View source for Ibra Ake

{{Short description|Nigerian-American artist}}
'''Ibra Ake''' is a Nigerian-American artist. He has worked as a director, screenwriter, producer, photographer, and creative director. He is best known for his work as a writer on the [[FX (TV channel)|FX]] show, ''[[Atlanta (TV series)|Atlanta]]'', and director on [[Beyoncé|Beyonce]]'s visual album, ''[[Black Is King|Black is King]]''. In 2019, he won a Grammy as a producer on [[Donald Glover|Childish Gambino]]'s music video, "[[This Is America (song)|This Is America]]".
== Career ==
=== Photography ===
Ibra Ake started off as a portrait and fashion photographer, shooting for various [[Condé Nast]] publications, beauty brands, and music acts.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hahn|first=Rachel|title=Behind the Scenes of Donald Glover and Rihanna's Guava Island|url=https://www.vogue.com/vogueworld/article/donald-glover-rihanna-coachella-guava-island-stream-amazon|access-date=2020-12-05|website=Vogue|language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-08-30|title=Photos: Models Ink|url=https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/model-tattoos|access-date=2021-08-18|website=Vogue|language=en-US}}</ref>
=== Childish Gambino ===
Through photography Ake met Donald Glover at a time when Glover was still a rising musician under the name Childish Gambino.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2018-08-31|title=Ibra Ake Is On a Mission To Show African Creatives the Value of Ownership & Telling Honest Stories|url=https://www.okayafrica.com/ibra-ake-mission-show-african-creatives-value-ownership-childish-gambino/|access-date=2021-08-18|website=OkayAfrica|language=en}}</ref> After becoming friends, they started to share ideas and Ake became Glover's creative director.<ref name=":0" /> This collaboration led to countless other projects with Glover, as well as with the other members of the collective, Royalty - their creative group that was formed in 2012.<ref name=":0"/> Ake has served as creative director for almost all of Childish Gambino's albums and tours.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=2016-09-08|title=Introducing Royalty, the Collective Behind 'Atlanta' and Childish Gambino|url=https://www.gq.com/story/royalty-the-collective-behind-atlanta-and-childish-gambino|access-date=2021-08-18|website=GQ|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Miller|first=Hayley|date=2018-05-09|title='This Is America' Producer Reveals New Details About Childish Gambino's Viral Video|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ibra-ake-childish-gambino-this-is-america_n_5af326c0e4b0a0d601e94395|access-date=2021-08-18|website=HuffPost|language=en}}</ref>
=== ''Atlanta'' ===
Ake has written numerous episodes for the first three seasons of the Emmy Award–winning series ''[[Atlanta (TV series)|Atlanta]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ibra Ake Atlanta screening and Q&A |url=https://csumb.edu/cinearts/events/ibra-ake-atlanta-screening-and-qa/ |access-date=2020-12-05 |website=Cal State Monterey Bay |language=en }}{{Dead link|date=January 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> He also directed an episode from season three, "[[White Fashion]]," and has also guided the show's marketing outreach.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news|title=Perspective {{!}} How ‘Atlanta’ tapped into social media to create an all-encompassing viewer experience|language=en-US|work=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/how-atlanta-tapped-into-social-media-to-create-an-all-encompassing-viewer-experience/2018/03/29/ddece908-31c8-11e8-8abc-22a366b72f2d_story.html|access-date=2021-08-18|issn=0190-8286}}</ref>
=== Film ===
Ake was a producer on the short visual film, ''[[Guava Island]]'' that was shot in Cuba by [[Hiro Murai]] and starred [[Donald Glover]], [[Rihanna]], and [[Letitia Wright|Leticia Wright]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-04-13|title=Behind the Scenes of Donald Glover and Rihanna’s Guava Island|url=https://www.vogue.com/vogueworld/article/donald-glover-rihanna-coachella-guava-island-stream-amazon|access-date=2021-08-18|website=Vogue|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Dry|first=Jude|date=2019-07-04|title=‘Guava Island’ Behind the Scenes Videos: Meet the Cuban Talent in Donald Glover’s Film|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2019/07/guava-island-behind-the-scenes-videos-donald-glover-bts-1202155752/|access-date=2021-08-18|website=IndieWire|language=en}}</ref>
