Kevin Samuels

Kevin Roshon Samuels (March 13, 1969 – May 5, 2022) was an American internet personality and image consultant. He rose to popularity in 2020 through his YouTube and Instagram live streams discussing modern society, gender issues, and relationships.^[5][6]

Kevin Samuels
Samuels in 2020
Born	Kevin Roshon Samuels (1969-03-13)March 13, 1969[1][2][3][4] Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
Died	May 5, 2022(2022-05-05) (aged 53) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Occupations	Internet personality image consultant
Movement	Manosphere
Children	1

Early life

Kevin Samuels was born in Oklahoma City. He attended Millwood High School^[7] and studied chemical engineering at the University of Oklahoma, but was not able to graduate due to having Hodgkin lymphoma at age 21. He said it was a point in life where he "recognized [his] own mortality".^[7] He was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi.^[8][9]

Career

Samuels worked in the marketing industry before starting his own image-consulting firm in 2013.^[10] He accumulated 1.4 million subscribers on YouTube, 1.2 million followers on Instagram and thousands on several other online platforms like Twitter and TikTok.^[11] The New York Times claimed he built an image as a "hypermasculine authority" who advocated for "strict gender roles".^[10]

Samuels gained traction in mainstream hip-hop culture, interviewing Nicki Minaj and T.I., while also making guest appearances on No Jumper, Joe Budden TV and VladTV. In 2022, Samuels made a cameo appearance on the television series Atlanta in the episode "Rich Wigga, Poor Wigga".^[12] In February 2022, Samuels appeared in a music video in which he acted as a therapist and dating coach for rapper Future on the single "Worst Day".^[13] He also interviewed popular Instagram models like Brittany Renner, and reality TV stars like Tommie Lee.^[14] Several prominent guests such as Minaj,^[15] Marlon Wayans, and Tamar Braxton showed support for his work.^[16]

Samuels engaged in commentary on dating prospects for men and women, with a focus on the African American community. He frequently spoke about what he considered to be "high-value men," emphasizing financial success, social status, and discipline, while also discussing the traits he believed made a woman "high-value" in the dating market. He encouraged women to embrace femininity, be more cooperative in relationships, and prioritize finding a long-term relationship or marriage in their youth.^[5][6] He encouraged men to focus on building their careers, dressing well, and improving themselves physically and mentally to increase their value in the dating and business world.

Samuels often criticized what he saw as unrealistic expectations people had for partners, especially regarding financial stability, physical appearance, and traditional gender roles. He believed that some women had unrealistically high standards for the types of men they should be dating, while also criticizing men for lacking employable skills, ambition, and being overweight.^[13] Samuels strongly criticized the black community for failing to meet what he saw as "traditional values", specifically with black Americans' high out-of-wedlock birth rate and significantly lower marriage rate than other racial groups in the United States.^[17][10]

His supporters defended him as a truth-teller who provided tough love, particularly to black men and women, and as an advocate of traditional values, believing he inspired individuals to strive for higher standards in their personal and professional lives.^[10][11][13] Critics argued that his delivery was often harsh, demeaning, or reinforcing outdated gender roles.^[18][19][20] They criticized him for his engagement in casual sexual relationships and not being married.

Some critics alleged that he had scammed fragrance houses, such as Bloomingdale's and other high-end stores in Atlanta, as well as stealing ideas and content from other YouTubers.^[21][22]

Personal life and death

Samuels was married and divorced twice.^[19] He had one daughter in his first marriage.^[10]

On May 5, 2022, Samuels was found unresponsive in his Atlanta apartment after a woman who had stayed with him the night prior called 911, telling the operator Samuels was complaining of chest pains and that he had collapsed. Samuels was rushed to a hospital, where he later died.^[10] According to the medical examiner's report, Samuels had hypertension, which contributed to his death.^[2]

Impressions and tributes

American comedian Affion Crockett had a regular show on his YouTube channel playing a character called Devin R. Samuels, which was a comedic impression of Kevin Samuels. Crockett often used the same mannerisms, phrases, and styles of communicating that Samuels had on his show.^[23]

Bulgarian music producer ORLI ANROW did a tribute song in memory of Kevin Samuels, named "Young Kevin Samuels". The producer had similar attire as Samuels in the music video and also used expressions that Samuels did on his show. The song included a sample from Kevin Samuels, who is also credited as a writer of the song.^[24][23]