We're All The Way Here For Kofi Siriboe As Crenshawn

Kofi comes from a creative family.

Kofi Siriboe is a middle child and has two brothers who are also actors. His mother, a Ghanaian media strategist, kept them immersed in many hobbies like sports and music as kids. (And here's another random fact: As a youth, he played trumpet and violin.) Later, she became their momager and publicist, aiding in sparking their film careers.

In an interview with The Undefeated, Kofi reflected on his relationship with his mother:

“My mom is one of those people with a big, nurturing spirit, so even simple moments with her feel like pure nourishment for my soul. There’s a level of assurance I carry that trickles into my work, no doubt. I fully trust my mom, and I know she always has my back. That trust allows me the space to be as expansive as God intended me to be.”

He was a child actor.

Kofi is not new to this, he’s true to this. He started acting as a child, and by six years old, he’d already booked guest roles, commercials, and print work. Some of his first roles in television and film included Lincoln Heights, The Longshots, and Entourage.

His big breakout role was as Ralph Angel in Ava DuVernay's 'Queen Sugar.'

Although he had been acting for a long time and had secured recurring roles in shows like MTV’s Awkward and the 2015 film Straight Outta Compton, his life-changing opportunity came in 2016 when he got the role of Ralph Angel in OWN’s Queen Sugar. In an early interview with the Chicago Tribune, he said:

“Prior to this ['Queen Sugar'], I had 10,000 followers, and now it's nearly 100,000 people watching my every move. They're watching. They actually care. There's a resonance there. That, to me, is what's, like, mind-blowing. You couldn't prepare for something like that.”

The show is currently in its sixth season and still has a loyal audience.

Kofi struggles with issues of insecurity and low self-esteem.

When Kofi was younger, he was uncomfortable with his weight and it made him feel, no pun intended, insecure. When he was 17, he went through a bit of a physical transformation and lost 40 to 50 pounds. The Really Love actor jokingly thanked the Nike Run app, brown rice, and chicken for helping him achieve his goals.

Today, an insecurity stems from fame and success. During an episode of A Sip, Kofi told Issa Rae:

“I'm insecure about accomplishing everything that was supposed to make me feel happy but I realize I’m still not fully happy.”

He continued, “I’ve accomplished amazing human goals, but it’s not enough. So, I’m insecure about that.”

He's passionate about mental health.

In 2018, he released a powerful film called Jump, a project launched via his production company, to raise awareness about the struggles of depression and anxiety. He told Oprah Daily:

“Not only am I learning about new things, topics, and social issues, but I also had a chance to take a stab at some things I was already dealing with and saw in my personal life and people around me."

He created a media lifestyle brand.

In March 2021, he launched a fun and interactive platform called We’re Not Kids Anymore. The nostalgic site allows users to share and reflect on current and past cultural moments. Kofi told Forbes:

“Young Black people don’t have media spaces that are geared toward them. Talking to people and humanizing celebrities and our experience, that's really the goal.”

There seem to be similarities between him and the role he plays on 'Insecure.'

Art is imitating life a little bit because he’s literally playing an artist who is also an advocate, which clearly shows some resemblance to Kofi's true character.