Transforming Struggles into Strengths: Positivity with Ray Wimley - Episode #55

The Peace & Prosperity Podcast is a bi-weekly conversation with Jason Phillips, LCSW, licensed therapist and confidence expert in Raleigh, NC, discussing all things related to self-love and self-confidence, and how we can improve ourselves personally and professionally.

Tap in to this episode as we discuss Jason talks confidence and positivity with Ray Wimley who's been featured on NAACP awards and had guest appearances with Common.

Here's a peak of what to expect in this episode: 

Imagine stepping onto a stage, mic in hand, ready to share your talent with the world—only to be heckled by the crowd. That’s what our guest, freestyle artist and rapper Ray Wimley, faced early in his career. But Ray didn’t let the negativity stop him. With a profound belief in himself and his unique approach to rap—eschewing profanity and objectification—he turned the tables on his critics and used the incident to fuel his journey in the music industry.

Ray didn't just survive; he thrived. He found strength in positivity, resilience, and his faith, providing an example of leadership that flipped norms of the rap world upside down. Ray shares how he keeps his mental health in check in the face of fame, from the importance of healing and processing emotions to the role of forgiveness in his life. He also gives us invaluable advice on battling high-functioning anxiety while maintaining professional passion.

This conversation with Ray Wimley isn't only about his music journey; it's an exploration of how the principles of peace, faith, and intentional communication can shape our lives. Ray shares his experiences of being raised by influential women and how their influence played a pivotal role in his journey, both as a man and an artist. Lastly, in true showman style, Ray clues us in on how to find his music and even book him for performances. This episode is a testament to staying true to oneself, managing mental health, and the transformative power of faith.

To stay connected with Jason and learn about coaching, connect with Jason on social media:

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jphillipsmsw/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jphillipsmsw

Visit Jason's website for a consultation:

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

anything in this world is already given unto us. Right, it's already. We already have what we need. You know, our talent is what creates the abundance. So, mentally, if I stay principle in my discipline, I avoid a lot of things that create the ups and downs in my mental health, but I'm putting negative energy out. I don't worry about negative energy coming back to me Now. Granted, I can't avoid certain bad things happening, but at the same time, talking, I could take the pressure off of feeling guilt from something that I could have prevented in the first place and that helps my mental health.

Speaker 2: 0:31

I know you're enjoying the episode, but I wanna say that maybe you've been listening to the episode and you're thinking I would like to work on my confidence or I'm not happy where things are at in my life and I could benefit from talking to a professional. If that's you, visit my website or click the link below, schedule your consultation and let's see if we're a good fit to work with each other. All right, now let's get back to the episode. I'm gonna go ahead and start with the first episode, man. So, ray bro, this is long, long overdue.

Speaker 1: 1:04

Man tell me about it bro.

Speaker 2: 1:06

Long, long overdue man. So I know we linked up. Was that before that was? Was that before the pandemic?

Speaker 1: 1:13

Yeah, it was before pandemic bro.

Speaker 2: 1:14

At least a year before.

Speaker 1: 1:16

At least a year before, because we're outside the public.

Speaker 2: 1:18

Yeah, yeah, man, that's four years ago, I think, Almost it was.

Speaker 1: 1:24

It was November probably it was before everything happened with Comet too, huh.

Speaker 2: 1:29

It was right, after it was right after.

Speaker 1: 1:32

So that had to be like November, december, yeah, right before the pandemic.

Speaker 2: 1:36

Yeah, oh yeah, yeah Because my mom died in September and I took a trip to New Orleans in November and I had went to Miami. So it was that was 19,.

Speaker 1: 1:49

Yup 20, 23,. It's time five.

Speaker 2: 1:52

Yeah, so it's.

Speaker 1: 1:53

Sorry about your mom's too, man, I know that. Yeah yeah, I appreciate that.

Speaker 2: 1:57

Yeah, man, yeah it's something that you know you never get over. You just kind of continuously work through. But that's what reminded me, because we went out there just to kind of like clear my mind a little bit, do some of my own soul searching, and, man, you were out there killing it, so I was gonna lose something, man. But this is, this is the thing, though you rocking whether there's one person around or whether there's a thousand people around, right? So, without further ado, man, let everybody know who you are and who is Ray Wimley man well, for those who don't know, I'm a rapper, hip hop artist.

Speaker 1: 2:36

I coined myself the Freestyle Svint. I like those of Harry Mack and Common and MC Juice, and like all of these great artists, I like to think of myself as somebody who could do freestyle and prize in a split second from things that I see and then create, you know, concepts out of thin air. So in my artistry I'm more like just channeling energy around me and then making it make sense in real time. That's what freestyle essentially is. That is essence. That's what I love to do. As far as like who I am, first and foremost as a man of God, a family person, I'm a husband. I got five kids. They ain't that screaming now. I've been married man for a while. It's 24, nine years. It's gonna be my anniversary coming up soon.

Speaker 2: 3:26

Okay, yeah.

Speaker 1: 3:27

When is your anniversary? June 29th. So yeah, man, that's me in a nutshell, but I was just surprised that the artist pushing energy out there for people to be informed about what they need to do to better themselves and progress.

Speaker 2: 3:38

Man, and I love your energy, like I love the music because it is positive, like when I just want to vibe out and get some good vibes. You know I'm listening to you. I pulled you up on Apple the other day and just started listening to a bunch of your tracks, man.

