You may know Riley Burruss as one of the standout stars in Bravo’s Next Gen NYC, or because of her mom, The Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Kandi Burruss. But what you may not know about the younger Burruss is that she’s a recent NYU grad, and she’s currently studying to take the LSAT. Burruss is “[taking] it day by day, minute by minute, and [embracing] this new era of life,” she tells Her Campus in an exclusive interview.
Burruss, 22, graduated from college in May 2024 with a degree in Music Business, and has ultimate plans to become an entertainment lawyer. Her next step? She aims to pursue a dual law and business degree at Columbia University.Â
But the reality TV star wasn’t always used to the bustling life of NYC. The Atlanta native recalls her college experience, saying, “You’re just thrown into the city. That was really surprising for me.” She says it was a big transition for her to handle “navigating life as an adult, making new friendships, and adjusting to being an adult, but also still having that school life.”
That journey of adulthood is something viewers will see Burruss on in Next Gen NYC, which premiered on Bravo on June 3. The show follows a group of Gen Z’s favorite influencers and kids of reality stars, including Burruss, Ariana Biermann, and Gia Giudice. Burruss says she’s excited to take people along for the ride. “I’m pretty level headed, but I’m also passionate, and I feel like I’m pretty good at voicing and articulating my thoughts,” Burruss says.Â
We see Burruss voice those thoughts in Episode 3, when she attends Giudice’s pool party. On the bus ride to the party, castmate Charlie Zakkour and his friends failed to introduce themselves to Burruss and Georgia McCann. When they called Zakkour out, he accused Burruss of being rude to his friends. Burruss told Zakkour, “I just don’t like that ya’ll are trying to spin this narrative that I’m like this scary Black girl, when I’m not.”
Zakkour apologized, but it was a classic case of an “angry Black woman” stereotype that’s long been used to dismiss Black women’s voices and emotions. For those that have dealt with something similar, Burruss says, “It’s, of course, not our job to teach people what to do and what not to do and what to say and what not to say because at the end of the day, as an adult, I think by now, they should know.” She continues, “But if we do choose to do that and lend our voice to them, be passionate about what you say. Don’t be afraid to take up space.”Â
At the end of the day, Burruss says to prioritize yourself. “If it really affects you, it’s OK to say how you feel, and don’t be afraid to make yourself feel more comfortable.”
Next Gen NYC airs on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on Bravo and episodes are available to stream next-day on Peacock.