Entertainment
Imani Ellis on Creativity, Her New Podcast, and CultureCon ’24 – Essence
Imani Ellis. Photo credit: Maya Iman
Imani Ellis, the dynamic founder and CEO of CultureCon and The Creative Collective, pushes the boundaries of storytelling along with her recent video podcast. The show, which shines a light-weight on the creative journeys of Black cultural shapeshifters, offers everyone a primary-hand perspective on each the triumphs and challenges of their careers and personal lives.
As host, Ellis provides an area for guests to share their experiences, giving audiences the tools and learnings to grow of their fields. In this case, knowledge is something that isn’t the exclusive property of the listener. “I think I’ve learned something in every conversation because with , we’ve gone deeper than we’ve ever gone in those conversations,” she says. “That’s the joy of this series—being really unfiltered and raw.”
Each episode delves into the multifaceted nature of success, showing how creative people undergo different seasons of their lives. Ellis hopes listeners will see themselves in these stories, whether or not they’re in a season of stagnation or a season of abundance. “It’s not always a season of winning, it’s not always a season of conditioning,” she says. “We all go through these different seasons, so I think it’s going to be very encouraging for people.”
How CultureCon NYC is coming up in October, the show is the right introduction to the event. “It’s really a taste of what you’ll see in person at CultureCon,” the Vanderbilt alum notes. The podcast’s finale is timed to coincide with the conference, which will likely be full of programming, workshops, and celebrity appearances, and Ellis envisions the podcast as an extension of the CultureCon experience, helping to arrange the masses by offering intimate, weekly conversations.
Looking ahead, Imani is wanting to see growth. She envisions future episodes that proceed to push the boundaries of creative conversation. “The sky is the limit for us,” she says. With her signature optimism, Imani is poised to proceed to expand the impact of each the podcast and the broader platform, inspiring a brand new generation of creators to forge their very own paths, just as she has.
ESSENCE: What inspired you to begin in collaboration with Spotify?
Imani Ellis: CultureCon has develop into really known for telling really great stories where Black and Brown creatives get to indicate up of their full selves, each talking about triumphs and moments which are larger than life, but additionally sharing moments of vulnerability or once they’ve possibly encountered challenges. So we’re taking it a step further. We’re unfiltered, raw, uncensored, and just really talking to amazing people and talking about moments of incredible joy and moments where they weren’t sure what the subsequent step was.
So after we considered bringing these stories to the screen, Spotify and CultureCon have worked together in other ways through the years. It was just an excellent, seamless next step that we could take together, especially due to our shared values and how well we work together.
How did you select the guests you desired to invite for the primary season of the podcast?
We just wanted individuals who really have something to say, especially concerning the struggles that they are facing. We have so many great conversations this season, we have now Rickey Thompson, who’s blowing up social media and doing it in his own way, and Fawn Weaver, who’s constructing a billion-dollar brand as an entrepreneur on Uncle Nearest. Elaine Welteroth, who obviously started off within the editorial space but is the definition of what it means to forge your personal path and change direction. Jay Ellis, who’s America’s favorite guy on Insecure, and then after all Jordyn Woods, really navigating what it’s prefer to grow up within the highlight and not be in it later in life. And so you may see it’s all very various kinds of conversations. We cover all the things from dating to waiting to the numerous joys and challenges of entrepreneurship. So there’s something for everybody.
You discuss with numerous people and interact with numerous people. When you discuss with a few of the guests, is there anything that surprised you about a number of of their journeys?
I believe one in every of the things that I actually liked was something that Fawn Weaver said in her episode. She really talks about reimagining challenges as an entrepreneur or should you’re not an entrepreneur. And so she calls herself a hurdler and she says, “Hurdlers expect obstacles.” And I really like that because I believe numerous times in entrepreneurship, when things get tough, we’re form of caught off guard and like, “Wait, this is tough.” But I believe she helped me understand that tough things are tough. So it isn’t that you simply don’t expect them, it’s, “How can I stay focused on my goal despite the obstacle, despite the obstacle?” And that actually stuck with me since it really broadened my horizons when it comes to living a life where there isn’t any obstacle, no obstacle. So knowing that, how can we prepare ourselves to face those challenges and not allow them to stress us out?
In addition to what you learned out of your guests, what lessons would you prefer to share with listeners concerning the creative journeys discussed on this podcast?