Speaker 1: 3:54

That's dope man. I appreciate that, yeah, seriously so how did you cause?

Speaker 2: 3:58

well, how did you get into rapping and freestyling?

Speaker 1: 4:03

Rapping. I think that's just kind of like I said this on Comedy Trap House podcast. I feel like shout out to the homies too. I feel like it's kind of hard to say because rapping's been around me since I've been young, so I don't know if it's like something I got into or it was just a part of the. I'm just a product of my environment, so it's kind of hard to say. But I guess, to answer that question, maybe 2014 is when I did it seriously for the first time and tried to, like you know, go to mixtape I'll sell them on my backpack. Go downtown hustle, get people to listen to me. And then, as far as freestyling, that's the same.

Speaker 1: 4:40

I remember a distinctive period, though, when I was younger. Freestyling came about in ninth grade, cause I was looking at these two guys' names. One name was Dr Frank, the other name was Dope Boy. I don't think they're artists' names now. Dope Boy actually go by Dozier, he a Lil Rock artist. I follow him to this day. But they really inspired me, cause I remember them being on the lunch table creating raps and I was like blown away about just how quick with it they were to say something and rhythm and flow. But, and so I just went home and practiced under my breath and in my room, cause I never foresaw it being what it is today, though, yeah, so when did you like go professional?

Speaker 1: 5:16

2014,. I think I was seven professionals when I saw I decided to. I had a decision to make cause. I had lost my job. That created the circumstance to where I had to go full time into the artwork and my wife was pregnant at the time and essentially it was. You know, you don't give it 50, you give it 50 back. You give it 100, you give it 100 back. And my wife really was motivated to. She motivated me to stay on what she believed to be my journey and we did something called a prayer condition, meaning that we prayed to God for three days straight to make sure that we got the same revelation for me to go through with my career and if this was supposed to be my profession to provide for my child. And God answered us and he said that it was, and so I didn't look back and I just took that as a sign that this was something I was meant to do.

Speaker 2: 6:03

Wow, man, I had no idea that your wife was. You know, I knew she was supportive, but like the push behind you really starting out man, and that's that's what's up, because now what's your wife's name?

Speaker 1: 6:18

The Chandra. Everybody call her Diddy, though.

Speaker 2: 6:19

Diddy man shout out to Diddy man, cause I mean, not everybody has that type of support, right? So how old were you at that time?

Speaker 1: 6:29

Like nine years ago. 32, so like 25. 25, man, my terrible math. Now it's 29 years ago 24. It's all good, I like 24 when I started, yeah, 24. Man, I got to college, yeah.

Speaker 2: 6:43

Okay, so what did you study in college? Psychology.

Speaker 1: 6:47

But that was just cause you know what I'm saying. It was just like you know, I had been there for like going on for five years and I figured I need to go ahead and just get this degree man, get it out of here.

Speaker 2: 6:57

So where did you graduate from University of New?

Speaker 1: 7:01

Orleans.

Speaker 2: 7:02

Nice, nice. So are you born and raised in New Orleans.

Speaker 1: 7:05

I'm from the Rock, arkansas. I got to New Orleans. Another ultimatum my mama gave me she ain't gonna go to school, he ain't gonna go to work. I'm like I ain't really gonna work, man. No, I'm about to go to school, and so I just went to the first school that accepted me. You know, I was a real average student, you know, back in high school.

Speaker 2: 7:21

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 7:22

So when they accepted me, I was like you know, it might not be too many more offers, so I need to go to the first one. Yeah, like I ain't about taking no chance, I just, I just made it out to the ACT.

Speaker 2: 7:32

now you know I ain't trying to come from out now, so I was yeah, it was stressful.

Speaker 1: 7:36

So when I got into school it was like I'm about to go on here, just go ahead and make this happen. And New Orleans blew my mind, coached the people, the energy, and I got that he had the same to one. So and then they kind of adopted me too, man, I was down there for so long. They was like man, you from here.

Speaker 2: 7:49

Yeah, I've been uptown downtown East, all that. I would have never known that you wasn't from New Orleans. Man, just the way you rap it.

Speaker 1: 7:57

Man, it's in me, bro, cause they really supported me too. I think that was the place where I cultivated my art. You know, being an artist I wasn't really a, I were like that. You know, I was to myself mostly, I had my group of friends and I would talk to people, but I just wasn't like I was outgoing, but I guess I was popular like that and I didn't really discover who I was as a person until I got to New Orleans. And so they encouraged me because one day, gravitator, they told me that I was different.

Speaker 1: 8:25

And then for two, when they saw the talent that has a rich history and culture of artists that come from that era, so like the area, so like they just knew instantly like, yeah, we need to support this guy. And I felt like when you get in college you really start attracting people. That's similar to the way they treat you and you start to notice you know, high school you forced to be around and serve people, group of people all day, but in college you don't have to really see nobody. You don't want to. So you're collected that you communicate, we kind of create the confidence on and then they start building your confidence up and then, once you had that, then it's a game over. You start to feel you see so many different walks of life. You see these narratives and identities beginning to change on who you think you're supposed to be. You know, and I look at these guys like high school kids. You know, in high school you feel so grown. But you look back. I mean they so young, they look like babies.

Speaker 2: 9:12

Yeah you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1: 9:13

Pure pressure is a very real thing. Motivated to do things for your homies is a very real thing. But in college you don't have those pressures. So that kind of alleviated a lot of like, I guess, ideas people had about me or what I had about myself and allowed me just to explore who I fully was. So great experience.

