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Ray Riley: comfortable with being uncomfortable
Son of Legion of Doom's MC Willy Will looks to make his mark
"The goal for me is not to stay here, but to put this area on the map, because there’s so much talent here, and then just bring everything back."
Nature or nurture? Maybe both. San Diego born hip-hop artist Ray Riley has been around the scene since youth — because in the late ‘80s, Riley’s father, MC Willy Will, was one of the members of local rap group Legion of Doom. Thanks to that exposure and some support from his pops, Riley started his own musical journey eight years ago.
“He loves hip-hop,” Riley says of his father, “and I was infatuated with it as well, because I was around it. That’s what really sparked the whole thing for me. When you first start out, it’s not very good. But he heard something in there that gave me the confidence to keep going. He shoots it to me straight. At the end of the day, we both have the same goal. We both want to put out the best material possible. We don’t always agree on everything. He’s my biggest fan and my biggest critic.”
Riley’s initial career ambitions were aimed towards athletics. Before being pulled back to the music, he played college football. Professional boxer Kurt Scooby was one of his college teammates, and Riley recently gave Scooby a live musical intro as he walked him out to a fight at Sycuan casino. This wasn’t the first time he’d used his rap skills to herald a fighter’s entrance, but with Scooby, it was personal. “A couple years ago,” says Riley, “I reached out to him. This was when things were still in their infancy. Then he reached out to me the week of his most recent fight. When I walked him out, it was a full circle moment.” Scooby went on to win the bout.
The rapper’s vision for himself extends beyond San Diego. “I don’t think I fit in anywhere," he grants. "There are a lot of artists I really like here, but I feel like it’s very separated and divided as far as collaborations are concerned. There is a support system here, but I feel like it’s very small, and it’s met with a lot of resistance. The goal for me is not to stay here, but to put this area on the map, because there’s so much talent here, and then just bring everything back. I feel like I’m trying to stand out, not fit in.”
Given the way many people consume music today, Riley says releasing singles is what he will be focusing on this year. “I’ve put out a lot of albums. This year I’m trying to be consistent with singles. To me, as a guy who’s up and coming, it doesn’t make sense if I’m trying to grow my fan base to put out ten songs, then wait a year and put out ten more songs. If I have songs I feel like I believe in, I’m going to put them out. That’s what I’ve been doing every month.”
Video:
Ray Riley: "Drive Slow"
Riley’s newest single “Drive Slow” was released on March 27. The self-reflecting lyrics put the artist’s vulnerabilities and versatilities on display. “That song was about learning who I am, trying to grow in areas where I feel I need to be better in. Also, with these types of songs, it widens the variety in the catalogue. When you listen to my music, there’s all types. One thing I take pride in; is I can dribble with both hands. I can give you super lyrical bars, but I can also make songs where I’m really expressing myself that people can relate to.”
Riley has headlined events at venues like The Music Box to Barrio Logan fashion shows. Now he’s looking to start expanding. “It’s a comfortability thing,” he says. “I understand there’s a lot of people out here who don’t know who I am, but if I’m continuing to do shows in the same areas, performing for the same people, I’m not really growing. I’m just performing for people who already know who I am, which is great, because you’ve got to cater to your audience. I’m always going to cater to the people who support me, but we’re trying to grow this as big as we can. I learned from football: get comfortable with being uncomfortable. My mantra is if I can get just one person to become a fan after a show, it’s a success.” The rapper will have the opportunity to cultivate more fans on June 7, when he will be performing with Ric Scales at North Park Music Fest.
Here's something you might be interested in.
Ray Riley: comfortable with being uncomfortable
Son of Legion of Doom's MC Willy Will looks to make his mark
Ray Riley: comfortable with being uncomfortable
Son of Legion of Doom's MC Willy Will looks to make his mark
"The goal for me is not to stay here, but to put this area on the map, because there’s so much talent here, and then just bring everything back."
Nature or nurture? Maybe both. San Diego born hip-hop artist Ray Riley has been around the scene since youth — because in the late ‘80s, Riley’s father, MC Willy Will, was one of the members of local rap group Legion of Doom. Thanks to that exposure and some support from his pops, Riley started his own musical journey eight years ago.
“He loves hip-hop,” Riley says of his father, “and I was infatuated with it as well, because I was around it. That’s what really sparked the whole thing for me. When you first start out, it’s not very good. But he heard something in there that gave me the confidence to keep going. He shoots it to me straight. At the end of the day, we both have the same goal. We both want to put out the best material possible. We don’t always agree on everything. He’s my biggest fan and my biggest critic.”
Riley’s initial career ambitions were aimed towards athletics. Before being pulled back to the music, he played college football. Professional boxer Kurt Scooby was one of his college teammates, and Riley recently gave Scooby a live musical intro as he walked him out to a fight at Sycuan casino. This wasn’t the first time he’d used his rap skills to herald a fighter’s entrance, but with Scooby, it was personal. “A couple years ago,” says Riley, “I reached out to him. This was when things were still in their infancy. Then he reached out to me the week of his most recent fight. When I walked him out, it was a full circle moment.” Scooby went on to win the bout.
The rapper’s vision for himself extends beyond San Diego. “I don’t think I fit in anywhere," he grants. "There are a lot of artists I really like here, but I feel like it’s very separated and divided as far as collaborations are concerned. There is a support system here, but I feel like it’s very small, and it’s met with a lot of resistance. The goal for me is not to stay here, but to put this area on the map, because there’s so much talent here, and then just bring everything back. I feel like I’m trying to stand out, not fit in.”
Given the way many people consume music today, Riley says releasing singles is what he will be focusing on this year. “I’ve put out a lot of albums. This year I’m trying to be consistent with singles. To me, as a guy who’s up and coming, it doesn’t make sense if I’m trying to grow my fan base to put out ten songs, then wait a year and put out ten more songs. If I have songs I feel like I believe in, I’m going to put them out. That’s what I’ve been doing every month.”
Video:
Ray Riley: "Drive Slow"
Riley’s newest single “Drive Slow” was released on March 27. The self-reflecting lyrics put the artist’s vulnerabilities and versatilities on display. “That song was about learning who I am, trying to grow in areas where I feel I need to be better in. Also, with these types of songs, it widens the variety in the catalogue. When you listen to my music, there’s all types. One thing I take pride in; is I can dribble with both hands. I can give you super lyrical bars, but I can also make songs where I’m really expressing myself that people can relate to.”
Riley has headlined events at venues like The Music Box to Barrio Logan fashion shows. Now he’s looking to start expanding. “It’s a comfortability thing,” he says. “I understand there’s a lot of people out here who don’t know who I am, but if I’m continuing to do shows in the same areas, performing for the same people, I’m not really growing. I’m just performing for people who already know who I am, which is great, because you’ve got to cater to your audience. I’m always going to cater to the people who support me, but we’re trying to grow this as big as we can. I learned from football: get comfortable with being uncomfortable. My mantra is if I can get just one person to become a fan after a show, it’s a success.” The rapper will have the opportunity to cultivate more fans on June 7, when he will be performing with Ric Scales at North Park Music Fest.
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