If you enjoyed Tyler Perry’s Sistas, Girlfriends, Sex In The City, and Living Single, then you are going to love Harlem. The comedy, drama series, starring Meagan Good, Grace Byers, Shoniqua Shandai, Jerrie Johnson and Tyler Lepley premiered on Amazon Prime. The show’s creator and executive producer Tracy Oliver is best known for her work on Girls Trip. The 2017 movie made her the first Black woman ever to write a film that grossed over $100 million at the box office. Oliver has also worked on Little, Barbershop: The Next Cut, and BET’s First Wives Club.
“I write stuff that is kind of tailored for Black women,” Oliver told Black Film. And her latest project delivers for the squad.
What is Harlem about?
Harlem is about four, thirty-something girlfriends living in Harlem and how the group juggles career, relationships, and friendships. Each character brings their own personality and will likely remind you of one of your friends.
Camile (played by Good) is a “popular young anthropology professor at Columbia who has an extensive knowledge of the dating norms of many cultures but has a hard time navigating her own love life,” according to the series synopsis. Quinn (played by Byers) is a “hopeless romantic and trust-fund fashion designer who is trying to give back to the world while running a struggling business. Tye (played by Johnson) is a “successful, queer dating-app creator who prefers keeping vulnerability—and romantic partners—at arm’s length.” And Angie (played by Shandai) is a “confident, vibrant, and filter-free singer and actress who also lives rent-free and fabulously with Quinn.”
Oliver lived in Harlem for years and shared her reasoning on why she decided to set her series from there. She called the area special and under-deserved.
“When I lived there it felt so magical and it felt so hopeful and aspirational and just culturally rich,” Morgan told Black Film, referring to Harlem’s rich history of Black culture.
She went on to talk about the representation significance. “At that time all of the New York set shows didn’t have people of color in them,” Oliver said. “It’s weird, Sex and The City and girls in Broad City, we were kind of gentrified out of those shows. And I just wanted an opportunity to show Black and brown New York the way that I saw it and I experienced it, so it just felt necessary to me as a great setting. “
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nf9gqWex10]
Two-day entrepreneur event
The new Black dramedy has even inspired Amazon Prime to take a refreshing look at Black-women-owned businesses and the culture of Harlem. To celebrate the premiere, Prime Video is hosting a 2-day community event called “Harlem Ever After,” which will feature Black female creators and entrepreneurs and pay homage to the historic neighborhood. The event takes place at Harlem Parish on Dec. 3 and 4. The event will include a fashion show, entrepreneur panel and gives Black artists space and opportunity to showcase their work.
“In bringing this show to life through our marketing we thought, ‘What could be better than honoring many of the inspirational women entrepreneurs who built their businesses in Harlem, or are closely connected to the community?’,” Ukonwa Ojo, chief marketing officer for Prime Video and Amazon Studios, said in a press release. “That’s how this exciting activation, featuring some amazing entrepreneurs and artists, as well as activities and conversations, came to be. And just like in the show, it’s not just all about business! We wanted to create a space that celebrates the heritage of the community and that lets residents, as well as those just a subway ride away, immerse themselves in a bit of culture and fun.”
Free tickets for Harlem Ever After are available on their website.
