NONE of us should be surprised.

When Issa Rae came fast on the scene with her hit web series, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, we knew she was something special.

Shonda Rhimes and ABC know it, too.

From Deadline Hollywood:

Shonda Rhimes‘  Shondaland has set up two projects, including its first half-hour comedy, I Hate L.A. Dudes, from writer Issa Rae (Web series The Misadventures Of Awkward Black Girl), which has been sold to ABC. Also at ABC, Shondaland has The Mix, a comedic drama written by John Hoffman (Igor), which is set behind the scenes of The View/The Talk-type morning talk show. With Rhimes busy shepherding three series created by her, ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice and Scandal, she and her producing partner at Shondaland Betsy Beers focused on developing with other writers this season. The two executive produce both I Hate La Dudes and The Mix, which hail from ABC Studios where ICM Partners-repped Shondaland is based.

I Hate L.A. Dudes centers on an aspiring journalist, new to Los Angeles, who becomes the lone female voice on a budding, male-driven Internet talk show, while learning to decode the often humiliating and exasperating rules of the LA dating scene. Rae, repped by UTA, 3 Arts and John Meigs, is writing/co-executive producing. Expanding into comedy has been a major priority for Shondaland which established its brand in drama.

Shonda Rhimes is seriously changing the conversation concerning black women in Hollywood, God bless her.

At least Janice and I can say “we knew her when…”