Aaron McGruder released a statement today addressing his stepping down as show-runner and executive producer on the upcoming fourth season of his groundbreaking animated series The Boondocks.

McGruder created The Boondocksin 1996 as a webcomic while attending the University of Maryland. During his time as the editor-in-chief of the school newspaper, the comic strip made its first print appearances. In 1999, he succeeded in turning the local comic strip into a nationally syndicated comic that appeared across the country, including in The Source magazine. The success of the comic strip eventually lead to the production of a TV pilot, which was originally slated to air on BET through the Fox Network but finally found a home on Adult Swim.

In a statement released today through The Boondocks’ Facebook page, McGruder broke down the cold gospels of Hollywood and what his next move was. He speak on his perspective as the creator and moving to focus on other projects. Read the statement in its entirety below and be sure to catch the season premiere — for better or worse — of the show’s McGruderless fourth season April 21 on Adult Swim.

“As the world now knows, ‘The Boondocks’ will be returning for a fourth season, but I will not be returning with it. I’d like to extend my gratitude to Sony and Adult Swim for three great seasons. I created The Boondocks two decades ago in college, did the daily comic for six years, and was showrunner on the animated series for the first three seasons. The Boondocks pretty much represents my life’s work to this point. Huey, Riley, and Granddad are not just property to me. They are my fictional blood relatives. Nothing is more painful than to leave them behind.
To quote a great white man, ‘Hollywood is a business.’ And to quote another great white man, ‘Don’t hold grudges.’

What has never been lost on me is the enormous responsibility that came with ‘The Boondocks’ — particularly the television show and it’s relatively young audience. It was important to offend, but equally important to offend for the right reasons. For three seasons I personally navigated this show through the minefields of controversy. It was not perfect. And it definitely was not quick. But it was always done with a keen sense of duty, history, culture, and love. Anything less would have been simply unacceptable.

As for me, I’m finally putting a life of controversy and troublemaking behind me with my upcoming Adult Swim show, ‘BLACK JESUS.'”

AM