Netflix has added to and propagated this increasing trend of watching artists at work. Last year, they introduced their series Abstract which followed a sneaker designer, illustrator, architect, and others in their process of creation. This year, the streaming service has added to their archive the hip-hop docuseries Rapture. Each
Avant Guardians is a seven part web series that is the brainchild of comedian, Alesia Etinoff, who in addition to serving as writer and director, stars as troubled guardian angel, Razz. Struggling with her job, Razz has been ordered by her boss (none other than God) to undergo counseling with
As a humorist who focuses predominantly on African American male comedians, it is quite likely that I have reached my saturation point. It is no surprise considering that I spend my days and nights (re)watching the works of contemporary greats like Paul Mooney, Eddie Murphy, Dave Chappelle, and Chris Rock.
Ms. Roxanne Shante burst onto the New York hip hop scene as a teenage battle rapper killing the game way before I was even a thought. It is with this reverence that I approach the biopic Roxanne, Roxanne. My heart warmed at watching this young girl from Queens murdering dudes
In Champagne Papi, the women of Atlanta are finally in the spotlight. This is Van’s first appearance since Helen, which signified the end of her problematic relationship with Earn. Here, we begin to see the aftermath of the breakup while following Van’s misadventures. Centering on Van and her crew, the
“Tyler Perry’s Acrimony, presumably titled to set it apart from your acrimony or mine, is a female revenge saga packed with so much hysteria that it could set back the burgeoning #MeToo movement a beat or two. Showcasing Henson in this crass ripoff of Fatal Attraction is like shoving a
For the last few years, Netflix has been a dominating force in streaming, viewership, and developing creative content. The streaming service has been especially productive within the area of stand-up comedy. Comedy is in right now. It makes sense because when s*** hits the fan, that is when people turn
In his new FX sitcom, comedy veteran Tracy Morgan shares the screen with rising star Tiffany Haddish in a sitcom about a formerly-incarcerated man and his reacquaintance with the newly gentrified Brooklyn. As Morgan deals with the shock of seeing that both his hometown and his former relationship has been
In his latest special Equanimity, Dave Chappelle takes on what feels like an arrogant tone to defend and explore the evolution of his relationship to fame, fortune, and Hollywood. He cites class struggles and divisions, the 2016 election and the resulting president, and transgender issues to assert what he feels
In Helen, there is an unusual combination of bizarreness and authenticity. On one hand, we’re thrown into multiple situations that are foreign, and perhaps a bit strange, to the outsider looking in. On the other, for those of us who have loved and lost, we feel a strong sense of
