Kandi Burruss Admits She Was ‘Scared’ After Daughter Riley Signed Up for Next Gen NYC (Exclusive)

Kandi Burruss had some nerves about having her daughter, Riley Burruss, starring on her own Bravo series.

At the 2025 BET Awards on Monday, June 9, the mother and daughter duo spoke to PEOPLE about Riley, 22, stepping into the spotlight after her mother left The Real Housewives of Atlanta after 14 seasons.

Riley now stars on Bravo’s latest series, Next Gen NYC, alongside RHOA alum Kim Zolciak’s daughter Ariana Biermann, Gia Giudice (daughter of The Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice), Brooks Marks (son of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’s Meredith Marks), Biermann’s boyfriend Hudson McLeroy, Ava Dash (daughter of music mogul Damon Dash), Emira D’Spain, Georgia McCann, Charlie Zakkour and Shai Fruchter.

At the BET Awards, Kandi, 49, confessed to PEOPLE that she was nervous for her daughter to join the world of reality TV, saying, “It’s your baby, you know what I mean?”

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

“Because now it’s really, all eyes are on you. It ain’t about me,” Kandi continued. “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.”

“Here’s the thing. I mean, I know we all gonna do stuff,” she acknowledged. “I’ve done some wild stuff or said wild things on TV or whatever. So with that being said, we’ll just have to have a little talk about it and then move past it.”

“There’s nothing that my daughter’s gonna do that I’m gonna be like, ‘Oh, I’m never gonna talk to you,’” she concluded. 

Riley has already called upon her mother for advice and insight on how to handle herself with her new group of friends.

On the show’s third episode, which aired June 17, the group of pals headed to Gia’s house in New Jersey for a party. While en route on the sprinter van, Riley was confronted by Charlie, who tells her that she is being scary and intimidating to a random girl whom he had recently met.

As Charlie continued to talk to Riley, he mocked her with exaggerated hand gestures and body language. She began to tear up, and as the group noticed her emotional state, she explained, “I’m just so mad.”

“I just don’t like that y’all are trying to spin this narrative that I’m like, this scary Black girl, when I’m not,” she said through tears.

Upon the group’s arrival at Gia’s home, Riley gave Kandi a call and recounted her experience. On the other end of the phone, her mother defended her daughter and shared in her frustrations over the way Charlie conducts himself with Riley. 

As she continued to chat with her mother, Brooks sat by her for support. Kandi then said, “I’m glad that you let him know. I don’t think it’s cool,” before adding, “It just frustrates me to hear that, because as a Black woman, you’re the minority and it’s okay.”

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

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Next Gen NYC airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.