- [Assistant] What are we celebrating?
The fact that it's morning?
(Issa Rae laughs)
- That felt very judgemental, but yes.
Every day you wake up is a blessing.
You should toast to it.
These aren't just mimosas without. This is.
(upbeat music)
- Good morning. I'm Issa Rae,
and this is the day in my life.
Where are you all at? You all going to get me ready?
Or can I get ready by myself?
(laughing)
The team.
(energetic music)
Today, I am doing a little press run for Rap Shit.
I have a couple of appearances like The Today Show,
where they're revealing my cover.
I'm their first digital cover, which I'm really proud of.
Until I see the picture.
If I don't like the picture, I'm not proud.
I know they want to reveal it to me on air, so.
- Right, but?
- I'm fine with that. They're going to get a real reaction.
"Oh, ha. Cool.
"I'm devastated."
I mean, it's an honor to be thought of
for their first digital cover.
The idea that they came up with this concept,
this new division, this new arm for them,
and they thought of me is like,
"Oh, wow. That's legit.
You wanted me to represent your coming out party.
So, it's dope.
And then doing The View and just a couple other things.
But it's all in promotion of my new show, Rap Shit.
(upbeat music)
I woke up. I was supposed to be ready at 6:15,
and I got out of bed at 6:00 AM.
I was not determined to wake up earlier than that.
- [Hairdresser] It's why we came banging on your door
10 minutes early.
- I didn't hear any of that.
I heard the phone ring in the shower,
and I was like, "Whoever that is, it's 6:15, baby."
(energetic music)
Okay.
I'm out. I'm ready to go.
We are late. I've got to pack my little clutch.
I'm trying to take these chocolates
that I stole from Seth Myers.
I don't need to. Let's go.
Do we have my hotel room key? (beep)
(energetic music)
I'm a morning person, so I like doing morning shows.
Obviously waking up on the east coast earlier
is a different beast.
But I love a morning show and they will find a
way to laugh you out.
"Okay. Well that's Issa Rae."
Usually these press days/weeks are really stressful,
but this one has been easier.
Usually it'll be three to four days
of a jam packed schedule.
And today and tomorrow is when we're doing most
of the promotion for Rap Shit. (mumbles)
For whatever I have going on.
- [Interviewer] And you were nominated for an Emmy!
- Oh, I was nominated for an Emmy.
So we're talking about that, too.
The Emmy nomination was a very welcome surprise.
It's our last season.
It was our last season.
We aired and that was back in December.
So by the time Emmys rolled around, I was like,
"They're going to forget us."
There's so much good TV.
And so, to get a nod, to get three nods,
on our way out is really a blessing.
And the most exciting part I think is being able to
have a platform to also talk about what I'm doing next.
Just because I finished with one show
doesn't mean I'm done, baby. I got more to do, baby.
(energetic music)
Hey, hey! What's up, guys?
- [Photographer] What's up, girl?
- What's your mom call it?
- My mom calls it Rap Silliness.
(all laughing)
- Rap Silliness. Okay.
- A typical day when I'm not doing press,
it just depends on the day of the week.
Monday, Wednesday, Friday is reserved
for writing, creative meetings.
Anything centered around shows.
And then Tuesday and Thursdays,
I try to stack my meetings.
I remember my first press run.
Doing The View and being nervous as hell to do The View.
And that was back in 2016
and promoting my new show, the first season of my show.
And now here I am, seven years later
going on The View to promote Rap Shit.
(upbeat music)
Just on The View, it went great.
You know, it's so crazy.
I think all of the ladies, except for Lindsey,
were there on my first appearance.
I could be mistaken, but it was good vibes.
And they were so light.
I got an invitation to co-host.
We'll see if I have what it takes.
Sometimes I feel like I don't have to (beep) to say.
But when they get into the politics and all that,
they get a little feisty.
I would just watch with popcorn.
So, I'm hungry as hell.
I have not eaten all day.
I love lunch breaks built into these press tours
because they can get a lot.
So, come on. Let's go.
(upbeat music)
Get the (beep) out! I'm going to eat!
Oh, hey, guys. Hey.
I don't know where I'm going.
A little business-chic.
The last day in New York this press tour.
We go to Miami tomorrow.
Some more heat, more fighting,
and the show comes out tomorrow.
Oh (beep).
Okay. Go ahead. Dig in.
Cheers!
- Woo! - [Assistant] Yay!
- Happy. What day is it?
It's 9 AM on Friday somewhere.
(funky music)
- What time are we supposed to be? In a few minutes?
- [Assistant] Five minutes or so.
- Today. I am speaking at AMEX.
I'm speaking to small business owners.
Coming from my own experience, as a small business owner.
And just trying to pump them up.
Motivate them. Motivate myself, low key.
(energetic music)
We're going to Miami to premiere Rap Shit.
We're going to do a celebration party
and a screening of the first two episodes.
That'll already be airing.
The world will see it by then.
It's just going to be a party.
It's going to be a celebration.
And I'm going to be very nervous.
I'm a little bit sick, but it's going to be out there.
And then I, vacation is on Sunday.
I get a wonderful, week-long break,
and I'm extremely excited.
(crowd cheering)
(upbeat music)
- Okay. So take two. And action!
- Hey! It's me, Issa Rae.
Woo. Today was a journey.
The rest of the day I'm just going to do more press stuff,
more interviews.
The show, again, comes out.
So it's really about trying to get the word out.
Trying to maximize talking about it.
- [Interviewer] You're not in it.
Are you excited to not be in the show
and kind of take a step back?
- I'm so excited to not be in this show.
One, because I'm just really proud of the cast
and what they've been able to do.
Every story is not my story.
Every story is not mine to tell.
And every story is not mine to be in.
So with this particular story,
I wanted to have a fresh cast and we have just that.
And it's fun to be behind the scenes and watch people.
Watch them and fall in love with them
the way that I have and we have.
(energetic music)
- Thanks for spending the day with me, guys.
Bye!
- [Interviewer] Did you have fun with us?
(Issa Rae laughs)
- Not this baited compliment.
You guys weren't that bad.
You weren't invasive.
I had a good time with you all.
You can go, though, now.
I've had enough.