We Speak Indie Artist

CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED DIGITAL SERIES “GIANTS” RETURNS #FORTHECULURE, MORE DISRUPTIVE THAN EVER ON FEB. 21

Published

9 years ago

February 19, 2018

umeektv

A poster for Giants shows the title in large white letters against a blue sky, with shoes hanging from power lines and palm trees below.

Returning to claim its position as a must-watch digital series for the “culture,” season two of Giants premieres Wednesday, February 21, 2018 on Issa Rae’s YouTube channel.

Giants is a scripted drama digital series created by and starring James Bland (USA’s upcoming crime series, “Unsolved”), alongside Vanessa Baden Kelly (“Kenan & Kel,” “Gullah Gullah Island,” and “Rosewood”) and Sean Samuels (SyFy channel’s “Toxic Shark”). Season one of Giants was praised for authentically capturing the black millennial experience and tackling stigmatized issues including mental health, sexual identity, and unconventional means of economic survival.

“I created Giants with the intent of addressing taboo topics that weren’t often seen on mainstream television, but are universal and relatable,” said Bland. “I think the success of our first season signifies a desire to not only see these challenges played out on screen, but also to start conversations about them off-screen.”

Giants is executive produced by Empire star Jussie Smollett and talent development intermediary LeadersUp. In an effort to help increase diversity and create on-ramps into the entertainment industry, Giants partnered with LeadersUp to provide young adults of color with the opportunity to gain experience as production assistants. The series is distributed under ColorCreative.tv, an initiative within two-time Golden Globe-nominee Issa Rae’s production company.

Giants returns bigger and bolder with six, half-hour episodes and an hour-long finale in its second season. Nothing will be the same for Malachi (Bland), Journee (Baden Kelly) and Ade (Samuels), who find themselves sharing a tiny, one-bedroom apartment and are forced to face their inner giants while on full display to one another. This season dives deeper into each character’s past and peels back the layers of their insecurities to find the root of their issues. In true Giants fashion, season 2 pushes the envelope by exploring real-life issues such as abortion, drug abuse, black masculinity and the parameters of sexual assault.

“Season two really raises the stakes for these characters and their problems rise to a level of hurt that leaves us wondering if they can ever come back from this,” said Bland. “By season’s end we learn that not all giants can be slayed. Some we tame and learn to live with.”

This season, the cast is joined by talented guest stars including Emmy-nominated Kelsey Scott (AMC’s “Fear the Walking Dead,” ABC’s “How to Get Away with Murder”), Will Catlett (CW’s “Black Lightning,” OWN’s “Love is ___”), KJ Smith (OWN’s “Queen Sugar,” CW’s “Dynasty”), Woody McClain (BET’s “The New Addition Story”), and J. August Richards (ABC’s “Kevin Probably Saves the World,” “Agents of SHIELD”), who also wrote and directed two episodes. Other notable guest directors include Carey Williams, whose short film Emergency won the Special Jury Award at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, as well as Xavier Burgin, who is a Sundance Institute Fellow.

Giants received six Indie Series Awards nominations, including Best Drama against Amazon’s The Bay, and is an official selection of the 2018 Houston Black Film Festival, Pan African Film Festival, and HollyWeb Festival.

The series is produced by CJ Faison and Takara Joseph for James Bland Productions.

Check out the trailer now and tune in for the season two premiere of Giants on February 21^st at youtube.com/issarae.

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We Speak Hip-Hop

‘Visions of Optimism’: Supreme Da Almighty Brings a Fresh Perspective to Hip-Hop

Published

4 days ago

October 29, 2026

MJ Savino

Fantasy album cover showing two hooded figures with glowing blue eyes sitting in front of a split scene: a fiery hellish landscape on the left and a bright heavenly scene with angels and golden gates on the right, with a large glowing blue eye above them.

Hip-hop has always evolved through experimentation, and Supreme Da Almighty brings that mindset to his 2026 album Visions of Optimism.

Across 16 tracks, Supreme blends his own ideas, lyrics, and production with AI, resulting in a project that explores different sounds without abandoning its hip-hop foundation. The album stretches from soothing and melodic moments to energetic beats, creating a diverse musical experience filled with emotion.

Supreme’s connection to the culture runs deep. Along with being a producer, he is a promoter for legendary Snowgoons and the founder of The Supreme Da Almighty Show, giving him a perspective on hip-hop that goes beyond simply making records.

That experience comes through on Visions of Optimism. Conscious influences meet uplifting themes, rich musical arrangements, and modern production ideas throughout the project.

Instead of choosing between hip-hop tradition and new technology, Supreme Da Almighty brings the two worlds together. Visions of Optimism feels like exactly what its title suggests: a positive look toward where music can go next.