In a new episode of T.I.'s expediTIously podcast, black-ish creator Kenya Barris speaks on the criticism some viewers have shared against his new series #BlackAF, specifically with regards to the conversation surrounding colorism.
"This is based on my family, so there's a version of, you know, she's playing a version of my wife, who's biracial," Barris said around the 10-minute mark in the video below. "She is playing a version of that character. My kids, what [Rashida Jones] and I could produce, looks like those kids, who are amazing. ... I think everyone's experience and everyone's opinion in terms of colorism are real and I understand that."
Barris emphasized that the story of his latest TV project is largely biographical in nature. "I was trying to duplicate a version of what my family was," he said, though he remains supportive of the debate among viewers.
"It speaks to the idea that there is so much colorism in the world. ... So I take the good with the bad," he told T.I., who incidentally has his own Netflix onscreen/executive producer presence with the hip-hop competition show Rhythm + Flow.
#BlackAF premiered in April and sees Barris playing a fictionalized version of himself, ultimately diving intoCurb Your Enthusiasm levels of self-satirization complete with cameos in Season 1 by Issa Rae, Scooter Braun, Ava DuVernay, and more.
Co-star Rashida Jones chopped it up with Desus and Mero about the series on Thursday, resulting in an extended interview that comes highly recommended:
And back in November, Kenya Barris linked up with Complex for the second episode of the Watch Less podcast.
