Erika Alexander

Almost two years ago, 32 years ago. Wow.

Almost two years ago, 32 years ago. Wow.

Come on, put that on a t-shirt.

Come on, put that on a t-shirt.

My ex-husband, Tony Puryear, says that all the time. Black showbiz. gives you more. And if you look at the 90s, coming off of the 80s and the strength of The Cosby Show would set a new level of excellence for comedy, not for Black people, but for everyone, for the world. And that's what I love about what happened afterwards. We weren't alone.

My ex-husband, Tony Puryear, says that all the time. Black showbiz. gives you more. And if you look at the 90s, coming off of the 80s and the strength of The Cosby Show would set a new level of excellence for comedy, not for Black people, but for everyone, for the world. And that's what I love about what happened afterwards. We weren't alone.

We were in this world with Living Single, with Fresh Prince, with Family Matters, Martin, New York undercover. Yeah, it was just like the tsunami of power had been unleashed because it had been untapped. That's why the 90s are important, because it was giving permission to say, not only can we do this, we do this and we set new records. And we do it well. We do it well.

We were in this world with Living Single, with Fresh Prince, with Family Matters, Martin, New York undercover. Yeah, it was just like the tsunami of power had been unleashed because it had been untapped. That's why the 90s are important, because it was giving permission to say, not only can we do this, we do this and we set new records. And we do it well. We do it well.

I walked into it and had my own experience with a Jewish community. I walked in not knowing it was actually, they were Hasidic Jewish people. And I came in and I said, oh, excuse me, because it was the wrong store. And they said, we know you. We know who you are. We know who you are. You're that bad girl. You're that bad girl? You're that bad girl. I love that. That's right. And they did know.

I walked into it and had my own experience with a Jewish community. I walked in not knowing it was actually, they were Hasidic Jewish people. And I came in and I said, oh, excuse me, because it was the wrong store. And they said, we know you. We know who you are. We know who you are. You're that bad girl. You're that bad girl? You're that bad girl. I love that. That's right. And they did know.

And they were all men. And they laughed and they were delighted. But it was instant. It wasn't like, are you? It was like, we know you. You never told me this story.

And they were all men. And they laughed and they were delighted. But it was instant. It wasn't like, are you? It was like, we know you. You never told me this story.

Absolutely. You know, we would be driving in our cars and then people would speed up and you'd see like white families like nearly running off the road.

Absolutely. You know, we would be driving in our cars and then people would speed up and you'd see like white families like nearly running off the road.

We were embraced by them because that's what comedy does. It's the tie that binds. It's the hip hop generation. One of the most consequential and phenomenal music eras was happening. Once again, fueled by black people with our culture. We've done this over and over again in American history, to be clear.

We were embraced by them because that's what comedy does. It's the tie that binds. It's the hip hop generation. One of the most consequential and phenomenal music eras was happening. Once again, fueled by black people with our culture. We've done this over and over again in American history, to be clear.

The one thing about being enslaved is that they might have taken many of our freedoms, but they couldn't take our minds. They couldn't take our imagination. The RZA told me, he was like, Erica, the biggest nation is the imagination. And he's right.

The one thing about being enslaved is that they might have taken many of our freedoms, but they couldn't take our minds. They couldn't take our imagination. The RZA told me, he was like, Erica, the biggest nation is the imagination. And he's right.

And if you look at jazz, if you look at rock and roll, ragtime, punk rock, every genre, country, that's Black people showing that you may not have given us as much access, but you cannot ever take away the access we have.

And if you look at jazz, if you look at rock and roll, ragtime, punk rock, every genre, country, that's Black people showing that you may not have given us as much access, but you cannot ever take away the access we have.