Issa Rae Receives the Key to the City of Inglewood Becoming 1st Person to Do So In the City’s 114-Year History

Sometimes art imitates life, but with this moment, life imitates art!

In a fantasy scene in the final season of her hit HBO series, Insecure, Issa Rae’s character, Issa Dee, receives the key to the city of Inglewood. She accepts this prestigious honor from Mayor Tyra Banks in the fantasy sequence.

Over the weekend, according to People, that part of the scene wasn’t fantasy as Rae was presented the key to Inglewood, California.

The honor presented to the 37-year-old Emmy Award nominee was the first time anyone in the city’s 114 years of existence received that recognition. This past Saturday, the tribute took place at the city’s Taste of Inglewood festival.

Mayor James T. Butts gave Rae the key to the city. He presented the key to “Issa Rae, the queen of Inglewood,” during the festival across the street from the site of Sunday’s Super Bowl game at SoFi stadium.

“I’m a little emotional, I’m trying to be a thug right now. The mayor really flabbergasted me in that this is the first key in 114 years. It’s a huge honor and 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 to showcase this city that I love so much,” Rae said at the presentation.

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

She also acknowledges her family members and people who still reside in Inglewood.

“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; my mom and my sister who live here actively. And just for being here, I have to give a shout out to my collaborators and my company members at Hoorae, who have come out here to support me. But I’m truly honored to receive this. I will always put on for my city. Inglewood, South L.A., stand up.”

Last week, The Producers Guild of America (PGA) announced that Rae would be honored with the 2022 Visionary Award at this year’s 33rd Annual Producers Guild Awards. This will take place on Saturday, March 19, 2022, at the Fairmont Century Plaza.