Source: Gary Gershoff / Getty
It was a win for Black people and people of color in the media this week with unique perspectives headed for the big screen!
However, it was also a week of dreaded Twitter drama when one radio host decided not to ignore a serious subject. Check out the W’s below, then hit the next page to find out who lost in the Twitter battle.
Winners
Issa Rae
Source: Craig Barritt / Getty
In the last couple of years, the T.V. and movie industry has made huge strides in bringing diversity to the media. Movies like Black Panther and Get Out are the most immediate examples of Black people being in front of and behind the camera.
However, history has taught us that the “Black fad” can be here today and gone tomorrow. One decade it might be sitcoms, the next it might be romantic comedies, and then, Hollywood can decide they’re done with the Blacks.
Well Issa Rae is one of the people making sure this doesn’t happen thanks to an epic deal she signed with Columbia. According to Variety, Issa’s production company, ColorCreative, has signed a multi-picture production deal that will allow the company to back projects from emerging diverse screenwriters. Certain writers will be announced in the spring of 2019 to work with Rae and ColorCreative to develop and write movies based on their original stories.
This is a huge move considering Black content that makes it to the big screen isn’t always original (e.g. Black Panther, 12 Years A Slave, The Color Purple, etc.).
With more original ideas, more diverse stories are sure to come that show the vastness of Black people and communities of color. If the flicks do well, they can also set the tone for more diverse films for years to come.
“All of the projects we are working on are fresh and promising and we can’t wait to continue the work,” Issa said in a statement. “We hope to set a precedent and inspire the industry at large to invest in undiscovered talent, original IP, and fresh stories and perspectives.”
Win, win, win.
Losers
Ebro haters
Radio hosts can be the most controversial figures, especially in the world of hip hop radio. Some personalities can be so reckless with their mouth that you can’t ever imagine defending them in a fight, let alone a Twitter beef.
But this week, one radio host was worth defending when he tried to ignite a serious discussion about sexual assault.
On Wednesday, the rapper Kodak Black visited Hot 97 to talk with hosts Ebro Darden, Laura Stylez and Peter Rosenberg about his music and life growing up.
Things were going pretty smoothly until Ebro brought up Kodak’s sexual assault case where he was accused of raping a teenage girl back in 2016. The 21-year-old is currently awaiting trial and Ebro said “we take sexual assault here serious and we can’t get into details, but we hope to have you back so we can have a deeper conversation about that.”
Kodak didn’t take too kindly to Ebro bringing up his case, however, and eventually, Kodak walked out of the interview. You can check out the situation for yourself in the clip below.
https://twitter.com/HOT97/status/1072980782627647488
Now…
Take note that Ebro didn’t call Kodak a rapist.
He didn’t press him for details on the story behind the accusations.
EBRO BARELY BROUGHT UP THE DETAILS OF THE CASE AT ALL.
However, some folks on Twitter wouldn’t know the difference because they came for Ebro’s entire life.
You would have thought Ebro opened up an FBI investigation on Kodak right there in the studio.
The man literally just said I hope “we can have a deeper conversation” about sexual assault.
The fact that people attacked Ebro for igniting a discussion about sexual assault proves why it’s such a major issue in our communities in the first place.
People aren’t even willing to have a CON-VER-SA-TION.
Even folks like Tory Lanez and Trick Daddy attacked Ebro, with Tory calling Ebro’s actions some “bi*ch ass ni**a sh*t” and Trick Daddy warning Ebro to “don’t disrespect no ni**a from around my way unless you want smoke.”
Like, whaaaaa!?
Eventually, Ebro defended his actions on his radio show and on Twitter, writing, “I was tryna have a balanced convo with Kodak Black & not ignore the serious allegations against him but also not ask specifics to make his situation worse… and he wanna get an attitude with me?? Nah.”
But okay Kodak defenders….Ebro was just trying to bring another Black man down.
Smh.
We have a long way to go.
