Ray Cash

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Ray Cash

Background information
Origin Cleveland, Ohio
Genre(s) Rap
Midwest rap
Hardcore rap
Years active 2000s - present
Label(s) Sony Urban Music / Recognize Reel Records / Columbia Records / Ghet-O-Vision
Associated acts Chip tha Ripper, Al Fatz

Ray Cash (born Wardell Raymond Cheeks in 1980) is an American rapper from Cleveland, Ohio. Cash started his music career in the 2000s.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Background

Ray Cash was the only child to his mother. They lived in a place that Cash muses as the "Hill" located in the Eastside of Cleveland. His area of Cleveland was not seen as a comfort zone because of violence going around. Quote: "His Mother told him not to cross the streets, but his mind was too fascinated in what was going on then". According to Ray, the Cleveland lifestyle invited him well, seeing that he had no brothers except a friend named Thomas Oatman. One interview revealed that he was a hustler in his city. When Cash grew older, they'd hang out more. The Cleveland environment helped develop his music style he has today. "I got into Hip-hop from hanging around older dudes, " thanks Cash. From an AllHiphop.com interview, he states It’s cool. Most of my people didn’t change. Some people changed because they expected me to change, and I didn’t. I think that threw a lot of people off when they saw that I didn’t change. However, his lifestyle has been controversial with having a son. Quote: I got a son.......It hurts to get on the plane, and your son is crying because he wants you to stay.

[edit] Inspirations

Cheeks grew up listening to hip-hop musicians such as NWA, Scarface, and Jay-Z. Their music captivated him, and he first performed in classrooms with raps. His peers admired and helped him during raps. Coincidentally, rapper Jay-Z came through Cleveland on his Hard Knock Life Tour, and Cash was there and marveled his style. Cash also had grown a real opinion on the hip-hop industry. Cash stated that when he grew up, artists were more focused on their actual music (lyrics) than were their record sells. And that artists today care more about record sells than their music. "Cash said he doesn't just accept what is on the radio, which is not always real, and his approach is to make the game as real as possible. He has also praised UGK, 2Pac, and The Notorious B.I.G. on interviews. His second baby mama is Cece Foster from Cleveland Ohio who have a child named Elija Cash...She is a model who's cuzin is buffy the body.

[edit] First album

Critics such as All Music Guide called C.O.D.(Cash on Delivery) a depth hardcore album. Cash released Cash on Delivery under Sony Urban Music/Columbia on June 27, 2006. This album reached # 82 and # 41 on the billboard charts receiving positive reviews[1][2][3]. The album content features wild tracks like "The Bomb" (feat. Yummy Bingham), his first single and least serious "Sex Appeal", and hardcore tracks that include "Payback", "F*ck AmeriKKKa", and the 2006 single "Bumpin my Music." His lyrics, especially in "Payback" have reminded some people of Ice Cube and Nas. The single F*ck AmeriKKKa pokes at hypocrites, or the system: "the ones who think they have priority, but do nothing at all. He ended the statement in saying "I know what's going on, as he walked the streets, and the images are not real. His first two singles were heavily featured in the Cleveland area. [4]

[edit] SLAB and "Bitch I'm From Cleveland"

Ray Cash is also part of a Cleveland rap group called SLAB. Rappers in SLAB include Al Fatz, Chip tha Ripper, Lil Lee, Ray Cash, and others. They released a mixtape CD called 'Bitch I'm From Cleveland' with DJ E-V.

[edit] Ambitions

On his website profile (and in many other places), he says: "I want to be respected". Cash wants to have major billboard success, but want to be respected by his music. He wants his fans to relate to his music." And Cash also wants to venerate the artists like UGK, Scarface, and Jay-Z through his music. Interviews show his to be patient, once Cash stated the fans will decide when he comes out and is now sticking onto his image. "He wants to bring back the Cleveland sound."

[edit] Personal

Cash has been interviewed by AllHipHop.com where he discussed his support for the Cleveland Cavaliers, specifically Lebron James. In the interview, Cash showed his insight of his career. He stated: [Then , with my album, you can really feel my growth]. Contrary, he explained the situation of his label. Cash criticized it for focusing more on pop more than rap.[5]

[edit] Chart success

[edit] Discography

C.O.D.(Cash on Delivery)

USA Billboard Top 200 Albums
Week 01 02 03
Position
# 41
# 82
N/A

The Kingdom

USA Billboard Top 200 Albums
Week 01 02 03
Position
#
#

[edit] Singles

Year Title Chart positions Album
US Hot 100 US R&B/Hip-Hop US Rap UK
2005 "Sex Appeal (Pimp in My Own Mind)" - - - - C.O.D.(Cash on Delivery)
2005 "Smokin' & Leanin'" - - - - C.O.D.(Cash on Delivery)
2006 "Bumpin' My Music" - - - - C.O.D.(Cash on Delivery
2006 "She A G" - - - - C.O.D.(Cash on Delivery
2007 "I'm a Dog" - - - - The Kingdom -

[edit] Trivia

  • Cash is 27 years old.
  • Cash used to be a drug dealer on the streets of Cleveland, Ohio.
  • A diss record, "Raymond's Funeral Service Mixtape" by Toledo, OH rapper Havana Cash calls out Ray on numerous tracks.
  • He was featured on Detroit rapper Lil' Skeeter's album Midwest Mastermind on a track titled "Night Ryda" along with Fabolous.
  • Graduated from Villa Angela Saint Joseph High School.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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