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Kandi Burruss Spills the Tea: Why She Was Totally ‘Scared’ to Let Riley Dive into Bravo’s Next Gen NYC—and What It Means for the Family Drama!

Added on June 22, 2025 inCelebrity News Cards

So here’s the cosmic kicker: just as Mercury decides to throw a little retrograde mischief our way, stirring up communication jitters, Kandi Burruss finds herself all kinds of nervous watching her daughter Riley step boldly into the Bravo limelight on “Next Gen NYC.” Now, you’d think after years capturing drama on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” Kandi would be as cool as a Capricorn’s morning coffee . But nope—she’s straight-up scared about Riley facing the harsh spotlight solo. With social media trolls circling like hungry comets, and all eyes zeroing in on young Riley, Kandi admits feeling powerless to shield her from the chaos. It’s that classic cosmic tug-of-war—pride mixed with worry—because when it’s your kid in front, the universe gets a little more intense. Dive into the tangled web of friendship, fame, and fiery emotions as Riley not only navigates new drama but also stands up against microaggressions that hint at the deeper currents flowing beneath Bravo’s glitzy surface. If today’s astrological vibes have you wondering—how would you handle your child’s reality show debut—then buckle up, you’re in for an illuminating ride. LEARN MORE

Although Kandi Burruss‘ daughter, Riley Burruss, was used to the Bravo cameras when she joined the cast of “Next Gen NYC,” Kandi revealed she still had reservations about her daughter being in the spotlight.

In a recent interview, she revealed that she was “scared” to see Riley join the “Next Gen NYC” cast on Bravo.

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Kandi Burruss Was ‘Scared’ About Riley Burruss Joining The ‘Next Gen NYC’ Cast On Bravo

Riley Burruss cast picture from "Next Gen NYC."
Bravo | Bronson Farr

While discussing the show, Kandi, a mainstay on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” for 15 seasons, told PEOPLE exactly why the thought of her daughter being the star of a new reality show made her uneasy.

“People already be trying to say crazy stuff about my child online and other celebrity kids,” Kandi said. “When it’s her out front, it’s like really nothing I could do to shelter her.”

“You’re not just catching a stray. It’s like people can really just focus on you and say whatever they want to say and for sure so I’m scared. Oh Lord. I’m scared of what she gonna be doing on there, child,” Kandi finished.

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According to a press release, “Next Gen NYC” follows a “tangled web of friends raised in the spotlight — or at least close enough for good lighting — as they stumble into adulthood one brunch, breakup, and spontaneous decision at a time.”

The series also features other “Real Housewives” offspring, including Gia Giudice (daughter of Teresa Giudice), Brooks Marks (son of Meredith and Seth Marks), and Ariana Biermann (daughter of Kim Zolciak-Biermann).

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Riley Burruss Has Already Been Involved In Drama On The Show

Riley Burruss and Charlie Zakkour speaking on "Next Gen NYC."
Bravo | Jocelyn Prescod

In the most recent episode, viewers watched the 22-year-old get emotional after calling out her co-star, Charlie Zakkour’s, microaggression.

After Zakkour informed the rest of the cast that Riley approached one of his female friends aggressively, Riley fired back at him and explained why his language was harmful.

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“I’m just so mad because every single time y’all do this … and I try not to make it a thing, but I hate when you guys try to play this like, I’m scary or I’m scaring your random white girl, that’s just so annoying,” Riley said through tears. “It’s like a real thing that I have to go through every day. I’m so f-cking nice to everybody. And it’s always like, everyone’s trying to come off, whenever I talk to some white girl, that I’m trying to scare them. No, your girls are rude. It’s disrespectful.”

Later, during the episode, Riley called her mother for support, who said, “I’m glad you let him know. I don’t think it’s cool.”

Kandi further stated how Zakkour’s comments can be frustrating, especially as “the minority” in the group.

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“You’re not afraid to speak up for yourself, which you should not be,” Kandi concluded.

Riley Burruss Got Support From Her Other Co-Stars

After the episode aired, Brooks shared a message of support for Riley on Instagram, writing, “I’m so grateful for this platform and committed to using it to stand for what’s right.”

The 25-year-old added that the conversations he and his cast members had on the show about microaggressions serve as a learning opportunity, calling it a chance to “listen … and lead with kindness.”

Another “Next Gen NYC” star, Ava Dash, shared a similar sentiment in her Instagram Stories.

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“It’s not our job as Black women to teach well-educated adults these types of lessons. If we choose to that’s great, if not that’s also fine,” she wrote. “We are allowed to approach these situations at our own personal discretion. Emotional labor is not owed. Black women are expected to be ‘graceful educators’ in moments like you saw on episode [three] and that is an unfair expectation.”

Fans Defend Riley After Zakkour’s Comments Go Viral

Once the clip of Riley defending herself against Zakkour’s comments was shared online, viewers swiftly chimed in to share their thoughts.

“This is like a textbook example of a microaggression,” a user wrote. “We saw the clip. There was no … scariness and no blaccent in anything Riley said to that girl.”

“Charlie is such an awful person,” another user commented. “We need to fire so many people at Bravo. This [isn’t] even good TV. He’s disgusting.”

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More Support Comes In For Riley

“I loved this discussion so much, but wish there was more support for Riley from the group,” a third fan posted.

“Unfortunately, this is something she will always deal with until she finds her true friends,” a different user shared.

“I’m kind of over Bravo casts that can’t get this conversation right,” someone else wrote, referring to the conversations about race that have occurred on recent seasons of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” and “Real Housewives of New York.”

New episodes of “Next Gen NYC” air every Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo.

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