I believe one in every of the things that I hope listeners take away is de facto focusing on the seasonality of your life. I believe one in every of the things that we do is take these larger than life people, cultural transformers, and really show the duality and the seasonality of your life. So I believe that is going to be very encouraging for listeners who’re possibly in a waiting period and feel prefer it’s never going to vary, or possibly they’re in a slower period and feel just like the sun’s never going to come back up. I actually hope that they take away optimism and hope and can see themselves or pieces of themselves in all of those different conversations.
I really like this. I do know you are all excited because CultureCon NYC is just across the corner. How does this podcast function a prelude to that event?
We’re going to have the identical conversations that we have now live on our culture stage. And I believe that guests who’re really preparing themselves for what to anticipate or the sorts of sensitivities that they will expect can tune in every week to listen, and we have timed it perfectly in order that the finale happens right before CultureCon, in order that our community doesn’t must wait for much longer to experience the event of the conference.
You’ve been an inspiration as an entrepreneur, but additionally as a philanthropist. I desired to ask: What advice would you give to a creative who’s just starting out?
I believe the recommendation I’d give them is to pay as much attention to aesthetics as to operate. So I believe often creative individuals are so inspired and we’re very visually inspired people, so we are able to gravitate towards logos or brand colours or things which you could really feel and taste and touch. But I actually encourage creative people to also think concerning the within the pie, which is more functional. So what are you attempting to construct? Is there an actual audience for it? And is there any case studies or data that shows that it will be a viable business? Because one in every of the things that we are able to get away from is that not every idea needs to be monetized. Sometimes your ideas needs to be hobbies, and then while you attempt to monetize them, you discover that you simply don’t love them anymore.
I really like second-hand stores. I really like garage sales. For a second I believed I used to be going to begin a business where I used to be going to open an antique shop, but I discovered something that I loved as a hobby, and after I was attempting to sell tickets and earn cash doing that, I suddenly didn’t prefer it anymore. So I encourage creatives and entrepreneurs to essentially ask themselves, “Is this idea just for me, or is this an idea that I need to put out there in the world?” And once you have got that answer, you may just get all the way down to business.
“Not every idea has to be monetized.” See, I actually have to put in writing that down because that’s definitely a word, obviously.
We must break free.
As a fellow creative, you’re thinking that that whatever you do, you have got to have the opportunity to receives a commission for it. I absolutely love that advice and I’m going to take it. So how do you see CultureCon Uncut evolving in the longer term? Are there any topics or guests you would like to explore in future episodes?
I’m really enthusiastic about this chance. I believe the community, as we have seen, is de facto coming together and excited to see the sorts of conversations that we’re having that you simply really don’t see in numerous places. Of course, we’re focused on having a tremendous first season, but we would prefer to proceed to work together. [Spotify]I believe, as I said, we have now such amazing shared values, missions, and audiences that we’d like to proceed CultureCon Uncut and proceed to inform those stories.
Entertainment
‘Megan Thee Stallion: In Her Words’ Director Nneka Onuorah Talks About the Superstar’s Vulnerability
Like many black women, Grammy Award-winning rapper Megan Thee Stallion, real name Megan Pete, wears a mask. A shield, a protective armor she developed as a young person to guard her from unexpected pain and difficulties that arose in her personal life. But what happens when the armor is pierced by something that affects each Houston resident Megan Pete and superstar Megan Thee Stallion? Prime Video’s Megan Thee Stallion: In Her Words, directed by Nneka Onuorah, explores the star’s rise to fame and the way her vulnerability became her biggest superpower.
“I see Megan as a feminist icon,” Onuorah told theGrio. “She represents the dichotomy and multi-faceted nature of black women all rolled into one. “And showing us that we don’t have to just show our strong side, but showing vulnerability can help us get through anything, accept our emotions and feelings, which also makes us strong.”
However, the “Savage” rapper wasn’t initially thrilled with the idea of revealing the young woman behind her confident, unflappable public persona. When they began filming the documentary in 2022, the star was reportedly reluctant to open up and let people see the trauma hiding beneath the surface of her “Megan Thee Stallion” brand.
Although the film depicts Pete’s grief over losing her father soon as a baby and her mother early in her profession, in addition to her experiences with depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicidal thoughts, Onuorah realized that the two bonded over their conversation about boiled potato chips in a jalapeno cauldron.
