Thanks to the popularization of black art in the public eye, the past decade treated artists like Barry Jenkins, Solange, Blood Orange and Ava Duvernay greatly. A great number of talented people of color go year after year without sufficient funds they need to keep their projects afloat. These people hacked the simulation, entered into the mainstream and they intend to stay there.
Issa Rae, an actress, writer and director who writes movies and shows centered around the non-monolithic black experience. She began 2018 after an interview with “The Breakfast Club” when she revealed how she planned to work on new projects. This month, a trailer for her new film, “Little”, aired on all social media platforms. The film follows a haughty boss who takes advantage of her assistant and employees. Her life flips upside down when she transforms into a 13-year-old girl. The plot behind this film feels unoriginal, but it stands as a huge stepping stone for the black community. This is one of the few movies where dark-skinned actors have lead roles in a big budget film.
Donald Glover, A.K.A. Childish Gambino, A.K.A. king of afro-centric television and the Bill Cosby of our generation except for the woman abuser part. His show, “Atlanta,” centers around Earn, a man who manages his cousin in the rap industry. The show chronicles their adventures as black men as they attempt to make it in the industry.
2016 stood as a trivial part in the conversation of unconscious racism in the film community. His movie, “Get Out,” won Best Screenplay for the Academy Awards, Best Sci-Fi/ thriller for Critics Choice Award and more. Before 2018 came to an end, the trailer for “Us” released and of course it is another horror movie. Everything he does, he executes with excellence.
The Chicago based actor/comedian starred in “Get Out” and began 2018 with his own show, “Rel.” In 2019, he will join the cast of the “Angry Bird Movie.”
Haddish began the last two years with a bang. She became the face of Groupon, people took her comedy seriously and she starred in “Girl’s Trip”. Sadly her year ended in a low note. She performed a show on New Year’s Eve and it was so bad that people walked out. Regardless of this performance, I have faith she will pull through. “The Black Unicorn” will prevail.
Abloh blew the lid off of the ceiling in 2018. In the beginning, he studied design with Kanye West, but before this, he grew up on the streets of Chicago. He fought for the ability to learn and create in spaces that went against the status quo. When he became the creative director for Louis Vuitton, he shattered stereotypes, conventionalism and proved anything could happen.
