All Star issue – Ray Paul
By Ms Rivercity • Feb 8th, 2010 • Category: All Star 2010, Interviews 112 views
Representing the Oak Cliff area of Dallas, Ray Paul has a heavy street presence in the city, along with his click the Y.G.z. Last summer Ray invited OZONE out to the Y.G. picnic and it was clear that their crew comes out in numbers. Here he gives us the scoop on his fan base, his affiliation with Greg Street, and some insightful opinions on the music game.
Introduce yourself and tell us how you became known in Dallas.
They call me Ray Paul Massaun in the streets. I started getting known when I was in 7th or 8th grade. I was always popular in the streets so that made it easy for me. I knew people from the nawfside, soufside, all the hoods everywhere. When I was about 16 that’s when I started rappin’. At first I took it as a joke but I started seeing the fan base we had. You can’t buy that overnight.
Where did you go from there?
My cousin T-Nick kept telling me, “Man, I think we got somethin’.” He was gettin’ calls from everywhere about me and Y.G. – Y.G. is a click of about 400 people and we all support each other. It’s a big family thang. I was one of the leaders out of the situation so people knew me. One day a few years ago I was performing my first single “I’m Gettin Money,” and I met Marone – he’s Greg Street and C Dawg’s patna. He’s an A&R for Def Jam and Bad Boy South. He saw me performing at Rhythm City and I had the whole club goin’. We took over the whole hood area with that.
So Marone is the one that hooked you up with Greg Street?
Yeah, he called Greg Street in Atlanta and Greg Street was lookin’ for an artist out here in Dallas. A few weeks later he threw a party with Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson. I performed up there and we made magic after that.
Has dealing with Greg Street helped you get your music outside of the city at all?
That’s one thing I can say about Marone, that’s one hard-workin’ dude in Dallas. I hadn’t been out of Dallas till I started doin’ shows with people like them. Them and Greg Street hooked me up with a lot of different people. Marone and T-Nick keep me live.
Where exactly are you from in Dallas?
The middle of Oak Cliff – Wheatland and Polk.
Dallas has a big dance/boogie movement going on but you obviously don’t fit into that sound. Talk about how your music differs from some of the stuff Dallas is getting famous for.
I don’t hate the dance music. If a person makes a #1 hit off a dance song, I’ma congratulate ‘em. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a competition out here, and this industry is not a friendly sport. But as far as me, that’s not what I’m tryna come into the game with. I brought “Gettin’ Money” to the game. I brought another character to the game. I don’t try to be like the next man. I’m not tryna be on Jay-Z or Lil Wayne’s level – nah, I’m just focused on Ray Paul. I think a lot of youngsters can learn a lot from me and my music.
Besides “I’m Gettin’ Money” what are some of your other hits?
We got “Feed These Streets” featuring B.o.B. Me and Gorilla Zoe got a song called “Tudilu.” I got another song called “Feel Free to Hate,” which is all me. We have a new one we’re pushing right now called “Out of There (I’m Gone)” with Young Black, he did “Big Boy Stuntin’.”
Do you have any mixtapes out right now?
Matter of fact, I’m putting out two of ‘em. I’m doing one with Y.G. J Don, that’s my lil youngsta comin’ up in the game. We’re gonna drop a Y.G. compilation and I’m gettin’ ready to drop a mixtape with Greg Street. I might come out with a mixtape just for All Star Weekend just for promo.
Where will you be during All Star Weekend?
My patnas Marone and C Dawg are throwing a lot of parties out here. They got Club Che, Cirque, they got Drake coming out, Snoop Dogg, Trey Songz, Jeezy. I’m gon’ be at all of ‘em.
Outside of All Star Weekend, what else do you have going on?
We have the Y.G. picnic coming up again June 1st. People can also check me out on Myspace.com/YGRayPaul or Myspace.com/YGTexas or Twitter.com/YGRayP. //
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