Who is Ray J?

William Ray Norwood Jr., also known as Ray J, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, TV personality, actor and entrepreneur. Ray J has released several studio albums and singles throughout his career and written or co-written many of the songs. He is known for his relationships with Whitney Houston and Kim Kardashian.

Early Life

Ray J was born on January 17, 1981 in McComb, Mississippi. He was raised by his mother Sonja Bates-Norwood and father Willie Norwood in Carson, California. His brother is R&B singer Bobby Brown and sister is former pop star Brandy. He attended high school at the Hollywood High Performing Arts Center. As a child he sang in the church choir and even attended a performing arts school.

Music Career

Ray J began his music career as a member of his family's R&B group Immature (later known as IMx). In 1997, he released his debut album Everything You Want which peaked at #25 on the Billboard 200 chart. The single “Let It Go” was also featured on the soundtrack of the 1998 film Mulan. In 2001 he released his second album This Ain't A Game which featured the hit single “Wait a Minute” featuring Lil' Kim. In 2005 he released his third album Raydiation which spawned the hit single “One Wish” which peaked at #26 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. He released three more albums in 2006 and 2007 before taking a break from music. He returned to music in 2011 with the release of his sixth album For The Love Of Ray J.

Television & Film Career

Ray J has also had success in television and film. In 2002 he appeared in the film Steel alongside rapper DMX. In 2008 he starred in his own reality show For The Love Of Ray J which followed him as he looked for love among a group of contestants. In 2010 he appeared in the reality show Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business alongside his sister Brandy and parents Willie and Sonja Norwood.

Personal Life

Ray J was in a long-term relationship with singer Whitney Houston from 2001 to 2003. He was also famously in a relationship with reality star Kim Kardashian from 2003 to 2009. In 2017 he married Princess Love with whom he has two children. He has also invested in various businesses including a clothing line, an online dating service and an app development company.