Kandi Burruss Made Parenting a Contract Lesson for Her Daughter

For many families, rewards come with simple rules: do the chores, keep the grades up. Kandi Burruss took it a step further. The singer, entrepreneur, and “Real Housewives of Atlanta” alum told People she required her daughter, Riley, to sign written agreements before she could get coveted gadgets.

The goal, Burruss said, was to build responsibility and follow-through early. One memorable deal: Riley could have an Xbox 360 only if she committed to a full year on the swim team. The contract even spelled out consequences.

“I don’t think a lot of people know this, but my mom used to make me sign contracts!” Riley recalled. “She made me sign a contract that said if I quit, she could throw it away.”

Riley—now an NYU Class of 2024 graduate and cast member on Bravo’s “Next Gen NYC,” laughed at the memory, but the lesson stuck. The approach reflects a family culture of structure and accountability that stretches back a generation.

Kandi’s mother, Mama Joyce, described her daughter as “very, very smart,” noting that even as a child, sending Kandi to her room was hardly punishment—she’d just read.

That discipline echoes Burruss’s business life. After breaking out with the R&B group Xscape, she built a prolific career as a songwriter and producer, the kind that still pays dividends.

During a recent Instagram Live, when a fan asked if she earns money when Beyoncé performs “Bills, Bills, Bills” on the Cowboy Carter Tour, she didn’t hesitate: “Yeah, I do actually,” she said, giving a quick primer on how her publishing works.

Contracts are, quite literally, Burruss’s language. Beyond music, she runs the lifestyle brand Bedroom Kandi, co-produced a staging of “Othello” starring Denzel Washington, and co-owns the Old Lady Gang restaurant. Across venture and at home she’s built systems that tie rewards to results. Now, as Riley steps into her own spotlight, those lessons are paying forward.