By: Taren Vaughan
No longer known simply as “Brandy’s brother”, Ray J. has made his name known in a number of areas of the entertainment industry, without any help from his R&B sensation of a sister might I add. He has starred in sitcoms, dropped a few albums here and there and made an unplanned appearance in the porn industry. And he has found a good amount of success for himself, well at least in one of these categories he has. I’m sure you don’t have to guess which one that was. Even with all of the fame that has come his way, the 29-year old star of the hit VH-1 reality TV show “For The Love Of Ray J.” now has his eye on yet another profession, one that is quite a stretch from the TV screen or the music studio. And let’s just say it’s quite laughable if you ask me.
Ray J. has announced that he is pulling a “Schwarzenegger” and wanting to run for political office. More specifically, he wants to become the mayor of Carson, California. From reality TV to politics…What an interesting switch. I’m sorry ya’ll, but I couldn’t help but to chuckle at this news, this sudden interest in politics that Ray J. has. Is this guy serious or what? Has his reality TV show reign finally run its course and now he is looking for a new way to keep his name alive? Regardless of what we think, future Mayor Norwood has assured everyone that this want to be the head of a city did not develop overnight.
He recently revealed on AllHipHop.com about his sudden change of heart and how it came about:
“I mean, I’m from Carson and I see the struggles that we going through in the community and I know what I can do and I know what kinda help I can be to that community”
Okay, his motives sound pretty legit so far. Nobody can knock him for his want to help out a struggling community. Props go out to him for that.
But here is where his comments begin to get a little questionable:
“Not just with the press and just everybody coming along and coming onto the ride. But what I would do is show young African American youth or just young kids in general to go and aspire to be a mayor or go aspire to be a doctor or a lawyer.”
Is that right now Ray J.? So now you are supposed to be a prominent African American male influence in the black community, inspiring young black men and women to be all that they can be? Guess you are taking a break from exploiting black women who are fighting for a chance at your heart on national television? No, he is not a criminal or a thug, but I don’t think Ray J. would be the first person I would call up to talk to a group of students about their futures and how important and valuable having a good education is. Nah, I think I’ll leave that up to Barack.
“Because this Hip-Hop s— and this music industry has got alotta people clouded. And they think that’s the only way to go. Or to put out a sex tape to be successful. That s— is wack. You gotta go out and use your true talent and read and learn and if I can inspire that throughout everything I been through then let me be a reason. Let me be the cause. Let me be the answer, to everybody’s questions you know what I mean? All in the future man. That’s just all future thoughts.”
Oh so putting out a sex tape is lame he says? But isn’t that the very thing that put him and Kim K. on the map? Before then, he was still “Brandy’s brother”. His stardom depended on that tape and now he has become a no-sex tape advocate? Get real Ray J.
And this whole “let me be the cause and answer” thing…Sounds more like he is trying to prepare for his first speech as a candidate running for office. Not impressed. The only thing I can agree on is that the music industry as a whole, not just Hip-Hop, does lead people to become delusional about the things that they need to do in order to become successful. Other than that, I must give his comments one star.
Clearly someone in Hollywood has told these celebrities that it is okay to take on multiple ventures, even when you have zero experience in the area. Just because you make a sex tape with a lawyer’s daughter doesn’t make you ready to become a politician. Takes a little more than that to make you a credible man for the job I’m afraid. Well actually, that may be the one thing that he does have in common with some political figures…scandal. Other than that, Ray J. is nowhere near qualified to run a city based out of California let alone a small town in the country with a handful of residents to vouch for. Simply put, he is no Ray Nagin, despite name similarity.
Judging from what has been said so far, can we really be sure that Ray J. really wants to become a mayor for the right reasons? Or are there other influences behind his desire to make his political breakthrough? Chances are he just wants some positive attention placed on him for once.
Gotta admit, always being known for a porn flick must get pretty old after awhile. But politics though? I sense an epic fail already.