1
00:00:00,417 --> 00:00:03,587
- My entire career, I feel like,
is due to black women.

2
00:00:03,629 --> 00:00:05,959
You know, whether it's Beyoncé
in music videos,

3
00:00:06,006 --> 00:00:08,466
Issa Rae with television,
Lena Waithe with film.

4
00:00:08,509 --> 00:00:11,299
So black women have supported me
and made me who I am.

5
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I wouldn't be here without them.

6
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[gentle music]

7
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♪ ♪

8
00:00:21,396 --> 00:00:27,026
MAURICE:
♪ If I were a bird ♪

9
00:00:27,069 --> 00:00:30,029
My next guest is Miss Melina Matsoukas.

10
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She is the creator of all things cool

11
00:00:33,909 --> 00:00:35,789
and black girl magic, if you ask me,

12
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in my humble opinion.

13
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We're gonna be exploring
to see what her spirit flower is.

14
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I didn't wake up like this.

15
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I've been through hair and makeup
for about five minutes.

16
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[laughs]

17
00:00:47,881 --> 00:00:50,841
[lively music playing]

18
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♪ ♪

19
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[humming]

20
00:01:07,651 --> 00:01:09,571
[song ends]

21
00:01:09,611 --> 00:01:10,451
- You're late.

22
00:01:10,487 --> 00:01:11,567
[organ musical sting]
- [laughs]

23
00:01:11,613 --> 00:01:13,823
- To be early is to be on time.

24
00:01:13,866 --> 00:01:16,326
To be on time is to be late.
- Be late.

25
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- And to be late is unacceptable.

26
00:01:18,078 --> 00:01:19,998
- I'm getting fired. I'm already fired...

27
00:01:20,038 --> 00:01:20,908
- Well...
- And we haven't even started.

28
00:01:20,956 --> 00:01:23,206
- If it was my set, yes.
But since it's yours...

29
00:01:23,250 --> 00:01:27,420
- And now
let's take a journey to the center.

30
00:01:27,462 --> 00:01:28,842
[laughs]

31
00:01:28,881 --> 00:01:30,921
I'm wanting to know...

32
00:01:30,966 --> 00:01:33,886
How did we discover each other?
How did this happen?

33
00:01:33,927 --> 00:01:37,137
- I found you at our dear friend
Melody Ehsani's house.

34
00:01:37,181 --> 00:01:38,721
- Oh.
- And suddenly there was this figure

35
00:01:38,765 --> 00:01:40,975
on the dance floor with a huge fan.

36
00:01:41,018 --> 00:01:43,898
And you were twirling around the place...
- [laughs]

37
00:01:43,937 --> 00:01:45,857
MATSOUKAS:
As one does, of course.

38
00:01:45,898 --> 00:01:48,108
And then I discovered your artistry.

39
00:01:48,150 --> 00:01:49,820
- Mm.
- And I was really impressed.

40
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And I wanted you in my tribe.

41
00:01:51,862 --> 00:01:54,622
- I love this idea about tribe because...

42
00:01:54,656 --> 00:01:59,116
your tribe is all the different types
of people that you work with.

43
00:01:59,161 --> 00:02:02,121
- My parents raised me with this, like,
deep sense of community.

44
00:02:02,164 --> 00:02:06,004
Our unity, especially as black people,
is our greatest weapon against oppression.

45
00:02:06,043 --> 00:02:07,923
- You're very clear.
- Yeah.

46
00:02:07,961 --> 00:02:10,011
- And you have such a strong point
of view.

47
00:02:10,047 --> 00:02:12,877
- Thank you.
- But you're also so collaborative.

48
00:02:12,925 --> 00:02:15,465
- I believe in, like,
creating a safe space

49
00:02:15,511 --> 00:02:19,141
where, like, we can all create together
and be our best selves

50
00:02:19,181 --> 00:02:22,181
and challenge each other
to lengths that are unimagined.

51
00:02:22,226 --> 00:02:23,386
- Bridging together...
- Mm-hmm.

52
00:02:23,435 --> 00:02:25,475
- And coming together of different ideas,

53
00:02:25,521 --> 00:02:27,441
like, is what's gonna
make this phenomenal.

54
00:02:27,481 --> 00:02:29,111
- Yeah. It's like the Harlem Renaissance.

