As most of us Old Schoolers know, ever since the late 80’s, former Tony! Toni! Toné! singer, Raphael Saadiq, has been making his mark in the music game. In recent years, his introduction to a whole new audience in Netflix’s series, “Luke Cage,” as executive producer of Solange’s hit album, “Seat At the Table,” and much more. But what many of us never knew, were the horrific tragedies Saadiq’s family endured after losing four of his fourteen siblings at different times throughout his career.
SAADIQ OPENS UP ABOUT SIBLINGS DEATHS
Super secretive with his private life, Rapheal Saadiq made the rare move of briefly opening up about his life in a prior interview with The Guardian. He revealed the heartbreaking details of his siblings deaths, and how he survived amid his pain, without succumbing to his grief:
“My brother was murdered when I was seven,” he says, matter-of-factly. “Then another brother OD’d – heroin – and my other brother committed suicide because he couldn’t get off drugs. My sister was a singer, she sang blues. A cop was chasin’ some kid through a residential neighborhood, and the kid killed her when he ran into her car. And through all of that I was makin’ records, but it wasn’t comin’ out in the music. I did it to kinda show people you can have some real tough things happen in your life, but you don’t have to wear it on your sleeve.”
Like we said, some of their deaths happened after Saadiq was a professional music artists. So while we were vibing to “Little Walter,” Feels Good,” Just Me And You,” “It Never Rains In Southern California,” and all of the other Tony! Toni! Toné! joints back in the day, Raphael Saadiq; his brother/group member, Dwayne Wiggins; and their cousin, Timothy Christian (also of Tony! Toni! Toné!), were singing through some real pain…SO sad!
This is yet example of how we just never know what some f our favorite entertainers are going through when the crowds go home and the cameras are off. May their loved ones continue to rest peacefully.
