These Moments Of Black Excellence Will Light Up The End Of Your Week

What a beautiful week this has been!

1. The ladies of Insecure slayed this week! First, it was announced that Issa Rae and Laura Dern will be producing and starring in a new HBO limited series, The Dolls.

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The show will also be written by Issa Rae and her fellow Insecure writers, Laura Kittrel and Amy Aniobi. The show is about the Christmas Eve riots that took place in two Arkansas towns in the winter of 1983, which were sparked over Cabbage Patch Dolls. Excited to see these ladies bring this story to life!

2. Second, Natasha Rothwell inked an overall deal with HBO.

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Rothwell is developing a series with HBO that she will write, executive produce, and star in. We need this show ASAP!

3. And last, but not least, Yvonne Orji signed a book deal with Flatiron Books!

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The multi-talented Yvonne Orji will be writing a faith-based advice book called Bamboozled by Jesus. The release date hasn't been set yet, but I'm eagerly anticipating its launch!

4. Kennedy Mack, a freshman at Howard University, was crowned Ms. Texas Teen USA, the first black woman to be named so!

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Get that crown, girl!

5. Viola Davis and Julius Tennon signed a first look deal with Amazon Studios!

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Viola and hubby Julius's first project is going to be the biopic of Shirley Chisholm, which Viola Davis will star in. Excited for what this power couple has in store!!

6. The Hollywood Reporter had their largest photoshoot ever. The subjects? All these beautiful black female screenwriters.

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The members Black Women Who Brunch, a networking group co-founded by Lena Waithe, came together at the Hollywood Reporter to discuss their mission and state their presence in the industry. It's only fitting that this record-breaking honor would be bestowed on these fabulous ladies.

7. Common is developing and producing Zora Neale Hurston's novel, Barracoon, into a limited series.

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The novel, which was only recently discovered, "centers on 86-year-old Cudjo Lewis, the last known survivor of the Middle Passage who was brought to America in 1927." Common and Lionsgate TV will be bringing this amazing story to life.

8. Whitney Huell is the first black ballerina ever in the history of the Kansas City Ballet to dance a lead in The Nutcracker.

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Dance on, my Sugar Plum Fairy!!

9. Travis Scott scored his first number one on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Sicko Mode."

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The song is fire AF and it was only a matter of time before this happened. Congrats on topping the charts, Travis!

10. It's award season, y'all! First up, congrats to SZA and Janelle Monáe for their Billboard Women in Music Awards!!

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SZA won the Rule Breaker award and Janelle Monáe won the Trailblazer award. Both fitting, if you ask me!

11. Regina Hall won the award for Best Actress at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards – and is the first black woman to do so!

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Regina Hall won the award for her role in Support the Girls, where she plays Lisa Conroy, an optimistic sports bar manager, who gets tried every which way over the course of one fated day. The movie is available to rent here if you want to see Regina in all her greatness!

12. Congrats to all of our fabulous Golden Globe nominees. Especially Black Panther, the first superhero movie to ever be nominated for Best Picture, Drama.

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Other nominees include: If Beale Street Could Talk for Best Picture, Drama, Spike Lee for Best Director, and Regina King for not one, but TWO awards: Best Supporting Actress, Drama and Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie. Thank you to all these people for showcasing such beautiful black stories. All the nominations can be found here.

13. And a SUPER shoutout goes to the cast and creators of Pose for their groundbreaking Best TV Series, Drama nomination!

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This unprecedented show, including a cast of mostly trans black women and other members of the LGBTQ community, made history with this nomination. Billy Porter, who plays Pray Tell in the series, is also nominated for Best Actor in a TV Series, Drama. Like, words cannot express how happy I am for this show.

14. And last, but certainly not least, congrats to all of our amazing Grammy Award nominees, especially newcomers, Chloe X Halle!

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Some of the other nominees include: Cardi B for Album of the Year, Drake for Record of the Year, and Jorja Smith for Best New Artist! Thank you to all these artists for making our Spotify playlists dope AF. All the nominations can be found here.

Shoutout to all this black excellence. Can't wait to see what amazingness we have in store next week!

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