singer, author podcaster and everybody's best friend Kiki Palmer is having a moment.

She's been a mainstay on our screens and she was a kid in movies like Akeelah and the Bee.

But we've also seen her more mature projects like Jordan Peele's film, Nope and hosting the red carpet at the Met Gala the Chicago area native is in town this week to celebrate natural hair and Black History Month at the Dusable Black History Museum.

She's also fresh off the release of her latest film.

One of them days.

>> And sorry and some get it.

I swear to God.

I wasn't.

>> because actually on time I got off at 7.

I've got 2 good so well.

And I've still got you in >> Will been a them as eyes that yes.

And I really should have done it because you go more of the bad billing with a win on the fine to kids is that they got in on strains that have to do with your stomach.

This is not heals, all things.

Girl.

You lead to something little did.

include >> We're working on one of the day is for.

>> About 6 years East tonight, Sareeta Singleton hole who are 18 and Sony obviously.

So to get to that point in and feel proud at the E which we all did for the work that we did, but then didn't know that other people enjoyed I think that's the best feeling ever.

That's what you would hope to happen.

And that's what happened for This movie gets talked about a lot, as you know, sort of a black female lead buddy comedy.

How do you see bill?

What do you think it looks with the story was to take away?

Well, I mean, I definitely would not take away the fact that is a black female lead buddy comedy.

I have have pride in that.

Also think it's little bit about friendship about community in the movie hits and a lot of important take a stand also poverty credit hold you back.

But at the core of it, it's about the fact that in life wherever you are, these things are going to happen and it's have by your helps to get you through.

And I think that that's like really important to remember, especially in times like this.

for me as an artist, it's telling that story with cop comedy span is always to be the best medicine.

It's been likened to female Friday or compared to baps years ago or girls trip right?

>> Why do you think there are not comedies like this one?

>> I mean, that such to so many reasons as to why they could think the main one is a lot of times.

The people that would write them aren't even close enough to the stove for to catch fire economy.

So it's like getting the right people in the rooms at the right time.

That's the excitement around people like Issa, Rae or cuenta Brunson on Jordan Peele is once people do breakthrough like they have, they can then usher in some of these projects like, you know, I don't know that people would know who Surrey to Singleton was unless it was the they could identify and say, hey, this guy's there's a world for this and the great the crazy thing about it is that people want to see world outside their own.

You know, we want to go we see some different where every all this person's a spaceship, you know, make or are you know, this is Ashley Honor.

This is a swimmer and so have we did lean more if we could get more people to be able to get the stories into the right hands.

I think they would have the same success.

The film also shows some love to the city of La at a time when the city can use its.

Do you ever see yourself doing any sort of similar Chicago productions that sort of give Chicago the same?

Lovely not go up 11.

John Hughes, you know, in loving those films which obviously take place in Chicago Illinois.

And so I would love to do that.

It will be an honor is so funny.

I don't think ever actually >> played a character this in Chicago, which is at the like have a very Chicago's sounding voice to think it's crazy that yet, but I would love to.

>> One of the places around spotty love to hit up when you're in town.

>> Okay.

Whenever I'm here are my favorites.

But was always going to my parents house, you know, it is not my parents house that I'm definitely going cause family all the family stats.

I lavillenie.

It's like I fit one of my favorite restaurants here just because the food is so unique, you know, and then you always going to be good with Patel or Harold.

Any of that, it's, you know, this is a classic things I feel like I don't even need to say.

>> in just walk around the shops, like I always say, growing up in the south suburbs, I didn't get to go to the city a lot.

>> So when I finally start going to city as a teenager, I was like, when I'm in Chicago, Israeli fire like I didn't realize that this city like New never heard of our way.

>> So you grew up obviously in the spotlight as a childhood actor.

And you're look has evolved through the years and now you are a brand ambassador for Creme of Nature.

Obviously what would you say?

Your hair journey has been like.

>> Manly attorney has been intense, obviously growing up in Illinois, going to private school.

It was like straight here and what it needed to be.

And I think it created a weird relationship with my here over time.

So when I was about 23, 24 I may be 23.

I cut it all off.