Speaker 2: 9:30

So going back for a minute, like with high school, because high school in Arkansas, like I don't know what part you said, little Rock because yeah, Little Rock, yeah yo. Arkansas. Y'all been on first 48 before, so like Most of the times.

Speaker 1: 9:45

Right after the Bloods Crits. Vice Lords yeah, you made it through all of that. I mean, you know I was a, I wouldn't have to a bang and I ain't jump off the porch. Right, so you know it was easy for me, it was. I was suburb life, you know.

Speaker 2: 9:59

Okay, okay.

Speaker 1: 10:00

I had a partner that was involved, like my mom, stayed closer to that action, but she was kind of like more street savvy so she was like, no, you can't go here, you can't spend time on this corner.

Speaker 2: 10:12

And I didn't know why?

Speaker 1: 10:13

because in West Little Rock I definitely wanted to create friends, but the friends that I probably would have created would have led me to do more of those mischievous things. But I went to my auntie I said Baccon Lake and it was more of a wholesome energy. People had two parent households. They had backyards, front yard fences, gates.

Speaker 1: 10:33

Yeah yeah, like Stuff that was. I never felt I had to be a part of that community because for one it was dangerous, but two, I ain't trying to fight. Nobody get my face out of points, y'all understand that Like who wants that?

Speaker 1: 10:46

And for three, I will hear some of the stories that these gangsters had to go through to be initiated. Like they got to get jumped and beat up and slapped and all type of stuff just so they can have protection, to feel safe in their own environments. And if I didn't have to go through that it wasn't necessary for me. Again, I think my upbringing was like you really don't have anything to prove, you know, like, look at the longevity of this decision if you make it and see what predicament it will put you in. And you too educated and smart to make those decisions and you got too much to lose, so don't put yourself in that situation. So like I was aware of what was going on.

Speaker 1: 11:17

And I had my time trying to fit in with you know when it really got about that action and you hearing people like you know dying at early ages, you just kind of like I just made a choice not to submit my life to that type of lifestyle.

Speaker 2: 11:29

So you mentioned your mom. Sound like you and your mom were close growing up.

Speaker 1: 11:34

Oh yeah, my mom was my rock man, that was. She was the one she got a bat for me. To this day I seen, and I'm the baby boy, so she just I could do no wrong. She was just there for me all of the time. She definitely dissimplified me and made me see things for what it was. But I mean, my mom was yeah, she was, she was it. I was raised by four women man. So like mom, my sister, rita and auntie, and then all of the males Greg, which is my stepdad, came around 12. But then around that time I lost my uncle, joe, probably a little bit after that, and then my cousin, my cousin Michael, who's an older cousin, and all the so the women. They took part in raising me. So I just got to respect the women in a way that that's different, because I knew, they knew what I was lacking, but they never made me feel like it.

Speaker 2: 12:20

Man, that's deep. That's deep right there. Yeah, I can relate on a lot of those same instances, cause my mom raised me, but my grandmother had a huge role too and, like you said, they know what you lacking but never made you feel like that, Like so. So you talked about high school and you did college down in New Orleans and then after that, that's when you decided to go into rapping.

Speaker 1: 12:43

Man. Yeah, rap kinda came to me, I feel like once I think I heard Nipsey Hussle 2013. J Cole, you know, our era was lit. Bro Drake coming out, Kanye, Lil Wayne at his all-time high, and then LaCray was interesting because I was married at the time, so I wasn't really a secular artist.

Speaker 1: 13:03

And since he popped and cracked it made me feel like dang. I could do this in a way where I could represent God but still have a swag about it and it not be corny. And so it was just a lot of different routes to go. And then I liked the hustle and nipsey, like I don't have to sell to a record label. So yeah, it kind of all started and I think the decision was made because I had an organization called Open Mind and originally my passion was to create, curate events to where different artists can come into the city and they can expose their talents and get exposure and connect with different fan bases and stuff, and because I just had a passion for the arts.

Speaker 1: 13:40

But when you, when you trying to mobilize a group of people, the difficulty is, you know, financial stability and then also getting everybody on the same accord.

Speaker 1: 13:48

So I just made a decision to initially use my poetry first as a form of getting out there in the arts. But I just had a passion for rapping. It never dawned on me that like I couldn't do it or anything, I just loved it and I would just try it. And so I remember my first rap I actually did in front of people was for on a stage was an event that I hosted and I made the space to where you can try pretty much anything on stage. So it just fit and I was like, oh, this is what I kinda wanna do, but I wanna do it all. I think right now I'm just in the transition of. This is a form that I'm in because it's creating what I need to get to the next level. But as an artist, I find you always growing and you're just kinda using what people are attracted to to get a bigger stage, to create on a bigger stage, for people to see more parts of yourself.

Speaker 2: 14:39

Now would you I mean cause you, like I said, you've been putting yourself out there in front of people. Was that always easy for you, was it natural, or did you sometimes struggle with that?

Speaker 1: 14:49

I struggled, but I think once once I rap, bro, or once I did poetry and I practiced I never was nervous cause I would put so much time and effort into my performances that soon as I would start speaking that I wouldn't be afraid.

