Ray J
From music artist to business mogul
I
t’s pretty much an under- more in the business side of wide in surprise as he and his
statement to say Ray J things now and I’m still just as crew started laughing, espe-
made a name for himself serious about the work side [as cially when he saw the younger
distinct from the other famous an owner] than I was when I picture of himself. ‘Yo, that’s
member of his multi-talented was just workin’ as an artist little Ray J right there,’ he said
Norwood family. Since his or acting.’ With his business – cracking up at the memory.
debut in 1997 (at 16) he’s venture comes many projects One question I asked him from
grown from being Brandy’s
little brother to becoming
a man and his own entity
– mastering music, acting, and
now adding the title of entrepre-
neur with his own company,
Knockout Entertainment and an
upcoming VH1 reality show.
Although I was told that
no question was off limits
– a tempting invitation due to
everything circulating online
about Ray J on gossip blogs over
the past few years. I decided
to wait and see how the interview
went and to take it from there.
Star collaborations
I asked him about his new
album, All I Feel. ‘You know,
it’s like about what I’ve been
feeling and experiencing for a
while… different situations and
relationships and things I been
through’, he replies. Although
the lead single is Sexy Can I
featuring Yung Berg (with a
video that showed he likes to
keep a camcorder ready to
capture his life’s… uh…
‘private moments’), Ray J says:
‘I like all the songs on the
album. But if I had to choose
one, then [it would be] All I Feel
—the more emotional title track
RAY J: Now working with NBA
that also showcases his lovely
star Shaquille O’Neil’s company
piano playing. As for the star
collabs, he mentioned?
in the pipeline, due to appear in the old article had the whole
‘Yeah we got The Game on
the next few months. ‘We got my room laughing, when I once
this album, Styles P and
man Shorty Mack, Max Lux, asked him about his musical
Shorty Mack. Keith Crouch
and The E.O.E who is also in influences and his 16-year-old
produced, plus some new
the room with us. He’s coming answer was, ‘I like Whitney
producers I’m workin’ with.’
out soon so look out for that.’ Houston, Bobby Brown,
Michael Jackson, and Brandy’.
“We’ve got The Game on this album, Styles
It was at this point I asked
P and Shorty Mack. Keith Crouch produced
him if he felt the same or had
his preferences changed? His
our
plus some new producers I’m working with” head flew back with laughter,
then he mischievously said:
His company is a multi-
Then I decided to flip the ‘They’ve changed a little,
million dollar venture with
script ‘cos little did he know but some are still the same.’
NBA star, Shaquille O’Neil’s
that I had interviewed him It’s apparent there’s more
entertainment company,
before—11 years ago, to be to be said in the understated
Deja34. ‘You know, I’m just
exact. I told him this and I than the obvious, but you can
doing my entrepreneur thing,’
even pulled out the original visit Ray J’s site online at
ds by Ahmed Sir
he says nonchalantly. ‘I’m
interview and his eyes opened www.rayj.com for the rest.
or
W
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