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Who Is Ray J, Everything You Need To Know

Ray J (born William Raymond Norwood, Jr.) is a singer and actor from the United States. He was really influenced by both the…

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Who Is Ray J, Everything You Need To Know

Ray J (born William Raymond Norwood, Jr.) is a singer and actor from the United States. He was really influenced by by both the Los Angeles hip-hop scene and the gospel music at their church, where his father was the director of the choir.

Norwood received his first set of assignments as a child actor in several ad campaigns when he was eight years old. In 1993, he was cast as L.J. Beckley on ‘The Sinbad Show.’ Despite the fact that the show only lasted one season, it provided Norwood with numerous possibilities, and he soon featured in the TV movie ‘The Enemy Within’ alongside Forest Whitaker.

Real Name/Full Name William Ray Norwood Jr. 
Nick Name/Celebrated Name: Ray J
Birth Place: McComb, Mississippi, United States
Date Of Birth/Birthday: 17 January 1981
Age/How Old: 41 years old
Height/How Tall: In Centimeters – 170 cm

In Feet and Inches – 5’6”

Weight: In Kilograms – 74 kg

In Pounds – 162 lbs

Eye Color: Dark brown
Hair Color: Black
Parents Name: Father – Willie Norwood

Mother – Sonja Bates-Norwood

Siblings: Yes
School: N/A
College: N/A
Religion: N/A
Nationality: American
Zodiac Sign:  Capricorn

Who Is Ray J

William Ray Norwood Jr. was born in McComb, Mississippi, USA, on January 17, 1981, as the youngest child of William Ray “Willie” Norwood Sr. and his wife Sonja Bates-Norwood.

His sister Brandy is a multi-platinum recording artist. The family relocated to Los Angeles, California sometime in 1983. Ray J and Brandy were taught to sing by their father when they were children.

His sister is two years his senior, so he grew up hearing her and their father sing together, which piqued his interest in music. He started performing at the church and even led a few of services.

READ ALSO: Forbes Top 10 Richest Comedians In the World 2022

His Career

In 1993, Ray J made his acting debut as the foster son in ‘The Sinbad Show.’ He was cast in Tim Burton’s humorous science fiction blockbuster ‘Mars Attacks!’ which was released in 1996 after the show was cancelled in 1994.

In the film, he played Cedric Williams, one of the two sons of Jim Brown and Pam Grier’s characters. He co-starred in the film ‘Steel’ alongside his friend and former basketball player Shaquille O’Neal the following year.

He began appearing as a special guest star on his sister’s show, ‘Moesha,’ in 1996. In 1999, he was promoted to series regular after three seasons. Dorian Long, his character, was favorably accepted by the show’s audience.

He was signed to ‘Elektra Records’ in 1995 and began working on his debut album. 15 songs were written and produced over the next two years before the album ‘Everything You Want’ was published on March 25, 1997. In 1998, he recorded the single “That’s Why I Lie” for the soundtrack of “Dr. Dolittle.”

READ ALSO: Forbes Top 10 Richest People In The World In 2022

In 2001, Ray J and Brandy covered English singer-songwriter Phil Collins’ song “Another Day in Paradise,” which was released as the lead single from the R&B/Hip-Hop tribute album “Urban Renewal.” ‘This ain’t a Game,’ his second studio album, was released on June 19, 2001 by ‘Atlantic Records.’

The album debuted in the top ten on the Billboard chart for ‘US R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.’ 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.’ Timbaland, R. Kelly, Ric Rude, and Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins all contributed to the album’s production.

Controversies & Scandals

Ray was arrested in September 2011 for hitting rapper Fabolous in the face at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas over tweet he (Fabolous) had written few days before.
Ray was insulted in the tweet for playing his own song, “One Wish,” on piano at Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s residence during filming for documentary on Mayweather’s fight with Victor Ortiz.  Ray accepted responsibility for his behavior in 2014, almost three years after the incident.

Ray J was accused of improperly grabbing a  woman’s rear in a bar at the ‘Beverly Wilshire Hotel’ in Beverly Hills, California, on May 30, 2014. The police were notified, and the incident was determined to be inadvertent.

READ ALSO: Fact Check: Does Kim have a second s*x tape as claimed by Kanye

Ray J allegedly became hostile after the hotel ordered him to leave, spitting at an officer and kicking a police car glass when they attempted to detain him. Following his arrest, bail was set at $20,000, which he paid and was then freed.

He was charged with four criminal offenses, including sexual battery, on July 22, 2014. During an appearance before the court on August 19, he pled not guilty to the misdemeanor counts.

Ray J And Kim Kardarshian

He made headlines in 2007 when a sex tape he had made with his then-girlfriend Kim Kardashian went public. The couple dated from 2003 to 2006. She sued Vivid Entertainment, the company that released the tape under the name Kim K Superstar, but settled for $5 million.

While speaking for the first time in an interview with Daily Mail, Ray J insisted that he had nothing to do with the release of the tape as promoted by the Kardashians.

He insisted that he did not leak any tape and the release was and is a business partnership between him, Kim, and Kris Jenner. He also maintains he never did any of the things she claims he did in the Kardashians’ new Hulu show and was offended by her assertion that he had a film of him sticking a dildo in my a**,’ which he claims made him sound ‘like a rapist’ and was wrong.

And in a private DMs to Ray J, Kim admits: ‘If you’re upset about the dildo comment it was clearly a sarcastic joke and I was laughing when I said it.’

READ ALSO: A Brief Summary Of What Happened Between Ray J and Kim Kardashian

Things Few People Know About Ray J

1. He is Snoop Dogg’s first cousin.

2. He appeared on the music video of Brandy’s 2002 song, ‘What About U’.
3. He and Mayweather share a brotherly bond as they have grown up together.

Who Is Ray J’s Wife?

Who Is Ray J, Everything You Need To Know

In 2016, Ray married Princess Love, 36. Princess Love was born on August 14, 1984, in Oakland, California, and raised in Austin, Texas. She is mixed-race Afro-Asian woman. 

Lena, her mother, is Filipina, and Hugh, her father, is African-American. She first gained notoriety after courting and reportedly robbing boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr while working as dancer at Las Vegas’ Spearmint Rhino.

However, Ray and Princess are best known for their tumultuous relationship, having filed for divorce three times.

What is Ray J’s net worth?

Ray J has amassed a sizable net worth in the years since he rose to prominence as a musician and for his romance with Kim Kardashian. Since his music debut in the 1990s, he has enjoyed a steady income, and in 2014, he entered the reality TV sector.

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Ray J, whose real name is William Ray Norwood Jr, has a net worth of $14 million.

Ray J Net Worth in Last 5 Years

The table below contains the net worth of Ray J in the past five years.

Net Worth in 2022 $14.0 Million
Net Worth in 2021 $12.8 Million
Net Worth in 2020 $11.5 Million
Net Worth in 2019 $10 Million
Net Worth in 2018 $9 Million
Net Worth in 2017 $8 Million
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