- My entire career, I feel like, is due to black women.
You know, whether it's Beyoncé in music videos,
Issa Rae with television, Lena Waithe with film.
So black women have supported me and made me who I am.
I wouldn't be here without them.
[gentle music]
♪ ♪
MAURICE: ♪ If I were a bird ♪
My next guest is Miss Melina Matsoukas.
She is the creator of all things cool
and black girl magic, if you ask me,
in my humble opinion.
We're gonna be exploring to see what her spirit flower is.
I didn't wake up like this.
I've been through hair and makeup for about five minutes.
[laughs]
[lively music playing]
♪ ♪
[humming]
[song ends]
- You're late.
[organ musical sting] - [laughs]
- To be early is to be on time.
To be on time is to be late. - Be late.
- And to be late is unacceptable.
- I'm getting fired. I'm already fired...
- Well... - And we haven't even started.
- If it was my set, yes. But since it's yours...
- And now let's take a journey to the center.
[laughs]
I'm wanting to know...
How did we discover each other? How did this happen?
- I found you at our dear friend Melody Ehsani's house.
- Oh. - And suddenly there was this figure
on the dance floor with a huge fan.
And you were twirling around the place... - [laughs]
MATSOUKAS: As one does, of course.
And then I discovered your artistry.
- Mm. - And I was really impressed.
And I wanted you in my tribe.
- I love this idea about tribe because...
your tribe is all the different types of people that you work with.
- My parents raised me with this, like, deep sense of community.
Our unity, especially as black people, is our greatest weapon against oppression.
- You're very clear. - Yeah.
- And you have such a strong point of view.
- Thank you. - But you're also so collaborative.
- I believe in, like, creating a safe space
where, like, we can all create together and be our best selves
and challenge each other to lengths that are unimagined.
- Bridging together... - Mm-hmm.
- And coming together of different ideas,
like, is what's gonna make this phenomenal.
- Yeah. It's like the Harlem Renaissance.
- 100%. - Where we could support each other
and thrive off each other and inspire each other
in a way where we all make our best work.
[woodwind scales]
- And now let's go deep.
[calming music]
- You got the checklist. Lighting cue.
[chime sounds]
- Barbecue or black tie? - Barbecue.
[musical sting plays]
- Black or with milk? - Well, I'm obviously with milk.
[musical sting plays]
But I prefer it black.
- [laughing] - Straight up.
♪ ♪
- ♪ Stilettos, pumps, in da club ♪
♪ Or we knuckin', we buckin', we ready to fight ♪
- ♪ Knuck if you buck, unh, knuck if you buck ♪
[organ playing along]
[dreamy music] HARRIS: Okay, so...
I have one more question for you.
You're a director. - I am.
- You're a creator. - Yes.
- You're an artist. - I try to be.
- My question to you...
if you were to create a movie based off of...
- This face. - Who would you cast to play me?
- I just love Daniel Kaluuya, and I think he can really embody anybody.
- He's hot, too. - I love him.
- You're the best. Shall we?
[organ music playing] - We shall. Take a stroll?
- Yes, hello. - Yeah, okay.
- Thank you. We'll see y'all in a little bit, okay?
♪ ♪
[woodwind scales]
Girl, it's time to process.
One of the things I absolutely love about Melina
is her unique ability to draw people in.
She has mastered the art of manifesting her community,
which is no easy feat.
She has a way of celebrating our complexities
and the everyday worlds of our blackness.
My centerpiece for Melina celebrates the beauty
and black specificity and connectivity,
which, to me, is the perfect expression
of how Melina illustrates her love for the community that defines her.
[drumroll]
[ethereal music]
- I just, like, wanted to, like, get your vibe, your essence,
your, like, energy, your cool, your, like, swag, your, like...
Ready for the party, that I wanted to set a scene for you.
- Okay. - How about that?
- You've done it before.
So let's see if you've outdone yourself. - Cue the curtain!
[drumroll, cymbal crashes]
[gentle music]
- Okay, what the fuck? This is amazing. - [laughing]
- This is, like--you said "barbecue."
- Yes. - You got the old-school car.
You got speakers... - Come in, come in, come in.
We're, like, on the right path, so...
See?
Can we take this in, please?
Take this in? Ow, ow, ow.
- Can I take it home with me?
I'm very much into brown.
- You know, yes. - I'm brown.
- Who knew?
The one thing I loved about this was,
I just thought it was, like, a nice representation of
how, when we have barbecues, when we have get-togethers,
like, it brings people together.
- It feels like home. - Yeah.
- It feels like community.
- With an explosion of flowers.
I just thought it was, like, this interesting hybrid
of showing your coolness.
- I love it. - Showing your sense of community.
You know, now that we got these rose burgers...
- And grapes.
- On this grill...
let's dance.
DJ Pauli!
Ow, ow, ow! - Hey!
- Kitty cat, kitty cat, meow, meow, meow!
MATSOUKAS: Ready.
[upbeat music playing]
♪ ♪
HARRIS: Come on, come on, come on, family!
♪ ♪
Five, six, seven, eight!
♪ Bop, bop-bop, bop-bop, all day ♪
♪ ♪
[laughter]
Hup! Hup! Hup!
Hup-hup! Hup-hup! Hup-hup!
♪ ♪
Bring it in! Bring it in, bring it in! [all cheering]
Thank you, family. MATSOUKAS: Thank you, guys,
for my centerpiece!
- And we out!