Speaker 1: 15:03

I just felt like it was a calling, like it's a lot of things that I get nervous, but when it comes to like hip hop or music or being on a microphone, it's no moment is too big for me. I'm gonna prepare for that moment. I never felt like my vision has never been. It's been always stadiums, it's been always Grammys, it's been always so I've been prepping for that moment, like I'm gonna be on front of those people for years. So it never, you know.

Speaker 1: 15:31

And then, especially when I, when I feel like I'm of service to the people you know, so when I'm rapping about something that is gonna create or benefit the next person, I don't really feel nervous cause it's a conversation at that point and I'm giving a perspective on what I feel like I have, you know, psychology held me in a way where I can understand what people go through. So I'm curating the message to those individuals when I'm speaking, so I put myself in a position to talk to specific people, to be like, okay, you need these herbs right now, these spoken word herbs, you know?

Speaker 2: 16:01

When you, when you rap and when you rhyme, it's like you are having a conversation, it's flowing. Did you ever get any pushback? Because it's. I didn't really think about that. Like, you don't use a lot of cursing and you're not rapping about slanging or you know. You know what I'm saying, like, about, like tossing women up. You know what I mean? Cause.

Speaker 1: 16:22

I'm beyond as like my favorite artists.

Speaker 2: 16:25

I'm, I'm, I'm a Defro, I'm a Defro fan, so I grew up off the. You know the chronic and doggy style and all of that. But you know, you come with a whole different, different era.

Speaker 1: 16:39

I don't know, maybe I got a pushback. I definitely think I got some type of pushback. Yeah, I was rapping for Harry Mack on. Ig Live one day and they was like look at Harry Black, you know. So I was rapping for Ray Bond and they were saying I look homeless.

Speaker 2: 16:56

But when I was on IG Live, how did you, how did you deal with that, though Like when you like, how did that affect you mentally?

Speaker 1: 17:03

Oh, man, initially it's painful, it hurts, cause when you it's really easy to get you know disgusted with people and jaded quickly with your artists.

Speaker 1: 17:12

Because I felt almost like man, like, if you can get past the appearance momentarily, cause I just woke up and it's nine o'clock in the morning on the West coast and I saw this opportunity to speak life into somebody, if you can get past, like your insecurities, to listen for a brief second, that you'll recognize I'm doing something that's going to be beneficial to you. So I was more so like offended, like the audacity that a person would say something like that in a moment that I'm trying to express things that can benefit them. Right. But that's one way I looked at it for a while. Like man, people are so caught up in appearance that they are totally disregarded message that could be something beneficial. That hurt knowing that like they're shallow. And then I looked at it from a perspective with some people just get their kicks out of that. So I got to take it with like somebody hit me on a chin and keep moving. It's painful and you don't want to necessarily put yourself out there.

Speaker 1: 18:04

You know, my biggest question was that I didn't get the ass comment when I was around him was a or any celebrity I got a privilege of being around is like, how do you deal with fame? And so for me, I experienced pain and I think how I was able to get past that was kind of you're going to take it personal, because emotions are like punches. If somebody hits your face, you feel it Period. But it's proper ways to go about healing. You know what I'm saying. You ice it and depending on how hard they hit you, it's how long you need to heal.

Speaker 1: 18:36

So once you get hit a certain way or you understand the diagnoses of the pain, then it starts to become not as traumatic when it happens continuously. So it's a. You organically create not a numbness to it but just more like understanding of the process. So it's kind of like okay, yeah, this person pissed me off, but I'm going to start rapping anyways and I'm going to just get back to what I'm doing and eventually it don't last forever. You know like you're going to be upset in a moment, but then by tools that you ain't thinking about it, or maybe you are. Well, I guess it really depends on how deep the cut was and how case by case it is. But in growth a lot of it is just time, a lot of it is just mature, like oh okay, there's people out there like it's haters.

Speaker 2: 19:21

Yeah, they are.

Speaker 1: 19:22

They are Haters and very hated women and have hated kids. You know what I'm saying. So like they're out there and you can be naive, that you know to be a social light to be accepting in the eyes of many is to be hated in the eyes of many. It's just a natural part of it.

Speaker 2: 19:41

Was there ever a time where you either got a heckle so bad or somebody said something that you said? Man, I might have to switch it up.

Speaker 1: 19:49

Oh yeah, because I vowed not to battle prior, before I started rapping, because I was all I'm still all the way in. You know just God's work for me, and so it's certain things that come with committing your life to a high calling that you can't partake in, because I know the gift and talent that I'm blessed with and I know as easily as I can uplift, I can degrade the next person it's no need for me to prove that and I know the sensitivity of a male ego. So I understand, like when people are trying to round me up with their really doing, but it was just cases where people pushed the limit and it was when, I know, I fired back on somebody on a corner and I didn't feel good After, in the moment I was to you on the barrel, oh yeah, destroyed without question, but for what?

Speaker 1: 20:45

And to me it was kind of like OK, like that felt good in that moment. But maybe it could have been another way of going about that, and I'm obsessive on trying to figure out how to deflect that type of energy and creating a conversation that's healthy, because, whether I want to be or not, I'm an example of leadership for a lot of people, especially black young men, and so I'm going into an industry, knowing that's what they like, to capitalize off on this controversy, and I can't give you that, and if I do, I have to admit, fall and say that's not right, because a battle and certain magnitudes can lead to a gunshot outside somebody else. It can lead to a fistfighting school against somebody you know suspended. It can lead to a mother like Panic and because her, because her son is in jail serving life someday. He could have been avoided, but he's getting motivated off of his music. So, like, the more talented you have, the more responsible you have to be for the words that you put out.

