Ray-P is one of the leaders of a new breed of MC’s coming out of the capital city. He’s been grinding for a few years now and is starting to gain recognition for his skills through his new mixtape, Mr. International, and his latest video, the Dirty Hun directed “Mean Muggin Like A Bad Kid.” I got up with Ray to discuss his latest projects and give The Dub some insight into the mind of Mr. International himself.
L-NO: You’ve been building quite a buzz for yourself over the last year. What moves do you credit for being able to get this amount of exposure in that short of a time?
Ray-P: A lot of credit goes to DJ Prodigy. He sets up a lot of things behind the scenes and is good at making shit happen. But a lot of credit goes to just networking and grinding, every little move adds up. My buzz isn’t as big as I would like it to be at the moment lol, but it’s a marathon not a sprint.
L-NO: How did you link up with DJ Prodigy?
Ray-P: DJ Prodigy found my mixtape on Datpiff through a mutual friend that played football at Fairmont St. with him.
L-NO: You featured a few videos of your trip to the Core DJ Retreat in Orlando. What was that trip like and do you feel like it was worth the trip in terms of networking and seeing what other people in the game are up to?
Ray-P: Yeah the trip to the Core retreat was for sure worth it. Besides the networking opportunities, the motivation I left Florida with fueled the whole Mr. International mixtape. Hearing other peoples in the business opinion lets you know what you need to improve on.
L-NO: With you coming up a few years after the one of most recent wave of WV artists, were you inspired by or a fan of any local artists before you got into the game for yourself?
Ray-P: I never really appreciated the local artists’ music UNTIL I got in the game. I love how there is so much talent in the state. A lot of dope emcees in WV.
L-NO: Who would you like to work with that you haven’t already?
Ray-P: Oh man there’s a lot lol. K Kutta, Six, Northern Lights, Stupyd Fresh, D-Why, Timeless etc…
L-NO: How do you rate the scene in Charleston these days?
Ray-P: It’s on the rise, glad to see artists out here pushin the movement.
L-NO: Have you been doing any shows lately? How do you rate your live-show game and what elements do you think make a good show?
Ray-P: My last show was a house party in Motown. It was real live, I feel like my stage show has improved a lot. A crowd wants to vibe with you and providing a visual element to the music makes it better. Getting on stage having fun and connecting with the crowd is a feeling that can’t be touched.
L-NO: Your most recent video for “Mean Muggin Like a Bad Kid” has gotten almost 2,000 views. What was it like shooting that video and working with Dirty Hun?
Ray-P: Shooting the video was fun. Linked up with D-Man, Kevmoney, and A Teezy while shooting it, and they some cool cats. Dirty is a real dude, his videos just keep getting better.
L-NO: How is the promotion going for the “Mr. International” Mixtape? Where can people get that and other Ray-P projects?
Ray-P: The promotion is going well with Mr. International, shout out to Hardtarget for the graphics on the flyer and cover. You can get the tape from me if you’re in Charleston, or DJ Prodigy in Morgantown.
L-NO: Who are you collaborating with right now, and what new projects are in currently in the works for this year?
Ray-P: Got big plans for another mixtape dropping this year because I love to do the music and I just wanna keep making new shit. Look out for a Huey Mac collab and some other joints with the SoundVizion crew.
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