45 Minutes with Rayza: Exclusive Interview
Where did the name “Rayza” come from?
Well when I was young everybody used to tell me, ‘you’re sharp at everything you do’. So basically it means I'm on point in everything I do.
Repping Uniondale, New York but currently residing in Chicago, I asked Rayza why he made such a transition. He talked about having initially flown out to Chicago after a friend suggested him to a producer who was excited about his music.
I flew out to Chicago, and we worked on the album, finished work on the album. I went back to New York, then (my friend) gave me a call about 3 months later telling me some guy that worked with Universal Records wants to fly me out to Chicago to work with him on a different album. So I flew out to Chicago again and this is where I ended up staying.
From working with different producers, to working with other artists, Rayza revealed a lot about his journey thus far. But what has been most consistent throughout his journey has been his Team E.B.E. (Every Body Eats).
I love my team to death. I tell them ‘I can’t promise you anything, but I will put you in the position you need to be in to make you a millionaire’. I’m like the Jay-Z of Rockefeller; like the Lil’ Wayne of Young Money.
The way I see it, what I tell my team is that I don’t want to get caught up in the category of rap because anybody can rap, but what we make is music.
Rayza spoke passionately about his team referring to them as a group of people who are just as dedicated to music as he is. As an artist and an entrepreneur taking the reins on his career, I can see how that dedication means a lot to him.
I have respect for all of them because they actually believe in what I do to be a part of my team and if it wasn’t for them I would never had gotten this far. I was always driven, but every time I even think about stopping, the first thing on my mind is them. I’ve got all of their dreams on my back.
His motivation is selfless, and in the “dog eat dog” world that we live in, it’s refreshing to see camaraderie. He talked about grinding and “getting caught up in the system”, and feels strongly about learning from previous mistakes in order to move forward.
Back to the music, I asked Rayza who his favorite rap artist in the industry is.
(He laughed). I’m my favorite artist, but I would be lying if I were to say I didn’t have any influences.
He goes on to name rappers Lil’ Wayne -whom he praises for his dedication, Wiz Kalifah, Styles P, Kanye West, Eminem, and some other notable artists such as the Wu-Tang Clan.
At this point in the interview, I was not surprised that the first artist Rayza named as his favorite was himself. Rayza has an undeniable confidence in his craft. Early on in the interview Rayza told me, “I don’t write no rhymes, I do everything off the top of my head.” Rayza is a risk taker but it’s the confidence he has in what he is doing for himself and for his team, E.B.E. that I believe will continue to give him strength throughout his journey to the big time.