Speaker 2: 21:42

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Speaker 1: 22:54

Oh, I did this was like 1998, 1999.

Speaker 2: 22:58

Deuce was in a cipher. They battle it, and one of the dudes said something, something, something dope you so fat you need to wash up with diet soap. I'm like that's a bar, though it was a bar and I was like the fact that I still remember it 20 years later. Like I just happened to walk, I was like dang. He killed him with that. Shout out to Chad, chad, that's who. I remember the name. All right, that's who he said it.

Speaker 1: 23:28

I ain't gonna say who he was rapping against, but that's you ain't gotta do that, but that's the word your class know that it's like. Oh, I know who he talking to.

Speaker 2: 23:34

Yeah, but the fact that you are intentional about using your gift wisely and lifting people up, man, that's really, that's really big of you, because I think a lot of people they may succumb to those pressures. So how do you, with all the stuff that you hear, that you see, how did you keep your mental health intact? Because I know you big on that.

Speaker 1: 23:56

I've been on a lot of sides a life. I've been without a stable home, without food. I've been without a real woman. I just been.

Speaker 1: 24:06

I experienced a lot of different sides of life and I think gratuity keeps me intact, because me and my wife was talking earlier I feel so at service to the world that if I utilize my gift for its purpose then, you know, in the Bible it's like we inherit the earth and I really meditate on that and it dawned on me that, like anything in this world is already given unto us, right, it's already, we already have what we need.

Speaker 1: 24:30

You know, our talent is what creates the abundance. So, mentally, if I stay principle in my discipline, I avoid a lot of things that create the ups and downs in my mental health, but I'm putting negative energy out. I don't worry about negative energy coming back to them Now. Granted, I can't avoid certain bad things happening, but at the same time I can take the pressure off of feeling guilt from something that I could have prevented in the first place and that helps my mental health in a long run. Because, intentionally, when I'm intentional about my words, I don't feel the weight of something that I've done to people because I felt the weight of things that I've done to people and I think that's a mental block and it creates a lot of pain in individuals when they continuously put out hurt because now you're looking forward to come back to you. So how can you stay stable, how can you stay in the positive light if you know that you punched somebody?

Speaker 1: 25:18

down last week who you talk to. You know people want to be validated and they want to feel justified. Yeah, where very few want to be righteous and with justification, it's fine you can feel validated. But did it create any type of peace? And so it starts with intent and for me it's a lot of preparation. That's how I keep a lot. I analyze situations before I even get into them.

Speaker 1: 25:46

Like even with hip hop and its entirety. Like I know, I'm gonna be famous. So for me I have to be realistic on what comes with that, so I can't prepare as if certain things wouldn't happen unto me. So I put myself in those situations and feel what I could do to react the best that I can. And a lot of it comes to just being principled and letting those negative energies pass. And communication right here and listening to other people and being in different walks of life have blessed me with gratuity. So I would say just being grateful, being intentional about how you treat people and giving back is essential. I think those qualities really help me stay level headed.

Speaker 2: 26:28

How do you practice forgiveness? Because I feel like when you get up there and you perform it let's say you had an off night the night before or maybe you got heckled in the crowd and you like, maybe you see that same person again. I don't know if that's ever happened, but, like, how do you practice forgiveness to go out there and still perform and execute at a high level?

Speaker 1: 26:50

I don't have off nights. I love it.

Speaker 2: 26:55

I love it.

Speaker 1: 26:57

No, I think, like man, I don't know I welcome the challenge of being heckled. You know conversation is interesting, man, I'm really big on language. I'm really big on like energy, and energy is can never be created nor destroyed. It can be transferred. So, me, I used to not enjoy the heckler. I used to feel like I had to brace myself for it, but it just makes me better. You know you can't go out in this world and expect it to be no controversy. You can't like. As a rapper, I can't expect people to side with my viewpoint. So I welcome what they might disagree with or what they might say, and I just either use it as fuel to transform that energy into like something greater. Like my greatest shows have come from people who dislike me in the crowd. I wanted to off, put my set, what Like? What happened? Oh man, it's one time this dude, he was real close to me and I was like bro, like you know, back up.

Speaker 2: 27:55

Like he was like all right.

Speaker 1: 27:59

So he backed up to wave back in the crowd and I kept an eye on him and he came around first time. He kicked my basket with my money Wow.

Speaker 1: 28:07

The crowd like they like, don't worry about that, right, don't worry about that, right, he gone. So I'm like I chilling rapping. Next thing I know he takes some beer and he poured a beer in my money. They like, don't worry about that, right on, where about that? Keep going like they hype. And the crowd kept getting bigger.

Speaker 1: 28:25

So every time he did something file to me, the response from the crowd was like I, he, he goes some moment, he goes some clean money, let me get that 20 out there, put a 50 in there, since he want to do that. And so I started to be like yo, this is, this is incredible. Like I wasn't even mad, but I was concerned for him because he wanted attention. So by that time it was over with, I went to go talk to dude and I was like let me just see where his head is at, because, for one, I don't want to buddy coming after me after this show over with, yeah, and then, for two, I really want to see. Like, where did he feel disrespected? And I talked to him and he said which was a terrible example, cause at that time Kevin Gates had just kicked somebody in the chest, and nothing on Kevin Gates, cause. I want nobody groping me either, and Lil Wayne had walked off stage and was like y'all ain't about to keep throwing water bottles on stage, because that's disrespectful while I'm performing.