Shave it all off and started from the top and really started to have more personal relationship with my here and remembering what it was like to do things with it, you know, and not just not care about what I'm doing to the we've ordered.

We which still live But it's different when you start knowing that, oh, wait a minute.

This is a ride.

Sit on the does, you know, lack creme of nature.

Moisture shy fo most.

You know what I mean?

Or micro activator green and I put this in here and you can give me something different in knew that.

But that was even I think it was curry I do as a re imagine.

But it was kind of like a love story coming back again for me.

I hear from my journey and really figuring out all the different styles and I could do with Sounds like a reclamation.

Yes, I would say reclamation is a great word choice.

Thank you very much.

I do words sometimes.

Yeah, but it's empowering when you can know what to do with your it.

And when you have products that allow you to have the freedom.

>> To try new things.

I think we forget that.

That's a part of that.

That's a part of the relationship with ourselves.

It we gotta keep feeding.

>> He said obviously you live for, you know, the But you were here natural in open.

You are a little hesitant about doing that at the time.

And then there's there's sort of like the spotlight of the drama in one of them days about black women getting their hair braided and sometimes it can take a little while what is it like the wearing your national here going to publicly?

Because some people are it is protective, right?

Like it is.

I think because of obviously, you know, the elephant in the room is assimilation, right?

You're costly toll with the standard of beauty is and it doesn't include natural.

Kiki coyly here, which is again, why one creme of nature brought me on as a chief brand officer.

That was my main thing because a lot of times your natural hair is was suddenly deemed is.

>> Not in knot modern old-school.

That's because in the 70's that's when you mostly seen it.

So that has to now be re.

Imagine the today by would you say reclamation reclaiming that this is court to the Crown Act.

This is here.

That's appropriate for it.

This is here.

That's a pro Fiona fashion show.

This is here.

That's appropriate on a celebrity or a star whoever.

Whatever you think, you know, the people that you see on TV.

And so that to me has been biggest thing that I've been excited to do.

>> You know, this position of being and officers simply existing in my natural form and then of course, saying, hey, these are some products that can help you.

>> You know journey, whether you want to do the curly coils and you want to do you sing a coil, get you to Crow activate if you want to the foam most in the style in China.

Leave in conditioner.

Hit yourself up with little rots.

It.

There's something there for everybody.

But get into that journey because, well, yes, I'm gonna always live full weekend, but always live full leave the feeling that I get when I'm living in my own here, it does have a different breath at do have a different look.

>> You also released a book late last year.

on that thing.

Yes, congratulations.

Adding away.

was the called the book.

What You know, what would you say is is your message with that book?

What do you want folks to take away from it?

>> I think the main thing that I think I realized that 10 year difference from the first Buckeye Road.

I don't belong to you was that I realize, oh, wait a minute, lives never going to be perfect is not about trying to control circumstances outside of myself.

It's about just controlling me.

You know, in making sure that I am.

>> You know that open to the changes in in in knowing that it's OK to pivot and that I'm going to make mistakes, bomb want to learn from them.

So just having more of kindness to yourself.

You know, Santa me self mastery is about.

Understanding that you can't control life changes, but that is going to be okay.

And they you you're going to learn and have the things you need to be able to get through and get tested.

What's next Kiki Palmer?

You're doing a lot all the What what do know?

I would hope you know, I you know, really having a lot of fun as chief brand officer commit nature.

I love the opportunity.

I get to also, you know, encourage of the young women to reclaim their hair actually have really great products that allow them to do that.

I'm looking forward to all those ways and the community aspect.

I think that's the big thing, right?

Is Black History Month.

We have everybody out here tonight.

I'm excited to go through all the history of hair.

You crude nature.

Start in 1976, honey, we have a lot of here history to get into so excited to explore that tonight.

And then outside of that, you know, yeah, like community with key TV, my network, I'm excited, too.

And you inspire, encourage and help financially.

Other artists out there and people in general that want to get in the industry, whether you would cinematographer, oh, you're a writer.

You want to be a producer.

You know, for me, the big thing with my brain merch brand is that it should extend outside of myself.

You know, I love performing.

I'm always gonna perform.

It's a great thing.

But I would also like to extend with that brand means 2 others, you know, in a way