Issa Rae
Issa Rae Biography Issa Rae is an American writer, actress, director and producer who is best known for her HBO Emmy-nominated series 'Insecure.' Who Is Issa Rae? Born in 1985, Issa Rae launched her career in Hollywood by creating a web series on YouTube called Awkward Black Girl in 2011. As the show gained popularity and turned viral, Rae created more digital content with the help of producer and pop star Pharrell Williams. Partnering with comedian Larry Wilmore in 2013, Rae created the HBO series Insecure (2016-present), in which she also stars in the lead role, to critical acclaim. Rae has subsequently released a memoir The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl (2015), which became a New York Times best-seller. Early Life and Parents Issa Rae was born Jo-Issa Rae Diop on January 15, 1985 in Los Angeles, California, to parents Abdoulaye Diop, a doctor in pediatrics, and Delyna Hayward, a school teacher. Rae's father was originally from Senegal, and it was there i...