Introduction
Kevin Samuels is an American dating and relationship consultant, image consultant, life coach, and social media influencer. He rose to fame in the 2010s for his controversial relationship advice videos on YouTube and Instagram. Samuels garnered both a loyal following and staunch critics for his blunt commentary and advice directed at Black women. He amassed over 1.4 million Instagram followers at the height of his popularity.
Samuels has built a successful brand and business around relationship consulting, personal coaching, and advising both men and women on topics like dating, image, and self-improvement. But how did he get his start, and what is Kevin Samuels’ net worth? Let’s take a closer look at his biography, age, career highlights, and photos.
Early Life and Education
Kevin Roshon Samuels was born on March 13, 1965 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Not much is publicly known about his upbringing and education. According to some reports, he studied at the University of Oklahoma and later moved to Atlanta, Georgia to pursue a career in business and marketing.
Career Beginnings in Business and Marketing
In the early 2000s, Samuels worked in the branding and marketing industry. He was employed at companies like the Coca-Cola Company and managed several major consumer brands.
In 2007, he started his own marketing and branding consulting company called Therapeutic Business Solutions. He provided marketing and image consulting services to various businesses and individuals.
Transition to Dating and Relationship Advice
Around 2015, Samuels began hosting a live radio call-in show called āKevin Samuel Liveā on BlogTalkRadio. He would give blunt, unfiltered dating and relationship advice to callers, especially Black women. His direct style garnered attention and an audience.
In 2016, he started a YouTube channel also called Kevin Samuels. Here he would post videos on similar dating and relationship topics geared towards the Black community. He would analyze callersā situations and offer advice on issues like finding high value partners, leveling up, and more.
Samuelsā polarizing takes on these topics helped his YouTube channel gain viewership. Some videos like āHow Much Does Your Submission Costā went viral and boosted his popularity. However, he also garnered criticism from some who accused him of misogyny, shaming, and toxicity. Nonetheless, his platform continued to grow.
Rise to Fame on Instagram
Kevin Samuels gained the most notoriety when he expanded to Instagram in 2019. His account @kevinrsamuels rapidly gained followers as he dished out blunt advice and critiques to followers and fans who would send him videos and DMs.
At the height of his Instagram fame in late 2021, Samuels had over 1.4 million followers. Many fans praised him for delivering harsh but necessary advice. Critics argued he was perpetuating toxic ideas about dating, gender roles, and self-image. Nonetheless, he became one of the internet’s most prominent voices on relationships in the Black community.
Image Consulting Business
Aside from dishing out advice online, Kevin Samuels also ran a lucrative business focused on image consulting. He offered private image consulting sessions to both male and female clients wanting to upgrade their personal styles and dating presentation.
According to Samuels, he helped clients reinvent their image by advising them on things like fashion, grooming, lifestyle changes, and even plastic surgery procedures. His services and expertise in this arena aligned with the focus on āleveling upā that he preached on his social media platforms.
Controversies and Criticisms
Kevin Samuels attracted constant controversy and criticism for his views and messaging. He most frequently clashed with Black women who accused him of misogyny and degrading women by calling them terms like āleft oversā if they were unmarried and over 35.
Samuels also drew ire for comments like telling unmarried women over 35 that their value and āmileageā had expired. He taught that women should stay slim and submit to men or risk being lonely and undervalued.
The anger towards Samuels came to a head in early May 2022, when he was widely accused of mocking and humiliating a Black female caller about her weight on a livestream debate. Just days later, on May 5, 2022, Samuels passed away at age 57, spurring a mix of outraged and mournful reactions.
Personal Life and Death
Not much is known about Kevin Samuelsā personal life, as he was very private and secretive. There are no confirmed records that he was ever married or had children.
In May 2022, Samuels was found unresponsive in his Atlanta apartment after reportedly complaining of chest pains to his girlfriend. He was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead at age 57.
The cause of death has not been officially confirmed. But there were immediate rumors and speculation that foul play or drugs may have been involved due to Samuelsā controversial image. However, no conclusive evidence has pointed to anything nefarious.
Samuelsā death met polarized reactions online. Many critics celebrated his passing as ākarmaā for his harsh rhetoric against women. But his loyal followers mourned the loss of the man who had purportedly helped them improve their lives.
Net Worth at Time of Death
At the time of his sudden death in May 2022, Kevin Samuels’ net worth was estimated to be around $4 million according to multiple reports.
The majority of his wealth came from his multi-faceted business ventures and services. As an image consultant, he reportedly charged clients fees that ranged from $200 per hour up to $5,000 per day for full makeovers and intensive image counseling.
Samuels was also known to earn substantial income through YouTube monetization on a channel with over 1.45 million subscribers. Additionally, he likely earned sponsorship revenue from the luxury brands he frequently promoted on his platforms.
With high-ticket consulting services and millions of online followers, Kevin Samuels succeeded in building personal wealth and prominence. But his net worth came from polarizing and controversial content.
Conclusion
Kevin Samuels rose to fame in the 2010s as an outspoken dating guru and image consultant who doled out blunt and divisive relationship advice. His YouTube, Instagram, and consulting businesses gained him millions of followers along with millions in earnings.
But his messaging also garnered intense criticism and accusations of shaming Black women. Samuels was a complex, debated figure at the time of his sudden death in 2022. He leaves behind a legacy of financial wealth and notoriety, but also anger among the many he denigrated.
