Ray J

William Ray Norwood Jr., known professionally as Ray J, is an American R&B vocalist, rapper, songwriter, actor, television presenter, and business owner. He was born in McComb, Mississippi, to Willie Norwood and Sonja Bates-Norwood, and grew up in Carson, California. He is the younger sibling of recording artist and actress Brandy Norwood.

Norwood entered the entertainment industry in 1989 by appearing in television commercials. He gained television acting experience as a foster child on The Sinbad Show from 1993 to 1994, and later portrayed Dorian "D-Money" on the UPN series Moesha from 1999 until its conclusion in 2001. His music career began after signing with Elektra Records in 1995. His debut single, "Let It Go," was featured on the Set It Off soundtrack, reached the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, and anchored his 1997 debut studio album, Everything You Want.

Transitioning to Atlantic Records, Norwood released his second project, This Ain't a Game, in 2001, which marked his initial entry on the Billboard 200 chart and featured the hit single "Wait a Minute." He also recorded a cover of "Another Day in Paradise" with Brandy, achieving top-ten chart placement across several international territories. In 2005, he released his third studio record, Raydiation, through his independent imprint Knockout Entertainment; the album was led by the successful track "One Wish." That same year, he joined the television series One on One for its final season. His highest-charting studio project arrived in 2008 with All I Feel, which debuted in the top ten of the Billboard 200 and featured his top-three single "Sexy Can I."

Norwood maintained a steady presence in reality television over subsequent years. He headlined VH1's dating competition For the Love of Ray J in 2009 and starred alongside his family in Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business starting in 2010. His later television credits include hosting Bad Girls All-Star Battle, appearing on My Kitchen Rules, and briefly participating in the nineteenth season of the British reality show Celebrity Big Brother in 2017.

In addition to entertainment, Norwood pursued corporate endeavors as a technology entrepreneur. He founded Raytroniks in 2016 to introduce personal electronics such as electric bikes, and co-founded the audio company Raycon in 2017 to distribute wireless earbuds and headphones. In his personal life, Norwood married Princess Love in 2016, and the couple had two children while appearing on Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood, prior to Love filing for divorce in 2020. In January 2026, Norwood revealed publicly that he was experiencing severe heart failure stemming from past substance abuse.