Ray Lavender never got the debut he deserved. He worked with Akon, made music with T-Pain and others, but the spotlight never quite found him. Still, he continued to grind in the shadows, fueled by raw talent and relentless resilience. No hype—just pure persistence. He’s here to stay. Our Ray Lavender lets you in on what he’s been up to and how he came to be part of the revamping of the legendary group Guy. It’s been a long time since we interviewed him in 2012 when we all thought he was about to big one of the big names in R&B music. It didn’t quite pan out but he never wavered.
Parlé Mag: Iconic music producer, Teddy Riley, recently announced a brand new iteration of his legendary group, Guy, with new members Fred “Ljai” Robinson (of Profyle), J Stylz [BS2] and yourself — Talk to me a lil bit about the formation of Guy 2.0.
Ray Lavender: So Teddy Riley gave me a call, and asked if I would be in an R&B group that he was making. He called it Guy 2.0. Didn’t take long to tell him that I would join him, and I was honored to do so. Teddy wanted talented singers, and also seasoned artists that were already ready to perform on stages. He picked me and four other guys, and started recording records immediately. He obviously needed someone with the same tone as Aaron Hall, as well (as) someone with a R. Kelly tone. That’s where Howard and I came in. He then needed someone that is street, silky smooth Dave Hollister tone. That’s where Ljai came in. Last but not least he needed a finisher, someone with amazing ad libs and high range vocal capabilities… that’s where J Stylz came in.
Parlé Mag: Noticeably absent from the revamped line-up are the Hall brothers; both Aaron & Damion — What, if anything, can you reveal and / or divulge about neither one of ’em being included or involved?
Ray Lavender: All I can say is Aaron and Damion Hall will not be included on this new project. Teddy chose to split with them for his own reasons.
Parlé Mag: Projecting ahead, what can be expected in the coming weeks from Guy 2.0?
Ray Lavender: You can expect from Guy 2.0 all new records, all new videos, and a lot of touring the country.
Parlé Mag: Reflecting, tell me about your musical beginnings. When did this journey start for you?
Ray Lavender: Music started for me back when I was a little kid. I used to listen to Sam Cooke, Freddie Jackson, Luther Vandross, New Edition, Ready For The World, Babyface, Bobby Brown, R. Kelly, and the list goes on. But, it really didn’t start for me until I moved to Atlanta, Georgia. That’s when I met Akon and Dallas Austin.
Parlé Mag: How do you define your style?
Ray Lavender: I define my style as silky R&B, with street appeal. I can flatfoot sing, and also deliver a song with smooth vocals and a beautiful falsetto to top it off.
Parlé Mag: As a songwriter, where do you draw inspiration from?
Ray Lavender: As a songwriter, I draw my inspiration from my life story. I’ve been in and out of love, so naturally I’m able to write amazing love songs. I’ve had some ups and downs just like everybody else, so I’m able to connect with my audience with my words.
Parlé Mag: Initially signed to Akon and his Kon Live / Geffen Records joint venture, where you’d go on to release “My Girl Gotta Girlfriend,” from your since shelved solo debut, X-Rayted — In retrospect, with that momentum back then why do you feel things played out in the manner that they did?
Ray Lavender: There were a category of variables why my first album didn’t come out. I feel the powers that be dropped the ball, and picked the wrong singles. By signing into an artist, I knew that a lot of attention wouldn’t go towards my project… and if I could do it again, I would’ve done things myself instead of waiting on somebody else to see after my project.
Parlé Mag: In ’23, you dropped “Steppin’ With My Baby,” which was to be followed by a full length effort, Fa Real, yet nothing ever materialized — How come?
Ray Lavender: We weren’t able to put out the single because we were having production issues, and also you have to have liquid capital to properly put out a project. In order for a project to work, there’s multiple people that you need on your team to successfully make a project work. Unfortunately, we didn’t have all of those people and weren’t able to lock all songs down.
Parlé Mag: Switching gears here, what do you hope people take away from your music?
Ray Lavender: I would love people to receive my message of love. Whatever mood you’re in, I would love to be the soundtrack to your life. I want you to receive more than the message I sing about. I want you to believe that I believe exactly what I’m singing, and it helps you grow no matter what you’re going through.
Parlé Mag: Dream collaboration — who would it be?
Ray Lavender: My dream collaboration will be Missy, Timbaland and Teddy Riley, on the same track with me.
Parlé Mag: If you could play any venue in the world, where would it be?
Ray Lavender: I would love to pack out Madison Square Garden!!!
Parlé Mag: How do you feel about the current state of R&B?
Ray Lavender: The current state of R&B is amazing to me. R&B is back, and it is growing fast as ever. People are singing again, and I love it.
Parlé Mag: What’s the key to your longevity?
Ray Lavender: The key to longevity is never giving up! No matter how hard it gets keep going, and I promise you it will pay off!
Parlé Mag: Beyond music, what else, if anything, do you want to do?
Ray Lavender: Beyond music, I would like to act as well. I do a lot of stage plays, and acting in movies now.
Parlé Mag: Biggest career moments so far?
Ray Lavender: One of my biggest career moments was being in the same studio recording with R. Kelly and Teddy Riley.
Parlé Mag: What’s an average day like for you?
Ray Lavender: An average day for me is recording music, eating, working out, and loving on my beautiful family.
Parlé Mag: How do you interact with your fans?
Ray Lavender: Interacting with my fans is easy! I talk, I hug, I shake hands and ask them about their life. I’ll make sure they leave knowing that I’m a great guy.
Parlé Mag: Favorite and least favorite parts of this work?
Ray Lavender: My favorite part about the music business is performing on stage for big audiences. My least favorite part about the music business is not receiving fair business when you work so hard your whole life for it.
Parlé Mag: What advice would you give to someone following in your footsteps?
Ray Lavender: My advice to you is simple: get an entertainment attorney, and keep recording records. Don’t let anyone ever tell you that you can’t do it, and always keep God first.
Parlé Mag: Five to ten years from now, where do you see yourself?
Ray Lavender: 5 to 10 years from now, I’ll have my own label and movie production studio. Signing artists and writers, and give them fair deals.
Parlé Mag: What’s next for you, Ray?
Ray Lavender: The next chapter of my life will be making great music, and to live life amongst the stars.
Parlé Mag: Any parting words for our readers?
Ray Lavender: If you love anything enough, it will love you back. Don’t seek revenge. Let God do it, and always use your kind words.