Speaker 1: 29:17

He looked at me and was like I just wanted some respect. Lil Wayne, on treat his audience like that, kevin Gates on treat his audience like that. And I'm like dude, like he was, like I'm your biggest fan. I'm like bro, I just met you in my mind.

Speaker 2: 29:30

Right right.

Speaker 1: 29:31

He was like bro back up, like I don't want no problems. I'm like what are you talking about? He's like I don't want no issues, man, I'm ready to fight whenever I'm like I'm trying to fight. He's like well, tell them to calm down. Say what you talking about. And I turned around and it was half of the crowd that was still there behind me.

Speaker 2: 29:48

Oh wow, Ready to go in.

Speaker 1: 29:51

If he was to do something to me. And what was so crazy about that chef who cooked the chicken across the street? He was behind me, he had to spatula in his hand, so he was ready to go.

Speaker 1: 30:02

He was ready to go and in that moment I had made a decision because I was like, okay, if I created to wear his chaos, I don't know if he's going to make it out of here, cause you got like dirty people that disrupted the show, that's ready to stomp on you and beat you to a pulp like real bad. So I got to figure out a way to smooth the situation over for his safety, because even though I'm upset in the moment, it's just my heart. I can't have nobody like life on my hands like that, and to me I feel like in the grand scheme of things, it's just not that big a deal. And so we talked and I don't know we ended up talking about we was going to play basketball or something.

Speaker 2: 30:39

Never did, but you but you didn't even know. The whole crowd was behind you.

Speaker 1: 30:42

Nah, I went over there myself, cause I wanted to like see what was going on. I want him to be like nah, it's not threatening anybody around, I ain't trying to cause no scene. And then, like that, like bro holler me like man to man, and that shocked me, that those people was behind me, supporting me like that. So I've had so many experiences to where, like in real time cause I wasn't an internet rapper first that that's coming now. This is my era being on the internet mode myself and Spotify.

Speaker 1: 31:10

So I had real time interactions with people and I noticed like just as much, hey, you have even more love. Wherever you focus is where your energy goes. So I choose to focus on love, and so when I do get heckled which, when it happens, I really don't even hear it, to be honest, it's music to me at that point, because now you become the experience is where it's going to pull deep inside of me to create some dope bars off of, because your energy felt like it didn't match your expectation, and that's fine. So it's just, you got to take everything with how it is and just figure out how to, and by this time I didn't see so much people to try to grab microphones folks that push me, you know.

Speaker 2: 31:49

So you didn't have a lot to you. I was just, I was, I was. I was hot that night. I want to do something.

Speaker 1: 31:56

I want to do something. But again, the crowd that I cultivated around me knew my heart and so their intention was not to be ignorant. So whatever you put out there, you attract. So if I, if I, if I got a bunch of rah-rah around me and people that's willing to, you know, kill at a drop of a dime, then they gon' motivate me to do the same thing. So it's going to be hard for me to make a just decision, but if I practice what I preach and I put it out there in a way that we're like you know, I'm still a good person.

Speaker 1: 32:23

I need grounded from reality. I think people do that for me in times of need. So what keeps me level headed is knowing that the reciprocity I get from people like you allows me to say you know what? This is bigger than what just happen. And anytime I make the right decision, it never in the moment can I say I really feel 100% okay with it. It's difficult to be comfortable with it because you got violated, but as time goes on you start to see and understand why letting it go is important, and sometimes it's just faith and you got that split second decision to make because I got a lot to lose, especially being a black male in America with influence to create problems in society. That's what they waiting on. So I foresee and forethink a lot of things before I get into them and when I put into those situations I just stick to my principles and I pray that God do the rest and he do, he does and he definitely come through.

Speaker 2: 33:23

Man Ray. You I mean you've been on stages with the comments and just being out there on your own, that takes a lot of confidence. How do you maintain such a high level of confidence? Practice that's practice. So you, so you, so basically you, saying you just don't go up there and just start. You've been freestyling at the crib or rapping like you've been putting your rest.

Speaker 1: 33:48

Before that, I got certain rituals I do Like before I get on stage. I have habits, okay.

Speaker 1: 33:54

I'm gonna all right, I gotta go through 10 of my verses. So, from a muscle perspective, I get my mouth formed up to perform because I'm gonna be using a lot of words. So I gotta exercise the vocal muscles, right, so I gotta practice. So then I put myself in a certain state of mind from the words that I say again intentional, about what I write. I find in myself every day when I write, then I'm capable of achieving high things. So if I say it loud enough, speak it loud enough and consistently do it, then it's gonna be ingrained in my spirit. You know you can psychologically and physiologically change your state by what you say. So I'm aware of that. So I use it to my advantage. Okay, if I need to get on stage with the best of the best, then I need to write a rhyme that invokes me to feel like the best of the best. And by the time you didn't rehearse it a hundred times, your energy feels that up, like being genuine within the words that you speak is very critical. And so I'm confident in where I go, because I prepare for this situation.

