As we reminisce on the rollercoaster ride that was season 4 of Insecure, we also appreciate the series’ continued tradition of providing a well-produced show-within-a-show. This season was the witty true crime series, Looking For LaToya (in which SZA portrays the titular character). In a satirical look at today’s society, the internal show offered cultural commentary into the lack of true crime shows that highlight the investigations surrounding missing black women.
Though we have to wait until who-knows-when for the premiere of Insecure’s fifth season, we can fill in a bit of that gap because Looking For LaToya is now a podcast! Our true crime podcasts fans out there will love this one.
The Looking For LaToya podcast is a one-episode scripted special directed by Insecure executive producer Amy Aniobi, written by Insecure writers Chris Sanford and Kindsey Young and produced by Tenderfoot TV and Issa Rae’s record label Raedio with additional production services provided by Atlanta-based production company Swirl Films. Rae, Benoni Tagoe (Raedio), Deniese Davis (Issa Rae Productions) and Donald Albright (Tenderfoot TV) serve as Executive Producers.
Per the press release sent to The Root:
The podcast will feature cast members Terri J. Vaughn, Ray J, Porsha Williams, Kandi Burruss-Tucker, and Carl Anthony Payne II. In this special episode, listeners will get a jam-packed dive into the disappearance and speculated murder of LaToya Thompson, with never-before-seen details and information.
“It’s been an honor to partner with Tenderfoot TV to produce the Looking For LaToya podcast. Their team has incredible skills and brings an uncompromised passion to the podcast space. With Raedio being an audio everywhere company with roots in music and storytelling the Looking For LaToya project was a seamless next step as we develop our slate of content,” Benoni Tagoe, president of Raedio, said in a statement.
The Root has exclusively learned that to further celebrate the podcast debut and highlight the importance of bringing awareness to missing persons of color, Rae and her label Raedio, Tenderfoot TV and HBO are donating $30,000 to the Black and Missing Foundation. In addition to bringing awareness, the Black and Missing Foundation’s mission also includes conducting searches and educating communities on personal safety.
“Partnering with Issa Rae and her incredibly talented team is an honor,” Donald Albright, President of Tenderfoot TV said in a statement. “Insecure is a phenomenal series that highlights the beauty and the struggle of the black experience in both a humorous and respectful way. There is always a message and a larger point behind the humor, which holds true on Looking For Latoya. I look forward to bringing a new side of Looking for LaToya to life, and sharing this episode with podcast listeners and fans of the show.”
The special episode of Looking For LaToya, “Missing or Murrrrrrdered?” is now available on participating podcast platforms. For more info, head to LookingForLaToya.com.