NORFOLK, Va. — "My name is Nigel... and I go by Legin, which is L-E-G-I-N. It's Nigel spelled backwards, just saying that God took my life and reversed it so everything was on a better path."
Hip hop and spoken word artist Legin took a leap of faith, and learned a lot along the way.
I've always done music," said Legin, "but I left my job in 2013 to focus on it full-time."
His latest single, “Feelin Blessed", is about the hurdles he faced to pursue his dreams.
"Everything started to fall apart, and it didn't make any sense," said Legin. "Like, my car started blowing up, savings account got drained. And I was like, I thought I made, like, super wrong decision, man."
"I think that's the first time I told that whole story on a song," said Legin. "And like, I talk about it a lot because I'm like, this has to be something that can help somebody else if I'm just honest about where I was, where I thought I messed up, and how God was still good and got me out."
After the single's debut in March, he launched the GOOD ENUF virtual concert series to promote mental health.
"I started going to counseling," said Legin. "With us coming out of COVID and racial tension and crazy stuff and political strife, we're going to need a whole lot of counseling. I'm like, how do I communicate this?"
"So, that turned into the GOOD ENUF concert series that we're doing all of 2021, saying, 'Look, God loves you and you're worth it, and get counseling if you need it,'" said Legin.
Legin said he hoped his transparency would lead to others' well-being.
"You don't realize all the voices in your head and what they're saying based on stuff and pain that you've been through," said Legin. "And that's why I'm like, I want to tell people, like, get started and stay on the journey."
"You break a leg, go see a doctor. Something's broken on the inside, go see a doctor," said Legin.
The next virtual GOOD ENUF concert is this Tuesday, June 15. You can purchase tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/good-enuf-session-2-tickets-150618563177?aff=Leginsite
Legin also helps people struggling to afford mental health services. To donate to or partner with that effort, contact Legin through his website: https://www.legin.tv/