Speaker 1: 34:59

If I'm gonna go in front of a bunch of Republicans, then I'm studying Republican policies, I'm studying what they think. I'm studying the words that they use, the language. I'm studying their mannerisms, how to react to certain gestures, what makes them sensitive, what makes them open up, what makes them comfortable. I'm on all that because I gotta present something in front of them that they might disagree with. But if I can get you to listen and you can just be open-minded to what I say, that's my work, that's my life's work. My life work is creating conversations. That's uncomfortable and making them comfortable. So I have to know the triggers of people prior before I'm put in certain situations. I know somebody 60, 70 years old okay, that's Jim Crow, especially if they white. You know what I'm saying, that's just. That's just. That more than likely could be a scenario. So how do I come off non-verbally offensive? Immediately I gotta change the way my facial muscles are constructed. I gotta figure out how to speak at a certain tone of authority without making them feel threatened.

Speaker 1: 35:58

It's a lot of little nuances and psychological things that I pay attention to before I even step foot on any stage that I'm about to get on, because it all plays a part in performances like acting. And now, granted, does that work all the time? No, but a great majority of the time. I noticed that you sway the crowd when you were MC to be open to an idea that they might be uncomfortable with, and so for me, I just know, like my intent is always to connect and create a peace environment. But you have to be prepared as an MC, because you have to be knowledgeable what's going on around you and aware and that's where a lot of my practice is more on that, and then I'll introduce the words that I'll utilize yeah, man, I mean cause you I've been, you know, of course I'm a fan, so I follow you and the way you interact with the crowd it just seems to get better and better and you seem to be more at ease.

Speaker 2: 36:55

Each you know what I'm saying Each year, each segment, like it just keeps growing. Thank you, man. Yeah, no, seriously. So when I saw you out there, you know, in Phoenix, you look like you're from Phoenix even though I know you're not. Like, especially when Phoenix was, you know, doing well, like, yeah, it was crazy, crowds was just rocking man, it's experience.

Speaker 1: 37:15

I think it really comes down to like being immersed in a culture and understanding, like the cultural norms you know, with their respect, the psychological operonists that I'm outside and they don't know who I am, and addressing that and breaking that and then inserting myself and, you know, breaking the third person, Me freestyle, and create the conversation with somebody I don't know.

Speaker 1: 37:39

So it gives them a chance to to feel involved in my world, in my reality currently. So it's it's deep when you have to do it in real time and it's even deeper when you have to curate an album and a show that's going to create all different types, with people to come to you and listen to what it is that you have to say and keep their attention for a period of time. So I'm aware of I think it's a lot of practicality and logic that I'm aware of that I just introduced into my life Like empathy really is the biggest. I don't. You can't be an apathetic artist. You have to be empathetic, and my ability to understand different walks of life gives me an advantage when I'm performing Like I understand, I'm going to.

Speaker 2: 38:27

No, no, no. I was just gonna say, man, what would you say to somebody? Cause everybody can't like. A lot of people want to tap into their creativity, but they struggle with being able to put themselves out there. So what would you say to that person who was really? They listening and they're like man Ray, I love what you're doing, you dope, you following your dreams, you following your purpose, but they're scared, they're fearful.

Speaker 1: 38:52

I think you have to absorb the energy and then figure out a way to tell your opinion of what's going on. Like we all live in America, so I can see the same pain. I can see the same success. I hear the same stories. I know the same famous podcasters they do. I know the same famous musicians they do, you know. I know some of the high schools and some of the tragedies. I know about single mothers, I know about single fathers.

Speaker 1: 39:20

I would say get educated on what's going on in society and you start to realize that you're telling a part of a story that somebody hasn't heard before and that's really the biggest thing is under it's empathy. You have to feel what the world is going through. You know like a lot of people are worried about how they're perceived, but art is such a selfless experience I can't be consumed in my fears. When I have something to say to somebody that can help uplift them especially, it's like a conversation. You know some great conversations just happen. You're triggered to say something and now you create this beautiful moment with a person. That's art. You're just doing that on a continuous basis and you're more conscious of when those moments happen, like people are looking for creativity, and nothing comes out perfect when you get started, so you just got to do it, and then over time it becomes something to marvel at. But you have to absorb the world.

Speaker 2: 40:16

So where do you get your inspiration from?

Speaker 1: 40:19

Everything, people, man. I listen to people, I study people, people. It's weird because we live in a society where folks focus on themselves so much and I don't think nothing's wrong with like self love.

Speaker 1: 40:34

But, I let go of the idea that we are in an independent society trying to maintain the social space. I don't believe that because by nature we're co-dependent people. So like, once I started to open up myself and listen to other people, I started to understand, like, their perspectives and I just started to put into my artwork people like, people like from poverty stricken, rich, successful. Everybody has a missing part in their life that they're trying to complete. In any walk of life you listen to somebody long enough to tell you their problems.

Speaker 2: 41:08

That's facts.

Speaker 1: 41:09

I wouldn't know that. Yeah, you don't matter how successful they are, it don't matter what they've gotten in life, they'll tell you what they're struggling with. So, but the same person that's struggling with that it's another person that's not, but they might be struggling with something different. So it's like is all of these answers and is all of these solutions around us, and I just learned that I just listen to different people and that just inspires me to write and create solutions in my music tailored to certain people's experiences, using a language that they would need to hear to understand it.

Speaker 2: 41:45

So, yeah, you got to before we wrap up. Man, you got to give us a freestyle. Could you famous with? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you famous. I throw you the word and you just get the. You know that's so cool, right there, yeah. All right big.

