“KweliTV is Netflix for black people, by black people, starring black people” – TechCrunch
New Channel “Comedy Curated by Lil Rel” Launches on kweliTV
(Photo credit: Andrew Lee)
“KweliTV is a streaming service that puts Black stories first” –
Digital Trends
As Head of Comedy, Lil Rel Howery will collaborate with kweliTV Founder and CEO DeShuna Spencer on securing new comedy content for distribution as well as partnerships and other opportunities in the comedy space. As the platform continues to grow, Howery will also be on the forefront of kweliTV‘s eventual plans to produce original comedy programming.
kweliTV, the ad-free SVOD service for global independent Black cinema, has announced that actor and comedian Lil Rel Howery (Oscar-winning GET OUT, BIRD BOX, FREE GUY) joins the OTT streaming service as the Head of Comedy. In celebration of this new role, kweliTV has launched the new monthly channel “Comedy Curated by Lil Rel,” which includes films, series, stand-up comedy programming and more from up and coming black comics of all ages from across the globe, curated by Howery himself.
“I’m really excited to put my executive hat on and give opportunities to amazing talented people of color,” Howery shares. “I feel like being Head of Comedy at kweliTV puts me in a position to give a home to some of the thriving Black comedic talent around the world. DeShuna has done an amazing job with kweliTV so far and I’m excited to joins forces with her to enhance what’s already at this important and great streaming service.”
“We’re delighted that Lil Rel will be bringing his comedic and business talents to kweliTV. This has been a tumultuous year for the nation – particularly for the Black community. Comedy is a form of healing, and we need laughter now more than ever,” adds Spencer. “This collaboration will not only be a game changer for kweliTV but also for up ands coming black creatives across the globe.”
“KweliTV is an exciting, affordable, and mostly accessible entry into the world of streaming international Black cinematic art” – PC Mag
kweliTV is available to stream via the kweliTV website, DistroTV, Comcast Xfinity, Roku, Amazon Fire, Android TV, AppleTV, iOS, GooglePlay for Android and Chromecast. The fast-growing service’s subscribers have more than doubled since April 2020. Additionally, PC Mag named kweliTV as one of its “Best Movie Streaming Services for 2020″ – one of the only independent, Black-owned services to make the list alongside industry heavyweights.
Founded by journalist, filmmaker and entrepreneur DeShuna Spencer, kweliTVdiverse slate of films, series, documentaries and children’s programming showcases the rich history and diverse culture of the global Black community with new award-winning and film festival-vetted films and documentaries added the first of every month.
About kweliTV:
kweliTV allows you to discover and celebrate black stories through curated indie films, documentaries, web series, kids’ shows, news and live experiences from around the world-North America, Africa, Latin America, Europe and the Caribbean. “Kweli” means “truth” in Swahili. Our mission is to curate content that is a true reflection of the global black experience. Ninety-eight percent of kweliTV’s films have been official selections at film festivals and more than 65% are award-winning. kweliTV providing more than 250 indie filmmakers of color across the globe a space to showcase and make money off of their content once they have finished their film festival run. For more information, visit: www.kweli.tv.
About DeShuna Spencer:
DeShuna Elisa Spencer is the Founder & CEO of kweliTV. She’s a former radio host and producer of emPower Hour, a show that examined social justice issues affecting people of color, on Washington, DC’s 89.3 FM WPFW. She is a Halcyon Incubator Fellow, a Voqal Fellow and a Google NexGen Policy Leader. Spencer was first place winner of the 2017 Harvard Business School African Business Conference Pitch Competition. In 2019, the Digital Diversity Network named Spencer the Innovation & Inclusion Social Entrepreneur of the Year. She’s an advisory board member of Full Color Future and the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association.
