Ray J

Ray J (born William Ray Norwood Jr., in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Los Angeles) is an American R&B singer, songwriter and television personality. He began his career as a child actor before signing a recording deal in the mid-1990s, releasing his debut album in 1997. He is the younger brother of singer Brandy Norwood and a cousin of rapper Snoop Dogg, family ties that placed him in the entertainment industry from an early age.

Musically, Ray J built his reputation on smooth, radio-friendly R&B, working with prominent producers over the course of his career and scoring his best-known hit, «One Wish», in the mid-2000s — a slow-burning ballad that became a defining moment in his catalogue. His sound generally favors polished contemporary R&B with pop crossover appeal, sitting alongside collaborations and features that broadened his audience beyond music alone.

Beyond music, Ray J became a fixture of American reality television and tabloid culture in the 2000s and 2010s, which significantly raised his public profile alongside his recording career. Within R&B, he is remembered as part of a generation of artists blending romantic, vocal-driven songwriting with a strong media presence, and his catalogue remains tied to that era's blend of pop-radio R&B and celebrity culture.