09/08/2025
In 2013, Issa did a deal that meant she’d never own Insecure.
In 2025, Issa Rae now owns the entire ecosystem around it.
You probably know the story.
Insecure—the HBO series inspired by Issa Rae's viral YouTube series Awkward Black Girl—was a breakout cultural hit.
It launched a generation of creatives.
It cemented Issa as a once-in-a-generation voice.
It was, by many accounts, her magnum opus.
But here’s the thing:
She doesn’t own it.
❌ No stake in the IP.
❌ No rights to the characters.
❌ No sequel without HBO’s permission.
In the old Hollywood model, that’s just how it goes.
You create. They own. You get paid.
Rinse. Repeat.
And many creators stop there.
They take the overall deal.
They chase the next hit.
They give up leverage for security.
For the tippity-top-top, that works.
Shonda. Murphy. JJ.
They're all doing fine.
But for most creatives, a lack of ownership in their creations often means:
➡️ A lack of security.
➡️ A lack of future income.
➡️ A lack of creative independence.
So Issa didn’t stop there.
She didn’t cede lack of ownership.
She leveraged it.
With the reach and weight of HBO distributing her show, marketing it across North America, and campaigning for her Emmy nominations, Issa turned the reach, upfront cash, and exposure into:
HOORAE—a vertically integrated media machine that spans:
Production – Backing Black creatives via ColorCreative
Music & Audio – Via Raedio, now a music label and IP hub
Community – Patreon, Discord, YouTube, and IRL events
Brand Partnerships – Vis Ensemble, her branded content arm
Products – Hair care, coffee, wine, and community-rooted businesses
So, no, contrary to what I preach here all the time...
Issa didn't have to own her creation to become an owner.
Instead, she used the attention, access, and capital it gave her to build entities within the TV production ecosystem (music, ads, audience), so she could cobble up revenues by owning the TV infrastructure.
And now?
She’s not just starring in content.
She’s not just producing it.
She’s quietly building a 21st-century media empire—one that owns the soundtracks, the campaigns, the audiences, the products, and the cultural context.
Because Issa realized something early:
👉🏾 If you can’t own the platform, build the infrastructure.
👉🏾 If you can’t own the story, own the systems that tell it.
👉🏾 And if you can’t keep the IP, keep the community.
So no, Issa Rae doesn’t own Insecure.
But she’s making sure everything that comes after it...?
Is securely hers.
And FWIW, she does own the IP to "Awkward Black Girl".
Just saying! 😂
