William Ray Norwood Jr., better known by his stage name Ray J, is an American singer-songwriter, actor, and TV personality. He was affected by both the Los Angeles hip-hop scene and the gospel music at their church, where his father was the choir director, as he was born into a family with a long history in music. Norwood began acting in commercials when he was eight years old, landing his first series of parts. In 1993, he received the role of L.J. Beckley on “The Sinbad Show.” Even though the show only lasted one season, it provided Norwood with a number of possibilities, and soon after, he starred alongside Forest Whitaker in the TV movie “The Enemy Within.” Tim Reid’s drama “Once Upon a Time… When We Were Colored” served as his big-screen debut. He signed with Elektra Records and put out his debut studio album, “Everything You Want.” On the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, it peaked at position #56. Since then, Ray J has released four additional albums. He participated in Celebrity Big Brother’s twentieth season in 2017 and presently appears in the VH1 reality series “Love & Hip-Hop: Hollywood.”
Early Childhood & Life
William Ray Norwood Jr., the youngest child of William Ray “Willie” Norwood Sr. and his wife Sonja Bates-Norwood, was born in McComb, Mississippi, USA, on January 17, 1981. He has a multi-platinum recording artist sister named Brandy. Sometime around 1983, the family moved to Los Angeles, California.
Ray J and Brandy’s dad taught them how to sing when they were little. He grew up hearing his father and sister sing together, and as his sister is two years older than him, this sparked his own love of music. He started giving services there and even took the lead on a few occasions.
Ray J is said to have three step-siblings through his father who was born before Willie wed Sonja. The most well-known of them is the hip-hop singer Danyelle “C-Dove” Brown from Atlanta, whose claim was validated by a DNA test carried out in 2010.
Career of Ray J
In 1993, Ray J made his acting debut as the foster son in “The Sinbad Show.” He was cast in Tim Burton’s 1996 comedy science fiction picture “Mars Attacks!” after the show was canceled in 1994. He portrayed Cedric Williams, one of the two sons of Jim Brown and Pam Grier’s characters in the movie. He co-starred in the movie “Steel” the next year alongside his friend and former basketball player Shaquille O’Neal.
He began to make special guest appearances on his sister’s television program, “Moesha,” in 1996. He was made a series regular in 1999 after the first three seasons. The audience for the program responded favorably to his character, Dorian Long.
After being signed by “Elektra Records” in 1995, he started working on his debut album. 15 songs were written and produced over the course of the following two years, and on March 25, 1997, the album “Everything You Want” was finally made public. In 1998, he sang the song “That’s Why I lie” for the soundtrack of “Dr. Dolittle.”
The lead single from the R&B/Hip-Hop homage album “Urban Renewal” in 2001 featured a cover of “Another Day in Paradise” by English singer-songwriter Phil Collins by Ray J and Brandy.
On June 19, 2001, he made his This ain’t a Game, his second studio album, available via Atlantic Records. The album debuted on the ‘US R&B/Hip-Hop Albums’ list in the top 10.
In the 2004 TV movie “Christmas at Water’s Edge,” he played Alberto Turner. He released his third studio album, Raydiation, in 2005 on his own label, Knockout Entertainment. Tracks from Timbaland, R. Kelly, Ric Rude, and Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, among others, are included on the CD.
In 2005, Ray J debuted in the penultimate season of the UPN sitcom “One on One,” playing the role of D-Mack.
On April 8, 2008, he released “All I Feel,” the album that has garnered the most attention to date. It was the first single to be released as part of an expensive album contract between Koch Records and Shaquille O’Neal’s “Deja 34” production firm.
Ray J participated in the VH1 dating program “For the Love of Ray J” from 2008 to 2010. A reality series based on Ray J and his family, “Brandy and Ray J: A Family Business,” debuted on VH1 in 2010. On “The Rickey Smiley Show,” a sitcom on TV One, he portrayed Kenny. Throughout its two seasons, he served as host of the “Bad Girls All-Star Battle” on Oxygen.
He collaborated with “The Mob Group” on his fifth album, “Smoke Cloud TMG & OHB,” which was made available solely as a digital download on November 30, 2016. His planned sixth album, “Raydemption,” is scheduled to be released in the fourth quarter of 2017.
Bigger Works of Ray J
Ray J has put out five studio albums, two soundtrack albums, and a number of singles throughout the course of their 20-year career. On songs by Gucci Mane, Styles P, Willie Norwood, Brandy, and others, he has appeared as a guest. His fourth album, “All I feel,” topped the US R&B/Hip-Hop albums list as well as the US Independent albums chart.
Recognition & Achievements
The RIAA awarded Platinum certification to his song “Sexy Can I” from the album “All I Feel,” which also features Yung Berg.
Disputes and scandals
In response to a tweet that rapper Fabolous had tweeted a few days earlier at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas, Ray J was arrested in September 2011.
Fabolous made fun of Ray J in the tweet for playing his own song, “One Wish,” on a piano at Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s house while a documentary about the fight between Mayweather and Victor Ortiz was being filmed. Nearly three years after the incident, in 2014, Ray J admitted his mistakes.
A lady accused Ray J of groping her improperly on May 30, 2014, in a bar at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. After being notified, the police determined that the incident was unintentional.
Ray J allegedly became hostile after the hotel ordered him to leave, spitting at a police officer and kicking a police car’s window when they attempted to arrest him. He was granted release after posting the $20,000 bond that had been established after his arrest.
He was accused of four offenses, including sexual battery, on July 22, 2014. He appeared before the court on August 19 and entered a not guilty plea to the misdemeanor counts.
Individual Life of Ray J
Kim Kardashian, a future reality TV star, met Ray J while working as his sister’s stylist. Up until 2007, they were in an on-again, off-again romance. A pornographic home film they had shot together in 2003 started to go viral in February of that year.
Kardashian first disputed that the tape ever existed, but she later filed a lawsuit against “Vivid Entertainment,” the business that had purchased the tape’s rights, to claim ownership of it. Late in April, the lawsuit was dismissed in favor of a settlement that gave Kardashian $5 million.
He wed Princess Love, a co-star from “Love & Hip-Hop: Hollywood,” in August 2016.
Fact Ray J is the first cousin of Snoop Dogg.
He was in Brandy’s 2002 single “What About U” music video.
As brothers who grew up together, he and Mayweather have a special affinity.
Ray J Net Worth
Ray J is a rapper, music producer, and actor with a $14 million fortune. He gained notoriety for taking part in the “home video” that catapulted Kim Kardashian to stardom. He has worked as a singer and TV host.