55
00:02:29,149 --> 00:02:31,529
- 100%.
- Where we could support each other

56
00:02:31,568 --> 00:02:34,318
and thrive off each other
and inspire each other

57
00:02:34,363 --> 00:02:37,123
in a way where we all make our best work.

58
00:02:37,157 --> 00:02:38,947
[woodwind scales]

59
00:02:38,992 --> 00:02:40,952
- And now let's go deep.

60
00:02:40,994 --> 00:02:44,334
[calming music]

61
00:02:44,373 --> 00:02:46,673
- You got the checklist. Lighting cue.

62
00:02:46,708 --> 00:02:47,668
[chime sounds]

63
00:02:47,709 --> 00:02:50,919
- Barbecue or black tie?
- Barbecue.

64
00:02:50,963 --> 00:02:51,803
[musical sting plays]

65
00:02:51,839 --> 00:02:56,469
- Black or with milk?
- Well, I'm obviously with milk.

66
00:02:56,510 --> 00:02:58,970
[musical sting plays]

67
00:02:59,012 --> 00:03:00,222
But I prefer it black.

68
00:03:00,264 --> 00:03:02,474
- [laughing]
- Straight up.

69
00:03:02,516 --> 00:03:03,636
♪ ♪

70
00:03:03,684 --> 00:03:06,734
- ♪ Stilettos, pumps, in da club ♪

71
00:03:06,770 --> 00:03:09,520
♪ Or we knuckin', we buckin',
we ready to fight ♪

72
00:03:09,565 --> 00:03:11,975
- ♪ Knuck if you buck, unh,
knuck if you buck ♪

73
00:03:12,025 --> 00:03:13,985
[organ playing along]

74
00:03:14,027 --> 00:03:16,777
[dreamy music]
HARRIS: Okay, so...

75
00:03:16,822 --> 00:03:18,372
I have one more question for you.

76
00:03:18,407 --> 00:03:20,697
You're a director.
- I am.

77
00:03:20,742 --> 00:03:22,832
- You're a creator.
- Yes.

78
00:03:22,870 --> 00:03:25,370
- You're an artist.
- I try to be.

79
00:03:25,414 --> 00:03:26,924
- My question to you...

80
00:03:26,957 --> 00:03:30,497
if you were to create a movie
based off of...

81
00:03:30,544 --> 00:03:33,094
- This face.
- Who would you cast to play me?

82
00:03:33,130 --> 00:03:37,090
- I just love Daniel Kaluuya,
and I think he can really embody anybody.

83
00:03:37,134 --> 00:03:38,974
- He's hot, too.
- I love him.

84
00:03:39,011 --> 00:03:40,391
- You're the best. Shall we?

85
00:03:40,429 --> 00:03:42,309
[organ music playing]
- We shall. Take a stroll?

86
00:03:42,347 --> 00:03:44,057
- Yes, hello.
- Yeah, okay.

87
00:03:44,099 --> 00:03:46,389
- Thank you.
We'll see y'all in a little bit, okay?

88
00:03:46,435 --> 00:03:51,975
♪ ♪

89
00:03:52,024 --> 00:03:53,574
[woodwind scales]

90
00:03:53,609 --> 00:03:57,109
Girl, it's time to process.

91
00:03:57,154 --> 00:03:59,624
One of the things I absolutely love
about Melina

92
00:03:59,656 --> 00:04:02,826
is her unique ability to draw people in.

93
00:04:02,868 --> 00:04:06,788
She has mastered the art
of manifesting her community,

94
00:04:06,830 --> 00:04:08,460
which is no easy feat.

95
00:04:08,498 --> 00:04:11,418
She has a way
of celebrating our complexities

96
00:04:11,460 --> 00:04:14,460
and the everyday worlds of our blackness.

97
00:04:14,505 --> 00:04:17,465
My centerpiece
for Melina celebrates the beauty

98
00:04:17,508 --> 00:04:20,928
and black specificity and connectivity,

99
00:04:20,969 --> 00:04:23,849
which, to me, is the perfect expression

100
00:04:23,889 --> 00:04:27,939
of how Melina illustrates her love
for the community that defines her.

101
00:04:29,811 --> 00:04:33,861
[drumroll]

102
00:04:33,899 --> 00:04:35,939
[ethereal music]

103
00:04:35,984 --> 00:04:39,494
- I just, like, wanted to, like,
get your vibe, your essence,

104
00:04:39,530 --> 00:04:44,030
your, like, energy, your cool,
your, like, swag, your, like...

