From Insecure to Empire, Issa Rae’s Blueprint

Twelve years ago, Issa Rae inked a deal that would make her a household name, but not an owner.

The deal was with HBO, leading to Insecure, the hit TV series inspired by Rae’s viral web show The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl.

Insecure debuted in 2016  and ran for five seasons, reshaping how Black women’s experiences were represented on screen. But while the series was undoubtedly Rae’s brainchild and creative vision, she didn’t own the rights to the intellectual property. No characters, no sequels, no spinoffs, unless HBO gave the green light.

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In old-school Hollywood, this is standard practice. Studios fund the work and claim the IP, and creators get paid. It’s a tradeoff that often favors access and visibility over long-term equity. For creators just breaking in, it’s usually the only path forward.

But Issa Rae had bigger plans. She didn’t stop at Insecure, she used its success to build a 21st-century media empire that she fully owns. And in doing so, Rae has become one of the few Black women in Hollywood who wields true power, not just visibility.

Visibility Without Ownership

When Rae first created Awkward Black Girl, it was a low-budget, YouTube series that quickly resonated with viewers. It was fresh, awkward, funny, and deeply relatable, particularly to black women who had never seen themselves portrayed in such authentic, nuanced ways.

The show’s popularity caught the attention of HBO, leading to the creation of Insecure. But as Rae has since shared in multiple interviews, her early lack of leverage meant she had little choice in negotiating IP ownership. She accepted a traditional studio deal. While it brought prestige and resources, it also meant she couldn’t fully capitalize on her creation in the long run.

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HOORAE: Issa Rae’s Media Machine

Rather than fight a losing battle for ownership retroactively, Rae doubled down on building the infrastructure around her future work. In 2020, she consolidated her ventures under one umbrella: HOORAE.

HOORAE is more than a production company. It’s a vertically integrated media firm that spans television, film, music, digital content, brand partnerships, and consumer products. Its purpose? To give Rae and other creators like her full creative and business ownership over their work.

Under HOORAE, Rae has created a thriving ecosystem that includes:

ColorCreative

Co-founded with longtime collaborator Deniese Davis, ColorCreative aims to boost diverse voices in film and television by helping women and people of color break into the industry. They’ve backed a wide range of underrepresented creators and recently partnered with Indeed and Hillman Grad to launch “Rising Voices,” a short film initiative funding emerging Black filmmakers.

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Raedio

Rae’s audio company, Raedio, launched in partnership with Atlantic Records in 2019. It operates as both a music label and a music supervision company, overseeing the soundtracks for major productions, including Insecure. In 2023, Raedio signed a multi-year deal with Def Jam Recordings to distribute music and expand its artist roster.

By owning the music arm of her projects, Rae ensures she profits from the very sounds that shape her storytelling, and she gives independent Black artists a path to exposure in Hollywood.

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Ensemble

This is Rae’s answer to branded content and influencer partnerships. Ensemble is a creator network that connects companies with diverse storytellers and influencers for campaigns that don’t feel forced or exploitative. Ensemble’s collective reaches more than 150 million people, and it’s built on the idea that Black and Brown creators shouldn’t just be hired, they should lead.

Consumer Ventures

Rae has also invested in businesses close to her identity and community. She’s a co-owner of Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen, a chain of cafés in Los Angeles that serve as community hubs. She also co-owns Sienna Naturals, a vegan, eco-friendly hair-care brand created with her longtime stylist Hannah Diop. In 2023, she launched Viarae Prosecco, a wine line targeting millennial drinkers with a fun, bold identity rooted in Black joy and celebration.

Rewriting the Rules of Success

Rae’s post-Insecure strategy is not just about diversification, it’s about power. Instead of chasing more shows she doesn’t own, she’s using her visibility to build platforms and systems she controls.
That thinking was baked into her $40 million deal with Warner Media in 2021. While the five-year contract gives HBO and HBO Max first-look rights to Rae’s new TV content, she has more leverage this time. The deal allows her to work across HOORAE’s verticals and maintain autonomy in shaping her brand. It’s a partnership, not just a payout.

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What Issa Rae has done is nothing short of revolutionary, especially for a Black woman in a still-predominantly white, male-dominated industry. She didn’t just become the face of a hit show; she used the opportunity to build a business that ensures the next wave of creatives can do better.

Issa Rae didn’t get to own her magnum opus, but she learned the lesson. She built businesses that help her own everything else: the soundtrack, the behind-the-scenes deals, the brand extensions, the community engagement. It’s ownership through infrastructure, and it’s a model other creatives are now following.

So no, Issa Rae doesn’t own Insecure. But she owns the music. She owns the events. She owns the ads. She owns the distribution systems, the community, and, most importantly, the vision.

And with HOORAE, she’s making sure that everything that comes next is securely hers.

Main Image: Issa Rae via  Wikimedia Commons