Leon Thomas Recruits Issa Rae For A Funk-Filled Trailer For His ‘Pholks’ EP

Leon Thomas’ Pholks EP is just days away from release, which he announced with a new trailer starring Issa Rae. The Insecure creator is a disco diva in the short clip, giving Thomas a funk-filled introduction in the style of the television variety shows that showcased some of his inspirations back in the 1970s. “This man will make your liver quiver,” Rae declares. “This man will make your bladder splatter. This man will set your knees free.”

The two stars previously shared the screen in Insecure, where Thomas played a romantic foil to Issa’s fictionalized version of herself. At least, that’s the nice way of putting it — in reality, their characters were more like awkward friends with benefits. It’s nice to see that the friendship part was real, and that they’ve maintained it since.

Thomas announced Pholks earlier this month, sharing its first single, “Just How You Are,” on the 2nd. The single teased a new direction after his breakout with Mutt. In an interview with Billboard prior to the announcement, he said of the new era, “I don’t really mind being in this position where we push Mutt for so long because it deserves to be heard by the world. m excited to be one of the trailblazers who brings back those old feelings without having to steal their chords or melodies.”