RAY J (July 2005) | Interview By: Yash

      Dubcnn.com sat down with Ray J , brother of r&b superstar Brandy. Who holds his own when it comes to singin' on the mic. Ray J told us about his new album "Raydiation", working with R Kelly, his time recording over at Deathrow Records with Left Eye Crooked I and more, his new tv show, his new artists, his most valuable lesson learned from being in the industry and much much more. Please feel free to send any feedback regarding the interview to: yash@dubcnn.com



Huge thanks to Ray J for taking time out to answer the questions fans wanted to know! (Interview was done by phone on July 26th 2005)

Questions Asked By : Yash

Ray J Gave Dubcnn.com A Shoutout! Check That Here

Full Interview In Audio : Here

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Dubcnn: How did you hookup with Deathrow records and How would you describe Suge Knight and the time that you were associated with Death Row?

First of all I'm a big fan of Deathrow and of what they accomplished and Suge Knight he's a real cool dude. Man one thing I learned from Suge Knight you know whenever I used to roll in the car with Suge I always heared old school music that inspired me to do r&b music.

Because I'm a singer first and foremost so one thing I learned from being around Suge is that he inspired me to go back to my roots, go back to being what I truely do and that's a singer.

Dubcnn: So Where you ever signed to Deathrow?

Naw na I never signed to Deathrow you know we could fly trips and I hung out with Suge for about 6 months partying and stuff that's basically what it was that's my homie I've known Suge since I was like 12-13.

We kinda ??? our relationship, we did alot of songs together. We started on the Ray J Left Eye album but we never completed it because she passed away Rest In Peace to Left Eye and it never came about because he got locked back up and I did my thing.

So we where never able to do it but It's all love though. One thing he taught me was to own my own lable own my own masters be my own CEO. Here I am today with Knockout Entertainment.

Dubcnn: How many tracks did you record for Left Eye's album?

We did like 5 or 6 songs together and I wrote for her she wrote for me we just vibed alot man it just never came about she just passed away and unfortunately the deal didn't happen but it's all love though still all love.

Dubcnn: Did you record for anybody else when u were overthere?

Yea I recorded tons of songs with Crooked I tons of songs with Eastwood tons of songs with The Mob and with all my big dawgs from Carson I recorded with everybody but none of the stuff ever came out though.

We worked with Ja Rule... shit we even recorded with Sisqo and them dogg!

Dubcnn: So what projects are you working on right now?

I got my new album coming out called "Raydiation" my first single is called "One Wish" I just got my own lable deal joint release deal with Sanctuary Records my label is called Knockout Entertainment.

I just shot my video with Lil' X last Saturday the "One Wish". The album will be out September 20th!
We been working real hard on this and we been working hard in the past to enjoy good music and that's what they gone do because that's what "Raydiation" is all about.

Dubcnn: Who's gonna be on the new album and what producers are on the album and are there any featurings?

I worked with Darkchild Rodney Jerkins on this album I worked with Timbaland on this album, I got Mya on this album a real big strip club anthem. The strip club gone love the song I did with Mya.

I got Brandy on the album ofcourse and I got my artist Shorty Mack, my producer D Tell representing on the album too so it's gone be explosive!

Dubcnn: What would you say seperates you from all the r&b cats that are outthere right now in the game?

Well I think my album touches about love and relationships and that's something you have to have when you're doing r&b but also what this album does it displays my life from me growing up in carson, dealing with gangbanging and drugs to getting out of there and saving my life and doing my thang on my tv show and just vocally I think I'm on awhole nother level right now.

Vocally I think that this album is gonna display something that I think alot of people haven't heared yet. I lookup to R Kelly I lookup to Usher and I just wanna follow in footsteps like that to be original and do my thang and live my life.

Dubcnn: I can't wait to hear it.. How did you hookup with R Kelly?

Man I flew out to Chicago I stayed outthere for like a month just hangin out with my dogg. We hung out, we played basketball, I watched him write songs for Britney Spears and all these other artists and I just kept beggin him for a record man and it unfolded.

We did about 3 songs "Quit Actin". It's a feature with him on it. He's on it with me and it took me about a month but it came about God is good we stayed outthere until we got the song.