“There’s a scene in the movie where Meg is, you know, talking about jalapeno chips and she’s really stressed out,” the award-winning director recalled of the moment, which took place in Las Vegas ahead of the Billboard Awards. “Me and her interacting in that scene and (it was) the first time in my life I’ve ever seen Meg without her hair and makeup team, her glam team. She just at all times worked and had people in her face. So I said this can be a probability for me to return (to the hotel) along with her and just be me and her alone.
“She just got a jalapeno chip spiral and we talked… we laughed and I think we opened up for the first time. She opened up to me emotionally and I just let the camera do its thing,” she continued.
In addition to chronicling Pete’s rise to fame, the documentary provides insight into how Megan Thee Stallion handled public criticism following her altercation with rapper Tory Lanez. In 2020, Lanez, born Daystar Shemuel Shua Peterson, shot the “Body” singer in the foot, which ultimately led to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filing semi-automatic assault charges against Peterson.
Despite being the victim in the case, Pete needed to cope with social media trolls who questioned the validity of her claims. From popular industry commentators like Joe Budden to local delivery drivers on TikTok, the documentary highlights the enormous backlash the star has faced online over the Peterson trial.
“Sometimes you need understanding, especially in a world with social media and so much chaos and opposition, she just needed someone to be there for her and rock with her,” Onuarah explained. “We had a real bond. I think I offered myself to her as a safe space and let her know that (I was there) to support her and protect her and help amplify her voice. … Sometimes we laughed at the pain. These intimate moments brought us closer together.”
Ultimately, the film should remind us of the star’s humanity. As “Megan Thee Stallion,” she represents many things to many individuals – an advocate for mental health, feminism, body positivity, daring self-confidence, and more. However, Onuorah explains that the young woman behind the fame is not any different from her fans who watch her online.
“Like Megan Pete, I wish (people) would understand that this girl is under 30 and is just a regular person who has to do the same things as us…without her parents. There (were) times when we were shooting during the holidays and she (didn’t) have family to spend it with. All this is happening and she’s just an ordinary person going through it… It’s something that people should empathize with,” the director told Grio. “She’s still a young girl trying to figure it out and people can figure it out.”
Ultimately, Onuorah believes that everybody, especially Black women, can learn something from the duality exposed in the film.
“I think because Megan Pete and Megan Thee Stallion were going through something at the same time, she couldn’t rely on Megan Thee Stallion, her mask. “She really had to convince Megan Pete to step up and get empowered… now she’s truly empowered,” she added. “I feel like a lot of women need to hear this and see that our strength doesn’t just come from how tough we are or how much we avoid certain things. But how much we accept pain and sadness and how transformative it can be for us, so that we can rise from the ashes and head towards Phoenix.”
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Entertainment
Denzel Washington cuts off repeated questions about his past during a tense exchange with a reporter.
It’s been a few weeks since Denzel Washington fans saw the actor running away from paparazzi in New York City. The shocking incident was captured on video and bears little resemblance to his demeanor in one other interview through which Washington appeared exasperated.
The same moment through which the seemingly hot-tempered artist was interviewed in 2010 resurfaced and caused more shock.
A fan reposted an ungainly interview through which Washington sits across from a reporter and asks him about the upcoming film “Unstoppable,” to which he responds tersely.
“How did it feel to climb on a moving train?” she asked, to which he replied, “Eh, you know… you get used to it.”
He then says, “You have had some amazing co-workers who stand out. When you look back at some of the most amazing talents, who do you think stands out?” and Washington replies, “I do not look back. What for?
The interviewer continued speaking, maintaining a skilled calm. “So what do you do – is there someone you want to work on, something you still want to achieve?” she asked. “You know I want to have a good day today,” he said. “I want to achieve it and I strive for it every day.”
She then asked Washington if winning two Oscars was the highlight of his profession. He replied, “We’re back in the past again.” Giggling, she said, “because I want to show all these wonderful things.”
At this point, while talking to herself, Washington was the primary to interrupt her, saying, “You have a specific plan. Okay, just tell me what you want and maybe I can help you with it. Yes, I won two Oscars.”
He softens a bit when he starts talking about the talent that Angelina Jolie and Dakota Fanning have. However, Washington later points out that the interviewer desires to proceed dwelling on his previous works, which seems to annoy him.
