DJ Kayotik Shares a Story of Grief, Survival & Purpose in New Memoir

DJ Kayotik is known to many as a familiar radio voice, a respected DJ, and now 50 Cent’s official tour DJ, but his path to success began far from the spotlight.

During a recent radio interview on 97.9 The Box, the South Jamaica, Queens native opened up about a life shaped by hardship long before his career took off. He spoke candidly about growing up amid childhood trauma, instability, and the pain of having parents addicted to crack cocaine. After facing homelessness as a young person, he said the military gave him structure, discipline, and a way forward. From there, he built a career in Dallas as a brand ambassador, party promoter, self-taught DJ, and longtime radio personality.

Behind the public image, however, Kayotik revealed a much deeper and more painful story. In 2015, his son died in a tragic lake accident just before graduating from high school, a loss that shattered his world. He described that moment as the point when everything changed, sending him into deep depression, isolation, and suicidal thoughts. Though many people knew him as upbeat, inspirational, and full of energy, he admitted he was carrying a level of pain few could see. His honesty gave the interview its emotional weight, especially as he reflected on how grief can stay hidden behind a smile.

He said healing did not come quickly or easily. He credited his faith as the foundation that kept him alive, while therapy helped him confront the pain he had buried for years. Fitness also became part of his recovery, with running and exercise serving as a refuge during his darkest days. Over time, he began to see that his survival carried responsibility, and that his testimony could serve someone else still struggling. That sense of purpose grew even stronger after 50 Cent, a childhood acquaintance from Queens, reached back to support him professionally, first through brand work and later by naming him his official DJ.

That journey is now at the center of his memoir, It Had To Happen: What’s a Man Without Legacy.

He said he did not write the book simply to sell copies, but to save lives. Kayotik told Good Morning H-Town he framed the memoir as a resource for people dealing with grief, depression, trauma, homelessness, and the long road toward mental wellness.

With a foreword by 50 Cent, the book stands as both a personal account and a message to those who feel broken or alone: healing is possible, vulnerability is strength, and there is still purpose on the other side of pain.

Check out the full interview below.