The son of Grandmaster Ready D is a finalist in the Mr Gay World South Africa (MGWSA) contest.
After 50 hopefuls from across the country vied for a spot in the finals, the MGWSA Top 12 was announced over the weekend.
Among them is Cape Town hunk Deen Daniels, 28, from Southfield.
Deen comes from a musical family, but has chosen a different path. The entrepreneur has a passion for events.
“I grew up in a musical household where my father is a DJ and producer and my mum his manager,” he says.
“I am an entrepreneur. I was and will always be deeply connected to the events and entertainment industry.”
Deen, a first-time entrant, says he found his purpose in Mr Gay World SA during a trying time in lockdown.
“When the lockdown hit, I lost my job, connections with people and a steady income,” he explains.
“I spent the first couple of months crying, hiding from the world and just trying to re-establish my identity after it was taken away from me.
“I looked at my surroundings to see how I can make use of what I already had, the answer was clear: me! I have my body.
“I started working out relentlessly, cutting out the bad foods and removing alcohol from my diet. Months on, my body was looking banging – although I still felt empty and not enough.
“I am focusing my career and purpose on helping people with their bodies, teaching them tips and tricks for working out.”
Ready D and his wife Malikah say: “Deen has always been extremely independent and hardworking, therefore we had no doubt that he would make it to the top 12.
“We support him wholeheartedly on this journey. It’s something new and he’s super excited.”
MGWSA spokesperson Andrew Hare says the judges had a tough time selecting the Top 12 from an “inspirational group of men”.
The finals take place at Galleria in Sandton on Friday, 21 May at 7pm.
The winner will compete in the Mr Gay World International contest in September.
Daily Voice
