Issa Rae has become the first person to receive the key to the city of Inglewood. She received the award on Feb. 12, 2022, at the Taste of Inglewood festival by Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts.
In Inglewood this afternoon, 24 hours before Super Bowl kickoff at SoFi across the street, as Issa Rae is given the key to the city. It’s the first one given in Inglewood’s 100+ year history pic.twitter.com/AXAVD6RnTl
— Kirsten Chuba (@KirstenChuba) February 12, 2022
“I’m a little emotional,” Rae said in her acceptance speech. “I’m trying to be a thug right now. The mayor really kind of flabbergasted me in that this is the first key in 114 years, so that’s a huge honor. I just want to thank you all so much for your support — thank you to the mayor, thank you to the city of Inglewood for making it so easy for us to film here, for helping us showcase this city that I love that so much.”
Rae has given Inglewood a lot of attention over the years, which is where the series “Insecure” was mostly filmed. She’s also working on a reality show centered on South Los Angeles called “Sweet Life: Los Angeles.”
Rae continued to show love in her acceptance speech, specifically to her grandparents, who she said have lived in Inglewood for a while.
“I have to give love to my grandparents who have lived here, who have lived in Briarwood for a long time and who established my first point of view of Inglewood and love the city themselves; [and] my mom and my sister who live here actively,” she said.
It may have been just a coincidence, but in the fifth and final season of “Insecure,” Rae was given the key to Inglewood as well, but it was Tyra Banks who presented it to her.