In 2020, he directed and consulted on [[Beyoncé|Beyonce]]'s visual album, ''[[Black Is King|Black is King]],'' specifically the videos for "[[Brown Skin Girl]]", "Water," and "Keys to the Kingdom."<ref>{{Cite news|last=Sisario|first=Ben|date=2020-07-30|title=Beyoncé’s ‘Black Is King’ Is No Secret, but Still Comes With Mystery|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/arts/music/beyonce-black-is-king.html|access-date=2021-08-18|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Ibra Ake on the Importance of Showcasing African Excellence in Beyoncé‘s ‘Black Is King’|url=https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2020/08/ibra-ake-beyonce-black-is-king-atlanta-season-three-interview|access-date=2021-08-18|website=Complex|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Adams|first=Sam|date=2020-07-30|title=A Guide to the Directors of Beyoncé’s Black Is King|url=https://slate.com/culture/2020/07/black-is-king-directors-beyonce-movie-disney-collaborators.html|access-date=2021-08-18|website=Slate Magazine|language=en}}</ref>
=== Television ===
Ake wrote and directed an episode of the TV series, ''[[Swarm (TV series)|Swarm]]''.
=== Other ===
Notable creative direction projects include: [[Tiwa Savage]]'s ''49-99'';<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-10-25|title=#Watchlist: Meji Alabi On Directing Tiwa Savage's "49-99"|url=https://www.zikoko.com/pop/watchlist/watchlist-meji-alabi-on-directing-tiwa-savages-49-99/|access-date=2021-08-18|website=Zikoko!|language=en-US}}</ref> Spotify's RapCaviar Pantheon;<ref>{{Cite web|title=Cardi B, Jaden Smith, Juice WRLD and Gunna Inducted Into Spotify's 2019 RapCaviar Pantheon|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8505268/cardi-b-jaden-smith-juice-wrld-gunna-inducted-spotify-rapcaviar-pantheon|access-date=2021-08-18|website=Billboard|language=en}}</ref> Adidas, ''Donald Glover Presents'';<ref>{{Cite web|title=Donald Glover and adidas Originals officially launch Donald Glover Presents|url=https://news.adidas.com/originals/donald-glover-and-adidas-originals-officially-launch-donald-glover-presents/s/69d66aa2-ee05-4709-9a2c-38182917ef2f|access-date=2021-08-18|website=news.adidas.com}}</ref> ''[[Pause with Sam Jay]]'';<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ibra Ake|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm8802062/|access-date=2021-08-18|website=IMDb}}</ref> ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''; and ''Pharos''.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-09-04|title=Childish Gambino Assaulted The Future With The "Pharos" Experience|url=https://www.okayplayer.com/news/childish-gambino-pharos-experience.html|access-date=2021-08-18|website=Okayplayer|language=en-US}}</ref>
== Awards ==
At the [[61st Annual Grammy Awards]] in 2019, Ibra Ake won a Grammy for Best Music Video, as a producer for Childish Gambino's viral and acclaimed music video for "[[This Is America (song)|This is America]]".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.upi.com/News_Photos/view/upi/d3c67a3c3e30b69f0a086bab7b16a1b2/Jason-Cole-Hiro-Murai-and-Ibra-Ake-wins-award-at-the-61st-Grammy-Awards-in-Los-Angeles/|title=Jason Cole, Hiro Murai and Ibra Ake wins award at the 61st Grammy Awards in Los Angeles}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/ibra-ake|title=Ibra Ake}}</ref>
==Family==
Ibra Ake is the son of [[Claude Ake]], a renowned Nigerian political scientist.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Adams|first=Sam|date=2020-07-30|title=A Guide to the Directors of Beyoncé's Black Is King|url=https://slate.com/culture/2020/07/black-is-king-directors-beyonce-movie-disney-collaborators.html|access-date=2020-12-21|website=Slate Magazine|language=en}}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Black Reel Award for Outstanding Screenplay, TV Movie or Limited Series}}
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[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American photographers]]
[[Category:21st-century American writers]]