Producer, director and actress Lena Waithe has had one hell of a year. From her monumental film Queen & Slim to her countless series such as Boomerang and The Chi, Waithe is the definition of “booked and busy.” With her hands in everything television and film, she is always out and about at press screenings, junkets, awards shows and of course, her looks–all the way down to her feet–are nothing more than stan-worthy. Any hype-beast would approve.
Usually rocking a pair of sneakers, Waithe has managed to pull off any type of look–from red carpet ready to casual chic. So, it’s only right that the filmmaker would produce and host a show about sneaker culture.
“I’m a part of a bigger machine. There’s a reason why Nike sends me kicks. Yes, they know I’m a sneakerhead, but they know I’m going to put them on,” Waithe tells ESSENCE.
You Ain’t Got These is set to premiere April 6 on Quibi, a new streaming platform, designed specifically for your phone. The series dives into how monumental the sneaker community has become and who is driving those sales. Episodes will feature the sneaker industry’s most important figures, including designer Kerby Jean-Raymond and NBA all-star Carmelo Anthony.
Waithe says there’s a reason why she tapped ballers like Anthony to be on her show.
“I think hip-hop and sports go hand in hand. There’s a respect level between athletes and rappers,” Waithe notes. “It’s different elements where these people are larger than life that sometimes society forgets that they’re Black. The Black community does not. We know that those people are icons no matter what.”
Want to see the trailer? Well ESSENCE has got you. Premiering right here first, here’s the trailer for You Aint Got These:
