Candid convos on one’s struggles and mental health challenges used to be strictly taboo—especially for Black men—but now, R&B singer Raheem DeVaughn wants to do something about it. Just prior to World Mental Health Day, the Grammy-nominated artist visited Dallas on October 3, alongside KRNB 105.7 FM Radio, to present “King for a Day”—an homage to the wellness journey of Black men—all powered by Gilead Sciences.
The foundation has been in operation since 2012, and was birthed from a very unique circumstance close to DeVaughn’s heart. As a caregiver for his father up until the time of his passing, a nurturing presence became natural to the singer, and was the ultimate catalyst for many unspoken conversations that needed to be told amongst men.
“Mental health is a very important thing to me that I hold near and dear to my heart,” the 51-year-old father of five told the DeSoto Tribune. “My father Abdul Wadud was a child prodigy cellist and went on to become [a] world-renowned musician and teacher of music…but he also suffered from schizophrenia most of his adult life. [At King for a Day], I’m encouraging the men and young men in the room that it’s ok to have a therapist and to be proactive about it, and not wait until the cause and effect.”
DeVaughn and the King for a Day crew took the experience back to the one gathering spot that’s legendary for Black men and safe-space conversations–the barber shop…