Ke’Tara Shavon Wyatt, widely recognized as Keke Wyatt, has captivated audiences with her powerful and soulful voice, establishing herself as a prominent singer and songwriter. Beyond her musical achievements, Wyatt's life story encompasses her experiences as a reality TV personality, a mother of ten (soon to be eleven), and an advocate for domestic abuse victims. This article explores various facets of Keke Wyatt's life, from her early musical beginnings to her personal challenges and triumphs.
Early Musical Career
From a young age, Keke Wyatt demonstrated a passion and talent for singing. She began singing in church, honing her skills and developing her unique vocal style. At the age of 10, Wyatt recorded her first song, "What If," for a gospel album. This early exposure to the music industry led to collaborations with producer Steven Huff, who helped her create demos. Wyatt's determination and talent culminated in the release of her debut solo album, Soul Sista, which achieved significant commercial success, reaching number 33 on the Billboard 200 chart and selling over one million copies, earning platinum status.
Personal Life and Family
Keke Wyatt's personal life has often been a topic of public interest. She recently announced that she is expecting her eleventh child with her husband, Zackariah Darring. However, she shared the news that her 11th baby was diagnosed with a genetic disorder called trisomy 13. Her role as a mother is central to her identity, and she openly shares her experiences with her large family. One of her sons, Rahjah, was diagnosed with leukemia but has thankfully overcome the illness. Wyatt shared her experience in an exceptionally open video she posted to YouTube. She noted discovering something was wrong when they visited Six Flags amusement park, and her son was too fatigued to move. Wyatt has been open about the cosmetic enhancements she has received. She introduced her surgeon, Dr. Curves, in an Instagram post, indicating that they would be discussing the procedures with fans on Instagram Live.
Advocacy for Domestic Abuse Victims
Keke Wyatt is a vocal advocate for domestic abuse victims, drawing from her personal experiences growing up in a household where domestic violence occurred. She has spoken candidly about the impact of witnessing and experiencing domestic abuse, emphasizing her commitment to creating a safe and nurturing environment for her daughters. In an interview with Essence, she vows to not allow the same to happen to her daughters “by having them in an environment that isn’t like that.” She later adds, “I did all I could to make sure my current husband Mike isn’t like that.”
Wyatt has collaborated with organizations such as the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Saving Our Daughters, using her platform to raise awareness and provide support to those affected by domestic abuse. She served as a spokesperson for the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. She was also a spokesperson for the Saving Our Daughters organization’s “YELL Confidence” initiative, co-founded by actress and singer Keke Palmer. As a domestic abuse survivor, she hopes that her experience can help others who are in similar situations.
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Overcoming Challenges
Keke Wyatt has faced numerous challenges throughout her life, both personally and professionally. She experienced backlash and criticism after sharing the news of her eleventh child's diagnosis. She also faced scrutiny following an altercation in which she admitted to stabbing her then-husband, whom she alleged was abusive. She shares that returning to her neighborhood was difficult. “When everything happened, I moved immediately. There were helicopters over my house, people stealing stuff out of the yard….” she said. She reveals that people would approach her in public to ask her questions about the incident. Despite these hardships, Wyatt has demonstrated resilience and a determination to persevere.
Wyatt also recounted an instance where she co-wrote a major song as a teenager but did not receive credit for her contribution. She shares that she was taken advantage of because she was so young. “I wrote the majority of one hit song. Of course, I didn’t get the credit for it because I was a little girl, but it’s cool,” she reveals, later adding that she recalls crying about it to her parents. This experience taught her valuable lessons about the music industry and the importance of protecting her creative rights.
Son's Battle with Leukemia
In a deeply personal revelation, Keke Wyatt shared her son Rahjah's battle with leukemia. She noticed something was wrong when they visited Six Flags amusement park, and her son was too fatigued to move. “You couldn’t walk. You couldn’t do anything,” Wyatt said in the video. As she describes his symptoms and subsequent treatment you could feel her fear and love all at the same time.
Rahjah experienced symptoms such as fatigue, loss of appetite, and significant weight loss. After undergoing blood tests, he was diagnosed with leukemia. During treatment, Rahjah experienced seizures and brain swelling. Thankfully, he has since recovered and is now cancer-free.
Wyatt's openness about her son's illness has raised awareness about leukemia and the importance of early detection and treatment. It has also highlighted the importance of family support during challenging times.
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Lessons from Rahjah's Illness
Rahjah’s symptoms of fatigue and loss of appetite are seen in other leukemia patients, too. While we don’t the specific type of leukemia that Rahjah had, SurvivorNet previously spoke with Dr. Gail Roboz, a medical oncologist at Weill Cornell Medicine, about the symptoms she sees in leukemia patients specifically, people who are diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). Symptoms of AML may include shortness of breath, fatigue, bruising, or infection. “Acute myeloid leukemia is the most common type of acute leukemia in adults, said Dr. Roboz. “And most of the time, this comes as an unwelcome surprise diagnosis. Often, patients have no idea that leukemia is even anywhere on the radar. They may feel unwell, have some symptoms of shortness of breath or perhaps decreased exercise tolerance, perhaps some bruising.” “They might have an infection,” she says. “And then they go into a physician for evaluation. Sometimes patients actually have no symptoms at all and may be diagnosed in the course of a completely routine evaluation. But basically, AML is a disease of the bone marrow. And the bone marrow produces white blood cells that fight infection, red blood cells that give you oxygen and energy, and platelets that are the tiny cells that help you clot if you get a cut.”
The Importance of Support
In a family of 10 kids, we imagine that Rahjah had tons of support during his diagnosis and treatment. Support from family, friends, loved ones, and support networks, can be helpful in the cancer journey. Ovarian cancer survivor Beverly Reeves told SurvivorNet how family, friends, and faith helped her along the way as she battled cancer. “If I had one piece of advice for someone who had just been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, it would be to get a strong support group together. Get your close friends. If you’re connected to a faith community, get your faith community. Get your family. Let them know what’s going on and let them help you.
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