I always find myself falling down steep rabbit holes to learn the backstories of how Black women broke into Hollywood. Every celebrity has their own story, and oftentimes, it's the same old song: networking, making connections, knowing someone who knows someone who knows someone. Girl meets agent, agent knows person, person knows three other people, who can connect you to the cousin of someone else -- you know, the usual.

So, when it comes to our fave, Issa Rae, learning that her writing career ignited in the most perfectly Issa way possible, I found myself loving her even more (if that can even happen). It all started while watching a 2021 Bustle interview. In the clip, Issa shares some of her most major life-changing moments. While telling the story of the time she visited the set of UPN's Moesha, she opened up about how that moment shaped her career.

"So in 1996 I got to go to the set of 'Moesha' and be in the live studio audience. And I won a script. That script was like the blueprint, it was the template, it was the ticket to get into the industry for me and that's what I used to write my own stuff."

The way my inner teenage girl is screaming at the thought of Brandy birthing THE Issa Rae is almost too much to handle. And it's so damn "Issa."

The best part is this isn't even the first time that Rae has paid homage to the show. In 2018, the newlywed portrayed ’90s Black sitcom characters in a profile for GQ, while discussing her rise and life as the showrunner and star of Insecure.

In the photoshoot for the profile, Issa portrayed fellow legend and Grammy-winning songstress, Brandy as Moesha, alongside the likes of Steve Urkel from Family Matters, Will Smith from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and Dwayne Wayne from A Different World.

Issa’s take on Moesha caught the eye of Brandy, who sent Rae a sweet message via Twitter, thanking her for the acknowledgment.

"@IssaRae you’re such a beautiful spirit. Thank you for portraying me in your @GQMagazine shoot for #BlackTvIcons#MoEsha#blessing"

To see the impact of Moesha, a series that tackled social issues such as drug use, racism, the death of a parent, and pre-marital sex in a time where representation was becoming more and more prevalent, is one thing, but to know it birthed the creativity of Issa Rae, is one we love to see.

Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.

Featured image by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images

ALSO ON XONECOLE