‘Southern Fried Rice’ Ruckus: Keke Palmer & Nakia Stephens Speak Out Amid Backlash Over HBCU

Keke Palmer and screenwriter Nakia Stephens have joined forces to bring a new original series, Southern Fried Rice, to Palmer’s KeyTV platform, a digital media network dedicated to uplifting Black stories and creatives. But since the show’s release, social media users have been divided over its unique plotline, which centers on an Asian American character.

Premiering its first two episodes on Oct. 22, Southern Fried Rice follows an Asian American woman, Koko Johnson, played by Page Yang, as she explores her identity and culture while growing up with Southern Black parents. The themes collide when Koko attends Wright University, a prestigious fictional HBCU in Atlanta, and her late father’s alma mater. There, she faces questions of belonging and self-discovery, according to Complex. The ca