‘#blackAF’ Trailer: Kenya Barris, Rashida Jones Star In Netflix Family Sitcom

Kenya Barris’ comedy “Black AF” (stylized as “#blackAF”), will be the first series under the “Black-ish” creator’s overall deal with Netflix. Barris and Rashida Jones star in the show inspired by Barris’ real-life marriage and unorthodox approach to parenting, relationships, race, and culture. “#blackAF” premieres on April 17, check out a first look at the show’s newest trailer below.

Originally titled “Black Excellence,” its official synopsis reads: “From Kenya Barris, the Emmy® nominated creator of black-ish, comes the new comedy series #blackAF. Loosely inspired by Barris’ irreverent, highly flawed, unbelievably honest approach to parenting, relationships, race, and culture, #blackAF flips the script on what we’ve come to expect a family comedy series to be. Pulling back the curtain, #blackAF uncovers the messy, unfiltered and often hilarious world of what it means to be a “new money” black family trying to get it right in a modern world where “right” is no longer a fixed concept.”

The Netflix original series stars Barris as a fictionalized version of himself and Rashida Jones (Angie Tribeca) as his wife Joya. Kenya and Joya’s children are played by Genneya Walton (Extant), Iman Benson (Suits), Scarlet Spencer (Bright), Justin Claiborne (Reverie), Ravi Cabot-Conyers (Justine, The Resident), and Richard Gardenhire Jr.  #blackAF is executive produced by Barris, Jones, and Hale Rothstein. It also helps that the series has a number of High-profile guests making appearances—. from Nia Long and Mike Epps to Tyler Perry and Melvin Gregg, Issa Rae, Lena Waithe, Ava DuVernay, Will Packer, and Tim Story.

Based on the trailer it looks like a rethinking of the family sitcom, shot ala “Modern Family”; more like a reality TV series, with behind-the-scenes, on-camera testimonies. Barris will make his acting debut on the series that’s likely more “Curb Your Enthusiasm” stylistically, but with an obviously different cultural edge than Barris’ Peabody-winning and Emmy-nominated ABC/ABC Studios comedy series “Black-ish,” which has spawned two spinoffs — Freeform’s “Grown-ish” and the newly ordered “Mixed-ish” at ABC.