She asks him about Alonzo Harris and dealing with him on “Training Day,” the film that won Washington his second Academy Award.
“Training day!? Yes, yes, it was good,” he said, then smiled sarcastically and added: “You keep going back to the past. Have you cracked your case?
Before hanging up, the interviewer shakes his hand to rise up and leave, and he replies, “Now you’ve gotten to send me this clip. I need to see what you connected. It’s pressure.
Fans were shocked by Washington’s behavior within the video, with some saying he was a bit rough. One person said: “There is not any must treat someone this fashion. It doesn’t matter how big you might be…”
Someone else wrote: “He has a nasty streak. No wonder he can play such characters with surprising intensity.”
Some fans offered other perspectives. One said: “The interviewer desired to do a profession retrospective, probably because she really admired his body of labor. Denzel was there to hype up his movie, it was business and I feel that is why he was frustrated. Talking about Training Day won’t make you go see a movie about his runaway train.
Another wrote: “Actors and their studios comply with a majority of these interviews to advertise a newly or recently released movie. Don’t let the interviewer, talk show host or anyone else sit and reflect on the actors’ past work.”
“I’m sitting in a hotel corridor with dozens of reporters from all over the world. And wait for hours,” she said within the article Australian outlet, baby.
She continued: “Crowds of young publicists are flying up and down, barely concealing their panic. “He came,” I hear considered one of them whisper, “But he doesn’t want to leave the room.” An hour later, as one other runs past, I hear a breathless, “I want more tea.”
As she waited patiently, Washington finally appeared: “Huge, graceful, gorgeous, and full of attitude (and probably tea).”
The same awkward interaction occurred between Washington and a group of photographers from the Museum of Modern Art in New York. While posing for photos, someone in the gang shouts, “Show us some love.”
The “Fences” actor walks as much as the guy and says, “Yo, yo, yo… put it down. You’re talking to a man now, he said. “I heard you. You talk about “showing love” and this and that. How about… respect me?
One of the paparazzi guests continued: “We always do this.” Washington replied with an annoyed look on his face, “I said I’d see you when I get out. What part of this don’t you understand?”
He added: “Or not. We can do it one other way. I can do that in additional ways than one, y’all. Can you’re feeling me?
Entertainment
Jordan Chiles is considering being stripped of his Olympic bronze medal
Jordan’s Chiles will likely always remember the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. While Chiles’ profession reached latest heights this summer, the gymnast suffered a “significant blow” when Romania’s team challenged her bronze medal, arguing that it must have been awarded to her competitor, Ana Barbosu.
Forced to return her medal, the Team USA gymnast is still working to maneuver forward after a heartbreaking title change. In a recent interview with CNNChiles explained how this example taught her the importance of “standing your ground.”
“Things can be really difficult in your life and they can be taken away from you and you’re going to have to deal with that and understand that you have to fight for what you’re fighting for,” she told the publication. “And I’ve learned the same thing over the last three or four months that I’ve been leaving Paris.”
As theGrio previously reported, Chiles and her lawyers filed an appeal in September regarding the reallocation of the bronze medal. At the 2024 Olympics, the gymnast won a bronze medal after her coach Cecile Landi made an on-floor appeal. However, shortly thereafter, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned her coach’s initial appeal, saying it was received 4 seconds after the one-minute cut-off date for submitting scoring queries.
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“CAS violated Chiles’ fundamental ‘right to be heard’ by refusing to consider video evidence showing that her inquiry was timely submitted – which is in direct contradiction to the findings in the CAS decision,” her lawyers said in a press release. in response to People magazine.
“We are not going to give up that easily and we will continue to look for video footage and other things,” her coach added on the time of the ruling.
Describing the choice as “unfair”, Chiles explained how the CAS ruling affected not only her but “everyone who supported (her) journey”. The situation left the Team USA star the victim of “unsolicited racial attacks on social media,” which, while hurtful, wasn’t the worst of it.
“The biggest thing that was taken away from me was the popularity of who I used to be. Not only my sport, but additionally who I’m. For me, all the things that happened was not in regards to the medal, but in regards to the color of my skin,” she said during her speech at this yr’s Forbes Power Women’s Summit. “I made history and I’ll at all times make history by doing something I rightly did. I followed the foundations, my coach followed the foundations.
Chiles says that with the support of her community and friends like Simone Biles, she has learned to just accept each step of her journey.
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