Hello! Shelley Nicole here. I am reaching out for your support on behalf of one of your favorite artists and mine, Keyontia “Ki Ki” Hawkins. She is currently facing an unexpected and life changing medical emergency.

What's Happening:

On April 2nd Ki Ki experienced a TIA (aschemick transient attack known as a mild stroke) and was hospitalized for 24 hours at University Hospital in Newark, NJ. Upon her release she was seen by a cardiologist and was scheduled to see a neurologist on May 15th and have a Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE) on June 24th. Unfortunately the morning of May 2nd, while at work, she experienced a second TIA and was rushed to Mount Sinai Morningside hospital. After being admitted, later that evening, she experienced a major stroke, which showed up on her MRI. Due to the major stroke she now has right side partial paralysis.

She was hospitalized from May 2nd-8th, where she was also treated for high blood pressure. On May 8th, she was transferred to Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Center where they continued to stabilize her blood pressure; and there she began physical, occupational and speech therapies. She was released from rehab on May 21st and is now receiving outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy that will continue through August at the very least.

What we are raising funds for:

6 months+ of living expenses (It's unclear when Ki Ki will be able to return to work)

Ongoing medical treatments and therapies

Travel expenses to doc appointments (Ki Ki is currently traveling 3-4x per week from NJ to NYC for her therapies.)

More on Ki Ki (if you don’t know you betta ask somebody!):

Keyotina “Ki Ki” Hawkins is a dynamic vocalist/performing/songwriter! Hailing from Baltimore, MD, Ki Ki has made New York her home since arriving in the city to attend The Juilliard School of Music. Besides touring with powerhouse performers including Nona Hendryx, Angelique Kidjo, Kelis, Patti Labelle and the legendary group Labelle; she also lent her vocal prowess to recordings with Q-Tip, Raheem DeVaughn and Shelley Nicole’s blaKbüshe just to name a few. Most importantly, Ki Ki is the lead vocalist and songwriter/composer of her own project The Ki Ki Experience, a band that blends alternative rock, funk and soul with her rich vocals to create a sound uniquely her own.

I have had the pleasure of working with Ki Ki for well over a decade and I can say without hesitation that my band, my sound, would not be the same without her. It is my prayer and I believe that of everyone who lands on this page, to see Ki Ki once again in her fullness, back on stage, back in the recording studio and rockin’ with her band as soon as her healing is complete. Ki Ki is not only an artist, she is a mother, a sister, a healer, a friend and worthy of these gifts. Having the time and space to heal without financial worry feels like a luxury in these times, but WE have the POWER to give Ki Ki that gift at this time. Thank you all so much!

The Ki Ki Experience