Raheem DeVaughn on Rebirth, Ownership, and the Power of a Second Act
R&B artist Raheem DeVaughn reflects on reinvention, ownership, and purpose after 19 years between #1 hits.
Black News 
At the BET Awards 2026, Jasmine Sanders of the DL Hughley Show sat down with R&B mainstay Raheem DeVaughn for a conversation that felt less like a red carpet check-in and more like a moment of reflection. The singer arrived dressed for the occasion, carrying himself like a man who knows exactly where he stands and where he’s headed. What followed was honest talk about reinvention, ownership, faith, and the kind of growth that takes decades to earn.
The Dragonfly and a New Beginning
The conversation opened with a detail that set the tone for everything else: dragonflies stitched into his shoes. For DeVaughn, the choice was anything but random.
The dragonfly represents rebirth and new beginnings, he explained. “Well, that’s me.”
It’s a fitting symbol for an artist entering a fresh chapter. After years in the game, he’s not looking back. He’s leaning into transformation, and he wanted that message stitched right into how he showed up.
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A Second Number One, Nineteen Years Later
DeVaughn recently landed the second number one of his career—a milestone that arrived nearly two decades after his first.
“I just had my second number one of my career,” he shared, taking time to thank the fans and supporters who made it possible. Nineteen years separate the two achievements, and that gap gave the moment a weight that a younger artist simply couldn’t understand.
Longevity in this business is rare. Reaching the top twice, across two different eras of music, speaks to staying power that few can claim.
The Difference This Time: Owning the Master
When asked what he learned between his first chart-topper and this one, DeVaughn didn’t hesitate. The answer came down to ownership.
“There’s a difference between being the slave and owning the master,” he said. “This number one is different because it’s ownership. I own the master.”
That distinction matters. He poured everything into the record—”the blood, sweat, and tears”—from the moment he decided to remake the song through seeing it all the way through. This time, the work belongs to him. For a generation of artists fighting to control their own creations, his words land as both a personal victory and a lesson worth passing on.
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“Prayer Without Action Is Blasphemy”
Faith runs through the way DeVaughn talks about his career, but he pairs belief with effort. He summed it up with a phrase he might just put on a T-shirt.
“The power of manifestation and prayer is real,” he said. “One of my sayings is prayer without action is blasphemy.”
It’s a philosophy built on doing the work. You can believe, you can pray, but you also have to show up and put in the labor. That balance of faith and grind has clearly carried him this far.
Inside the Creative Process
Ask DeVaughn how he makes music, and you’ll find an artist who works on instinct. He doesn’t physically write his songs down. Instead, he describes a “download” experience, where the music seems to flow through him.
“I don’t physically write things down,” he said. The night before this interview, he was in the studio until 3am Los Angeles time—the equivalent of a 6am session back home. He calls it being “in my bag.”
For him, the magic isn’t only in stepping to the mic. It’s the “aha moment” when a song is finally complete. He mentioned finishing a record in just two hours the day before, one he believes will be huge. “It flowed. It came out of me.”
That ability to channel a song so quickly is, as Sanders noted, a kind of superpower—one that doesn’t happen for everyone.
Music That Heals and Moves People
DeVaughn is clear about his purpose right now. He wants his gift used for good.
“I’m in a space right now where I want to make people dance. I want to heal,” he said. “I want to sing love and light on the world.”
He sees his talent as something bigger than himself—a tool meant to serve others and lift them up. In a moment when so many are looking for joy and connection, that mission feels especially timely.
Refusing to Be Boxed In
Known as a romance singer and a balladeer, DeVaughn isn’t interested in being confined to one lane. For the next few months, he’s been challenging himself to step outside expectations.
“I’m not doing any slow records,” he said, describing a creative exercise focused on uptempo songs that make people feel good and want to dance. He’s quick to note he’ll return to ballads in time, but right now he’s chasing a different energy.
He’s never been one to follow a formula anyway. “I’ve always done what I wanted to do musically,” he said, pointing to house records like “Favorite Thing to Do” with Chicago’s DJ Terry Hunt. For DeVaughn, the questions that matter are simple: What does the record feel like? What are the words saying? How does it move the people?
The Say Yes Tour
That connection with audiences isn’t just talk. DeVaughn recently wrapped a major run on the road.
“We just knocked out 26 cities for the Say Yes Tour,” he said, calling it an amazing success. Twenty-six cities is no small feat, and it reflects a fan base that continues to show up for him night after night.
Time as His Greatest Treasure
When the conversation turned to what he values most after all these years of success, DeVaughn’s answer was grounded and reflective.
“Time,” he said. “It’s the gift of time, the gift of decision, free will, and the gift of one another.”
He gave credit to a higher power, noting that none of it would be possible without the Creator. Looking ahead, he spoke of family, loved ones, and even great-great-grandkids—a man thinking about legacy as much as the next hit.
“The Pleasure Will Be Mine”
As for what’s next, DeVaughn has new music already making noise. His latest single just hit radio and is climbing fast.
“It’s the second most added record of the week,” he said. “It’s called ‘The Pleasure Will Be Mine.'” He predicts it could become one of the biggest wedding songs of the next three decades—a bold claim, but one that fits an artist riding a wave of momentum.
Stepping Fully Into His Own
What stood out most about this conversation was the sense of an artist who has grown into himself. The reinvention, the ownership, the faith, and the purpose all point to a man no longer chasing approval but creating from a place of clarity.
As Sanders put it, there’s something powerful about watching an artist move naturally into his own and simply do it. After 19 years between number ones, Raheem DeVaughn isn’t just back. He’s reborn—and he’s doing it on his own terms.