Dubcnn: Do you plan on doing an album with Brandy?

Oh yea for sure. Well you know my lable is Knockout Entertainment right?

Dubcnn: Yea I know.

Well she's signed to my lable too. She also on Atlantic Records. You can catch her on the new Kanye West album she's got a feature on there it's a real big record and lookout for her new album too you know I'll be all over that.

I'm consulting that album with her you know I'm her right hand so whatever she needs I got it.


Dubcnn: Other than Brandy do you have any other family members that our in the music business?

Well you know Bo Didley? Old school Bo Didley is my relative. William Brothers couple of gospel artists. But as far as in the mainstream in the r&b game it's Brandy and Ray J.

Dubcnn: What happened to your show on WB?

Well went out to Vancouver and we shot that for like a year. It was a good show I had fun, I had a great martial art expirience with that but I think at the time at the slot that they put it in it just didn't work.

We did 8 episodes and then the show was off the air. But you can lookout for me because I'm on a new tv show now. You heared of one on one the flex show on UPN?

Dubcnn: Naw.

Went on for like 3 years its like real big UPN show I'm one of the new people on that show now so I start next friday. One episode next friday and after that we'll see how it goes.

Dubcnn: That's how! Do you have any regrets from being in the entertainment industry?

Naw man none at all I'm happy to be here I'm happy to be one of the voices out here that can help people change, help peoples lives you know make people feel good. Entertain people that's what I'm here to do.

That was my gift and that's what I'm chosen to do.

Dubcnn: What do you consider the most valuable lesson you've learned in the industry?

That's staying true to myself and don't get caught up in the hype, don't get caught up in the next persons hype you know don't get caught up in the next persons life just be yourfelf live your life and stay with your team and stay positive with
your team.

Don't give up on yourself and on your team that's what I learned because alot of people swing you left and right, try to tell you do this and do that and take you in the wrong direction but if you be yourself and just stay true to yourself then everythings gonna unfold the right way.

Just keep God in your life first and that's what I do.

Dubcnn: Can you tell us about your 1st artist from Knockout Ent, Shorty Mack?

My first artist is a rap artist, you can catch him on the R Kelly song with me. Also he's featured on the Timbaland song it's called Unbelievable.

That's on the new Raydiation album and also if you wanna hear his stuff right now his on my"This ain't a Game" album on the song I did with Pharell called "Out The Geto".

He was also on Moesha with me. He's in the acting game right now but you can lookout for him he's a real great rapper. He's gonna be featured all over this new Ray J album plus he's my hype man so he's gone be all on tour with me.

Dubcnn: So when are you going on tour?

Look forward to spotdates in the next few weeks dogg. This "One Wish" single is on it's way right now. It's about to blast off and when that starts to pickup on radio all the requests will start coming in so we just kinda looking forward to all that coming in the next few weeks.

Dubcnn: Who inspires you to do what you do? Who are some of your musical influences?

My musical influenced go all the way back to Michael Jackson and Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder and then it will bring it all the way back up to Brandy ofcourse because if she didn't start singing and doing this music stuff then I wouldn't even have started.

Because I had a dream and she helped me see my dream and ofcourse I look up to Jay Z and Dr Dre and Pharell, Snoop Dogg and all of the big cats in the new era also.


Dubcnn: Is the Norwood Kids Foundation still up & running?

The Norwood Kids Foundation is definetly up and running the song I did with Brandy "War Is Over" I'm trying to campain "War Is Over" for the Norwood Kids Foundation and do a real big political movement all over the world and try to stop all the wars going on with this song.

And take this song straight to the Whitehouse with the Norwood Kids Foundation and the Norwood Kids Choir and all the foundations of the world so we gone try to make a real big movement first of the year with this big song featuring Brandy on this album. It's gone be a real big dogg.

Dubcnn: Tight so do you have any last words for the fans?

I just wanna thank all of my fans whether it's 2 fans or 200 000 fans for supporting Ray J, supporting Brandy and I want them to lookout for this "Raydiation" album because I'm gonna give the great music.

We've been working hard for it and we been working hard for them to like it so it's coming September 20th that's when the album will be out. "One Wish is about to be on the radio right now so everybody lookout and request it because it's about to be big thank everybody.