered criticism. During the show, Sharpe questioned Seales on whether she had received a professional autism diagnosis, to which she responded, “Yes. There is a clinical diagnosis for autism.” This statement, which has been translated to Seales, in fact, not receiving a clinical diagnosis, raised eyebrows. Nonetheless, she took to social media soon after to clarify that she had not been officially diagnosed by a doctor.
Amanda Seales has often been referred to as headstrong and direct. On the podcast, she explained the origins of her confident demeanor, tracing it back to her gymnastics and theater roots. Reflecting on her mindset, Seales revealed that she was heavily influenced by her coach, theater director, and mother, who pushed her rigorously and held high expectations for perfection. She also mentioned developing a strong sense of professionalism from a very young age. Recollecting those times, she stated, “That’s what I come from, people expecting you to be at your best when they’re not looking. That’s how I’ve always operated but you go through life and you realize that’s not how everybody operates.”
Experiencing Racism On Set
Some of the most viral moments from Amanda Seales’ time on Club Shay Shay revolved around the topic of racism. Sometime during their conversation, Seales discussed her experience as a former Disney child star. She recalled incidents where she was called slurs by her white peers on set. As the only Black girl present, Seales considered this behavior to be racist. When Shannon Sharpe questioned her experience by suggesting that kids are not accountable for such behavior due to their age, Seales emphasized that it was indeed a form of racism, regardless of the perpetrators’ age. Frustrated, she said: “So, you have no problem with the children that were cursing out Ruby Bridges? And the Little Rock Nine? Do you think that was just them being kids?”
Seeking Therapy
On Club Shay Shay, Amanda Seales admitted that she struggled to comprehend why some people didn’t like her. She then disclosed that she sought therapy to address this issue, and credited therapy with enhancing her awareness of how others perceive her thoughts. “I started going to therapy because I was like, people kept telling me that no one likes me, and I do not understand it,” she said. “At some point, I thought I wasn’t likable because I had low self-esteem… I present to people in a way that they deem masculine but it’s really just passion and if they really were smart, they would understand that the passion that I speak with is the passion that I f*ck with so I don’t understand why they can’t do that math.”
During the interview, Sharpe brought up the topic of certain Black people who prefer to be in white spaces. Grasping where the conversation was heading, Seales immediately brought up Candace Owens’ name. She spoke about how the Black community has been taught to be forgiving, but really should only forgive those who ask. “It’s not her fault,” she began. “It’s the spaces that let her back in. We can’t just look at Black people and say ‘Is this skin folk or kin folk?’ All of these Black media spaces that took her back in… all these Black media spaces that have just excoriated me for weeks, I look at them and say ‘You are simply Black by name, because you are white by commerce.”
Emmanuel Acho And Angel Reese
Shannon Sharpe also brought up college basketballer Angel Reese and sports analyst Emmanuel Acho. Acho had recently criticized Reese for presenting herself as a villain during her college basketball days but not sticking to that image when confronted with losses. Unhappy with the entire fiasco, Amanda Seales used this opportunity to call out Acho and dish out her own criticism in defense of Reese. “She is a young person,” she said. “Do you know how disgusting that is? And that cornball ass n*gga who loves to make himself look like he’s the white people savior. Emmanuel Acho. ‘Come talk to me, white people. I’m the black guy that’s nice.’ Cut it out. It’s ridiculous.”
It goes without saying that it’s been a busy few months for SZA. Aside from winning four Grammys earlier this year, the songstress is currently in the process of readying the deluxe edition of her 2022 album SOS, Lana. Fans are as anxious as ever to hear what she has to offer on the upcoming project, though an official release date has yet to be confirmed.
Now, it’s been announced that she’ll be making her acting debut in a buddy comedy film for TriStar Pictures alongside Keke Palmer. Few details have been revealed about the upcoming endeavor at the time of writing. Supporters do know, however, that the screenplay was written by Rap Sh!t showrunner Syreeta Singleton and Lawrence Lamont will direct. Issa Rae, Sara Diya Rastogi, Charles D. King, James Lopez, and Poppy Hanks are producing. Singleton is acting as a co-producer while Palmer and her mother Sharon are executive producing.
