When it comes to Issa Rae the creative juices never stop flowing. From creating the YouTube series Awkward Black Girl to the Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe nominated HBO series, Insecure, Issa Rae has continued to leave her mark on today’s society through a variety of business ventures, her latest being launching her own brand of Prosecco.
Getting her start back in 2011, Rae premiered Awkward Black Girl to her YouTube channel. The series followed the character J, who is played by Rae as she awkwardly interacted with coworkers, friends and love interest. The motive behind the series came from Rae feeling like Hollywood’s portrayal of Black people weren’t actually relatable. In 2015 she said “I’ve always had an issue with the [assumption] that people of color, and black people especially, aren’t relatable. I know we are.”
And in 2015, she took her talents to national television when HBO picked up the pilot of Insecure, a comedy series that followed the awkward experiences of modern Black women in their 20s. With Rae as one of the main characters, she explored many different elements of the Black experience. From the writing to the reliability of the characters, Insecure’s impact on culture is cemented. Similar to shows like a A Different World and Living Single, Insecure is poised to go down in Black culture history as one of the best shows to ever grace TV.
While Awkward Black Girl and Insecure are some of her most notable offerings, she has many– which is why in 2020, she launched Hoorae Media. Formerly known as Issa Rae Productions, Hoorae Media is all encompassing. Tre Cnt, Seen & Heard, Black Lady Sketch Show, Rap Sh*t, Perfect Strangers, Ghost in the Machine, Sinkhole along with others all fall under the Hoorae umbrella.
In June of this year, Rae expanded Hoorae to include a brand marketing division, Fête. “We saw a need within our company and across our partners for greater marketing integrations that Fête will bring to the table,” Rae told AdWeek in an exclusive interview. ”We look forward to providing an unparalleled experience that will be reflective of our communities, center Black women and further strengthen our partnerships.
And in a recent, but super on-brand business move, Rae has launched her new brand of Prosecco– Viarae. The “bright, crisp, lively, and refreshingly refined take on the classic Italian sparkling wine” as described on the company’s website, comes from a partnership between the serial entrepreneur and E. & J. Gallo Winery.
Issa’s love of Prosecco has been no secret as she’s talked frequently about her favorite drink, “The Hooligan” which is basically a glass of Prosecco and a shot of Vodka. If you’re a fan of Insecure, you also know that this was Issa Dee’s favorite drink.
“I am thrilled to share my love of Prosecco with everyone through Viarae. It’s carefully crafted, deliciously crisp, and the perfect beverage to celebrate La Dolce Vita,” she said in a statement.
There’s so much to be said about Issa Rae, she is an icon, she’s unapologetic, she’s rooting for everyone Black and she’s a creative genius. Her come up is nothing short of inspiring and we can’t wait to see what she gives the world next.
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