Issa Rae has been awarded the key to the city of her native Inglewood, becoming the first person ever to be granted the prestigious honor, per the Hollywood Reporter.
The Insecure co-creator received the key at the Taste of Inglewood festival on Saturday, which took place across the street from SoFi Stadium, the site of Super Bowl LVI.
“I’m a little emotional,” Rae said during 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.”
Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr. gifted Rae the key, praising her for her “outstanding contributions to our culture,” while calling her “the queen of Inglewood.”
Rae went on to shout out her grandparents for establishing her “first point of view of Inglewood,” as well as her mother and sister, who still live in the city.
“I have to give a shout-out to my collaborators and my company members at Hoorae who have come out here to support me,” she continued. “I’m truly honored to receive this. I will always put on for my city: Inglewood, South L.A., stand up.”