Obviously, fans can’t wait to see what SZA and Palmer have in store for them in the untitled film. Social media is already flooded with their predictions, with many agreeing that they’re excited to get a glimpse of SZA’s acting skills. A release date for the film has not yet been revealed. As for SZA’s other upcoming project, Lana, it might be a while.
At the end of last month, the “Kill Bill” performer took to social media to announce that she’d be starting the project from scratch due to leaks. “Y’all leaked three songs from the deluxe. At this point, y’all can keep the throwaways and leaks. I’ll be starting ‘Lana’ from scratch. Do not ask me about it again. Thank you,” she said. What do you think of SZA starring alongside Keke Palmer in an upcoming film? Are you looking forward to seeing it? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Amanda Seales’ interview on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay has been causing a lot of discussion. Seales has always been an outspoken personality and isnt afraid of levying criticism. She has recently called out an article that criticized her for calling out Black Hollywood. Seales has expressed that she does not always feel welcome in Black Hollywood spaces. She had commented on how it felt to not be invited to the NAACP Image Awards despite being a part of the industry. Now, Seales has opened up about being allegedly mistreated by Issa Rae.
Seales was one of the stars of Issa Rae’s HBO comedy Insecure which the show ran for five seasons. On Club Shay Shay she commented on the rumors of there being tension between herself and Rae. She went on to tell her side of the story, expressing how she was mistreated during the filming of the acclaimed show. The actor and comedian said she felt alienated by Rae and the rest of the cast. Her comments have sparked a discussion about Seales and Rae’s relationship.
Seales said in the Shannon Sharpe interview that Rae never felt she was “needed” on Insecure. She also mentioned Rae never promoted her show Get Your Life, even though Rae produced it through her production company. Seales also said of Rae, “She didn’t feel like I deserved to be protected. I’m only giving a portion of the situation. But that was my experience.” She continued, “And nonetheless, I have still always protected her because I felt like it was my responsibility to do so. But it is not.” Seales says she was never empowered by Rae like she supposedly empowers other Black women.
She clarified she knows how important Issa Rae’s role is in Hollywood, saying, “I’m not interested in getting a $100 million production deal. That’s not a life that I want for myself. But I know that her role is very important.” The Amanda Seales appearance on Club Shay Shay is another viral interview for Shannon Sharpe. Sharpe has received less than glowing reviews about his performance in the interview.
Earlier this month season two of Issa Rae’s rap-themed show “Rap Sh!t” wrapped up on HBO. The season came alongside a mixtape soundtrack which featured contributions from some names like Sexyy Red, Rico Nasty, Kaliii, Guapdad 4000, and more. But after season two of the show wrapped up, fans got some bad news about its future. A few weeks ago HBO confirmed that the show wouldn’t be returning for a third season.
During a recent interview, Issa Rae discussed the show being canceled. In particular, she discussed how it represents an alarming trend of black TV shows being canceled. “You’re seeing so many Black shows get cancelled, you’re seeing so many executives – especially on the DEI side get canned. You’re seeing very clearly now that our stories are less of a priority,” she began the discussion. “I am pessimistic, because there’s no one holding anybody accountable – and I can, sure, but also at what cost? I can’t force you to make my stuff. It’s made me take more steps to try to be independent down the line if I have to,” she continued. Check out the full quote from her interview below.
Issa Rae interview are often primed for hilarious viral content. Last year during an interview she explained that she’s happy she didn’t become famous until her 30s. Looking at what some younger celebrities do she’s happy she got to learn plenty of lessons before ever facing the scrutiny of the public eye.
Despite the cancelation of “Rap Sh!t” Rae was still part of one of the biggest financial successes of the entire 2020s so far. She was in the cast of Barbiewhich broke box office records on its way to being one of the biggest pop culture moments of 2023. What do you think of Issa Rae’s take on “Rap Sh!t” being canceled after just two seasons? Let us know in the comment section below.
