Rygin King Turns Personal Tragedy Into Mission To Support Disabled Community

Dancehall artist Rygin King is spearheading a fundraising initiative through his Rygin King Foundation to provide wheelchairs, walkers, and other mobility aids for disabled individuals in Jamaica. He shared with DancehallMag that his nonprofit, currently in the process of registration, aims to raise at least $100,000 USD (around $15.5 million JMD) to buy over 100 wheelchairs.

King, who uses a wheelchair following a gun attack in 2020 that left him paralyzed, expressed the challenge of gathering donations so far and his need to be tax efficient in order to support the cause.

“We a wait pon the right set a people fi reach out to we, right now we don’t even raise $5000 jmd. Mi deh here and basically mi don’t wanna be taxed so you know mi a line up the proper GoFundMe and the proper account where it naw go tax me to set up the proper nonprofit organization so when me a ship the thing dem down, it no cost me like that,” he said.

He also called on the wealthy in Jamaica to contribute,

“I hope the people dem see this and help with the cause. A whole heap a money man deh a Jamaica inno and a dash it all bout but me a moneyman when me ready too you know but at least mi feed people. So hopefully a man can tek up a hundred thousand or one two hundred thousand and put towards the cause,” he said.

“Mi haffi go send at least a 150 wheelchair go a yard, mi really realise that this anno 50,000 USD this a atleast one $100,000 USD but mi naw really tell myself that a tha figure deh mi want . Mi wah raise one $30,000 USD right now and start buy some things. Mi wah buy couple powered wheelchair and couple manual wheelchair plus couple walkers and couple sponge donut fi dem siddung pon so dem no ketch bedsore and dem thing deh and sanitary napkins like pampers,” he shared.

He revealed that he already has an idea of who the initial recipients will be.

“ A 9 a dem deh pon mi live day before yesterday pon TikTok yuh zimme and there will be more,” he said.

King shared his personal insight into the hardships faced by those with mobility issues in Jamaica.

“Mi inna wheelchair bro and me realise being in a wheelchair, wheelchair people get less help, less strength, people who a walk get more help and more strength, believe me. I’ve learnt that off experience, you understand weh mi a say,” he said.

“Mi need support, you understand weh mi a say, mi need real support fi mek weh me need fi mek happen with the charitable organization weh mi a come forward with,” he added.

Rygin said Jamaica’s lack of the necessary infrastructure to accomodate those with mobility issues was disappointing. “Jamaica a somewhere where don’t business with you when you inna wheelchair, mentally and physically, dem don’t even provide the sidewalk weh the wheelchair fi even drive pon…it look bad, it look bad,” he exclaimed.

While critical of Jamaica’s overall challenges, he praised the few who have supported the wheelchair community. “You have some people down there, give thanks fi dem that dem did do even some form of charitable organization and assisted persons in wheelchairs because the other day mi did talk to some people and dem wheelchair deh weh dem did get from the t ime bro G, dem still can move round so thank God fi dem people deh who did push out wheelchairs from then,” he said.

He is also focused on the release of his album Recovery, which will be available worldwide on June 7.

“ Mi have 3 collaboration pon the album, the album a one 15 track album, Is a body of motivation and uplifting spirit because it is about recovery, mentally and physically we a work pon recovery,” he revealed.

“We have a single ago release soon. 3 weeks from now the single ago release named Recovery with Chronic Law,” he said.