
Source: Rodin Eckenroth / Getty
Although television creator Kenya Barris has had major success with shows like “Black-ish”, “Grown-ish”, and “Mixed-ish”, the 45-year-old has faced criticism in the past for his portrayal of Black families. More specifically, the families are typically upper middle class and the women tend to be of a lighter complexion.
Barris is facing similar criticism with his new Netflix series “#blackAF”, considering his wife is played by Rashida Jones, who’s the daughter of Quincy Jones and Peggy Jones. The kids in the show are also very light skinned including Genneya Walton, Scarlet Spencer, Justin Claiborne and Ravi Cabot-Conyers. The show centers around the oldest daughter Drea, played by Iman Benson, who’s of a darker complexion, and she’s creating a documentary about her family in order to get into film school. Although she narrates a lot of the show, the plots tend to focus on the father figure, Kenya Barris who supposedly plays a slightly exaggerated version of himself. He is constantly questioning what it means to be a successful Black creator with money in the show.
Although the show has its funny family dynamic moments, many people on social media still felt a disconnect with Barris’ portrayal of a Black family. Folks had comments about one of the daughters easily talking back to her parents. Some T.V. critics also noted how the affluence of the family still gives them a privilege that disconnects them from the other specific problems typical Black Americans faces.
But even more than all of this, the light skinned casting still remained the primary issue.
“#BlackAF with no dark skin people,” one user tweeted. “I’m over the somewhat dark skin dad, light skin mom, and mixed kids narrative that is supposed to represent the black family,” wrote another user. “Kenya Barris literally writes the same narrative, but with different actors/actresses . He really tried it with #blackAF.”
This is not the first time Barris has faced some criticism over his casting choices. When the casting for “#blackAF” was first announced last year (then called “Black Excellence”), Twitter also gave the creator backlash for the mostly light skinned family.
He responded in now deleted tweets.
“I’m…not gonna make up a fake family that genetically makes no sense just for the sake of trying to fill quotas. I LOVE MY PEOPLE,” he wrote. “[And] everything I does [sic] reflects that love. But to cast people like some kinda skin color Allstar game would actually do more harm than good.”
The executive producer continued that he “hardly ever react[s] to social media but this cut me a little.”
In response to the casting of “Black Excellence” a.k.a. “blackAF”, Barris finished by saying, “These kids look like my kids. My very Black REAL kids & they face discrimination every day from others outside our culture and I don’t want them to also see it from US.”
Despite the criticism, it’s clear Barris will still have his audience. Some people on social media argued that there’s other content out there featuring dark skinned representation and people can just easily opt out of Barris’ content.
“I think y’all fail to realize that every time Kenya Barris makes a show he continuously bases it off his own family which is why these shows all look the same,” one user wrote. “Stop expecting that man to switch it up, if you don’t like it just don’t watch it.”
Other people seemed to be enjoying the show with one user writing, “#blackAF is actually pretty funny. kenya barris hasn’t let us astray yet”
You can check out more critical to mixed-ish reactions to the show below.
1.
That #blackAF show is already giving me the worst performative blackness vibes!!! And I prefer Kenya Barris BEHIND the camera anyway pic.twitter.com/PcSKqjbrT0
— Misselayneous (@misselayneous_b) April 16, 2020
2.
I’m gonna give #blackAF a chance I’m sure it will be funny but I still think it’s odd that one of the main characters has been white passing her whole career but this is suppose to be #blackAF pic.twitter.com/wqAf7cdGr4
— onmyphoneduh (@realityshowran1) April 17, 2020
3.
This is black twitter with #blackAF rn LMAO pic.twitter.com/Kl0ZRIM0HB
— kay 💌 (@PLANETHOSEOK) April 17, 2020
4.
#blackAF is on Netflix but it's really #LightskinAF pic.twitter.com/OnzR3rDyxC
— Mr.Gemini♊ (@RonnieThaGreat) April 17, 2020
5.
we aren’t saying that light skinned ppl aren’t black. we are saying that they have a very different experience of blackness, but theirs is the only one we keep seeing #blackAF
— a l l a n t é 🏳️🌈☯️ (@allantefante) April 17, 2020
6.
The gag is black-ish, grown-ish, mixed-ish, and #blackAF are the same show. I’m still waiting on actual representation of ACTUAL black folks. I’m disgusted and annoyed. pic.twitter.com/ojkvbuMpsF
— Dawn Lee (@DawnL_Writes) April 17, 2020
7.
#blackAF starring Rachel Dolezal basically pic.twitter.com/IZZ0dTAJZO
— Space Jam wasn't a good movie 👽 (@RJ_Orlando12) April 17, 2020
8.
So I was enjoying the first episode of #blackAF on @netflix but umm ain’t nothing Black AF about black kids even thinking of or fixing their mouths to call their black dad a dick. TF 🤔😒🤦🏾♀️😂
— Pereta.Jay (@thatgyrljay) April 17, 2020
9.
Rashida Jones has played a white woman her entire career and now is starring in a show called Black AF. Ok. Whatever y’all say. #blackAF pic.twitter.com/O4yw4n1tTg
— KC (@kcbgbrother) April 17, 2020
10.
#blackAF is supposed to be an “unapologetically black” show but all im seeing is performative blackness and a cast full of lightskin ppl 🤥
— joanna’s struggle tweets (@dumbdotcomm) April 17, 2020
11.
I’ve started watching #blackAF and...yeah idk.
— Café au Lait (@Blaqq_Widoww) April 17, 2020
12.
since y’all hate it stop watching it and giving them views & support 😍#blackAF
— Ebony ENBY ♡ (@theesudani) April 17, 2020