105
00:04:44,076 --> 00:04:46,286
Ready for the party,
that I wanted to set a scene for you.

106
00:04:46,328 --> 00:04:47,448
- Okay.
- How about that?

107
00:04:47,496 --> 00:04:48,866
- You've done it before.

108
00:04:48,914 --> 00:04:51,124
So let's see if you've outdone yourself.
- Cue the curtain!

109
00:04:51,166 --> 00:04:53,996
[drumroll, cymbal crashes]

110
00:04:54,044 --> 00:04:55,424
[gentle music]

111
00:04:55,462 --> 00:04:58,882
- Okay, what the fuck? This is amazing.
- [laughing]

112
00:04:58,924 --> 00:05:01,134
- This is, like--you said "barbecue."

113
00:05:01,176 --> 00:05:03,096
- Yes.
- You got the old-school car.

114
00:05:03,136 --> 00:05:04,426
You got speakers...
- Come in, come in, come in.

115
00:05:04,471 --> 00:05:06,641
We're, like, on the right path, so...

116
00:05:06,682 --> 00:05:07,812
See?

117
00:05:07,850 --> 00:05:10,060
Can we take this in, please?

118
00:05:10,102 --> 00:05:12,312
Take this in? Ow, ow, ow.

119
00:05:12,354 --> 00:05:13,484
- Can I take it home with me?

120
00:05:13,522 --> 00:05:14,862
I'm very much into brown.

121
00:05:14,898 --> 00:05:16,438
- You know, yes.
- I'm brown.

122
00:05:16,483 --> 00:05:17,733
- Who knew?

123
00:05:17,776 --> 00:05:19,896
The one thing I loved about this was,

124
00:05:19,945 --> 00:05:22,815
I just thought it was, like,
a nice representation of

125
00:05:22,865 --> 00:05:25,485
how, when we have barbecues,
when we have get-togethers,

126
00:05:25,534 --> 00:05:27,414
like, it brings people together.

127
00:05:27,452 --> 00:05:28,872
- It feels like home.
- Yeah.

128
00:05:28,912 --> 00:05:29,792
- It feels like community.

129
00:05:29,830 --> 00:05:32,000
- With an explosion of flowers.

130
00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:34,590
I just thought it was, like,
this interesting hybrid

131
00:05:34,626 --> 00:05:36,706
of showing your coolness.

132
00:05:36,753 --> 00:05:39,093
- I love it.
- Showing your sense of community.

133
00:05:39,131 --> 00:05:42,131
You know,
now that we got these rose burgers...

134
00:05:42,176 --> 00:05:43,426
- And grapes.

135
00:05:43,468 --> 00:05:45,468
- On this grill...

136
00:05:45,512 --> 00:05:47,352
let's dance.

137
00:05:47,389 --> 00:05:48,889
DJ Pauli!

138
00:05:48,932 --> 00:05:50,932
Ow, ow, ow!
- Hey!

139
00:05:50,976 --> 00:05:53,056
- Kitty cat, kitty cat, meow, meow, meow!

140
00:05:53,103 --> 00:05:53,943
MATSOUKAS: Ready.

141
00:05:53,979 --> 00:05:56,939
[upbeat music playing]

142
00:05:56,982 --> 00:05:58,732
♪ ♪

143
00:05:58,775 --> 00:06:01,895
HARRIS:
Come on, come on, come on, family!

144
00:06:01,945 --> 00:06:03,445
♪ ♪

145
00:06:03,488 --> 00:06:05,618
Five, six, seven, eight!

146
00:06:05,657 --> 00:06:08,537
♪ Bop, bop-bop, bop-bop, all day ♪

147
00:06:08,577 --> 00:06:15,247
♪ ♪

148
00:06:15,292 --> 00:06:16,842
[laughter]

149
00:06:16,877 --> 00:06:18,747
Hup! Hup! Hup!

150
00:06:18,795 --> 00:06:21,625
Hup-hup! Hup-hup! Hup-hup!

151
00:06:21,673 --> 00:06:24,723
♪ ♪

152
00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:27,640
Bring it in! Bring it in, bring it in!
[all cheering]

153
00:06:27,679 --> 00:06:29,099
Thank you, family.
MATSOUKAS: Thank you, guys,

154
00:06:29,139 --> 00:06:30,309
for my centerpiece!

155
00:06:30,349 --> 00:06:31,479
- And we out!