"...Black coffee I have so much respect for you! I like you for your music But now I also love you for the person you are..."
This is just one of the many responses internationally acclaimed South African DJ Black Coffee received after he took to social media on Sunday to share a very personal story about learning to accept his hand disability and growing as a person.
Coffee was in a car accident 27 years ago which left his one arm lame.
In a heartfelt Facebook post, Coffee told fans what it was like growing up a disability and how he battled with his insecurities.
Black Coffee (wearing his arm brace) and Yoh Nagao. Picture: Facebook/Real Black Coffee
He wrote: "While here in Berlin I went to see this great artist Yoh Nagao... and I decided to put on an arm brace.
"When I was young, after the car accident I use to wear one and being a kid it was hard as kids can be mean so I decided to stop wearing it especially in public.
"It has taken me so much time to appear like this in public because of my own insecurities but I decided to post this picture not just because for years people had their own versions of my story, I did this for myself."
Coffee told fans that putting on a brace and having the confidence to wear it in public was a great achievement for him. He said that we often put ourselves down before others do and added that he was working towards "breaking those chains".
"This is a big step for me personally, being able to walk freely without overthinking is such a great achievement... I'm becoming more confident to do it more often.
"We all have little or big things that we don't like about ourselves and we often put ourselves down before other people do. I'm personally working towards breaking those chains...." he said.
Coffee also encouraged fans to fight for the best version of themselves and not to let anything pull them down.
He also spoke of the lessons he tries to teach his kids, and the example he needs to set for them.
Also read: DJ Black Coffee shares heartfelt message on son's birthday
"I'm learning to cry and reflect in my own truth and all my faults and I'm trying be better..." he said.
He also encouraged men to cry and explained that while growing up men often told "indoda ayikhali (a man doesn't cry)" and challenged men to change this mindset.
He ended off with: "Lets change this... I'm so proud of me. I love me."
So proud that he liked his own post.
Picture: Facebook/Real Black Coffee
And this is why we respect you, Black Coffee — thanks for keeping it real.
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