Speaker 1: 42:02

Yeah, let's do that. Let's do it, man. What words you got for me, man?

Speaker 2: 42:05

Let's get it. We're starting right off with peace.

Speaker 1: 42:08

Man, you know that you need peace. This world is so crazy, dog, to say the least. So I got to stay educated dog and get unmotivated every single day of the week. Prosperity I got to stay strong and bring peace and prosper all the time that I can. Dog, you see, with the third in the once open, you got to be focused and pump hope back in the hopeless. It's needed. Prosperity is the key, but you got to have peace to see it. So this peace of mind enlightens those that surround and understand we ain't leaving nobody behind. I feel it.

Speaker 1: 42:37

Faith, man, I understand, being a realist, I couldn't hear the word. Can't you say it again Faith, faith, faith, faith, man, I got it every day. I really feel that's a practical way. Have faith and I pray that I go and execute the next thing you know, dog, I'm going to shoot my shot. It's in the net with preparation. I'm giving my best. I can't stop. I'm getting better with that repetition and practice, life, making it happen, living this life. It's crazy, dog, man, the passion plus compassion. Every single time. Let me know that I stay in a certain state of mind and be here, it's quite clear, having my faith. So the ones around dog that truly relate and resonate to the energy that's inside. You know what come from. It's a gift to God. A gift to God Making it last what's the word. We can make it happen. Dog Taking the class.

Speaker 1: 43:20

Anxiety Taking the class All of the time. That's why I come and spit while I constantly blow their mind. A lot of people are anxious. What then happens? Stop believing in angels. Dog Stricting with sadness. Anxiety comes If you live in a life where you feeling stagnant. But get up and just don't make it happen.

Speaker 1: 43:36

So you got to get in your passion, be empathetic to people around. Dog For real. We need it to overcome tragic times. That's why you got to be in a certain state of mind. So I believe in helping the next man and blessing they sow. That's what it takes to give the gold. That's what it's going to be dog Should I say any more? A freestyle session right now, we letting them know that you killed it, you just something like that. I don't know, I ain't no beyond, but I had to.

Speaker 2: 44:02

Yeah man. Man. I just had to say, man, let me get a freestyle man you killed that mandatory, it's just point is mandatory at this point, right man, right, when I'm jealous man, because y'all still got light out over there, I'm thinking yeah, yeah, yeah, you're shining.

Speaker 1: 44:19

Oh man, I'm shining all of that, it's nice, you got to come out this way.

Speaker 2: 44:25

Definitely do. Never been to Phoenix, so I will hit you up when I get out there. Man, I had to have you on the show because your energy, your confidence, persistence and consistency man, like you, have been consistent for years and years and years, and, man, that's something that a lot of us struggle with. So let everybody know we're going to wrap it up, but let everybody know where they can find you. I know you got a new mixtape out, like all of that, all of that.

Speaker 1: 44:55

Man, I'm everyone on Spotify. Man Ray, r-a-y-w-i-m-l-e-y that's Ray Wimily and my name is pronounced on the women Bruce Lee, so, wimily, you can find me on Spotify, Instagram, facebook, tiktok, deezer. I'm on all of that. Apple music I'm everywhere. Apple music for the Android head, I mean for the Apple heads. You know, I'm all of that, I'm everywhere. Man Google, you can Google me, raywimlycom. I did some things now so I pop up in some of the search engines that you look in Bing, if you wanted to be with a used Bing, I don't know.

Speaker 1: 45:31

You can put it in Ray Wimily. I said if you put it in Ray Wimily, I pop up on Google and all my information pop up. And if people want to book you. People want to book me, man. Go to my website or you can go to my Instagram and my manager's email is under my Instagram page and they can book me to come out and do performances. I perform with bands, I write freestyles, I curate even weddings all types of stuff. I didn't rap everywhere. I didn't do all type of performances, man.

Speaker 2: 46:01

I think I had to perform. I performed every music. It's been crazy that band man Y'all did the.

Speaker 1: 46:06

Harbinger Project.

Speaker 2: 46:08

Yeah, it's just whew, but it's y'all together, though, Like it's just great music man.

Speaker 1: 46:16

Yeah, they done. Do man shout out to Harbinger Project and its thing? Because a lot of people don't know? When we went viral, that was them in the background making the beat, because folks was like yo, what is this classic hip? I'm like that's the band that's Harbinger Project. Baby, they do it. We just out in LA at the state of up on the state fair rocking the crowd. So yeah, and oh cool, yeah, I got some stuff coming up. Man, you got to get out here too. I got a residency now.

Speaker 2: 46:42

I'm doing a hip rock residency in September.

Speaker 1: 46:44

All it's going to be there.

Speaker 2: 46:45

Oh okay, yeah, all right, I'm there, I'm there.

Speaker 1: 46:48

Don't be a laugh. Yeah, come out, man Please.

Speaker 2: 46:54

Man. This is great, bro. We have wrapped up another dope episode with an amazing guest man, thank you. Thank you, bro. I know it's a lot. You got your family, you got your career, but I appreciate you taking time and we going to do it again. We going to do it again.

Speaker 1: 47:10

Yeah, man, that's not make it four years. Man Right, we're doing something to the next. Yes, sir.

Speaker 2: 47:20

Thank you all for listening to another episode of the Peace and Prosperity podcast. Again, if you are feeling like, hey, I'm experiencing high functioning anxiety, don't beat yourself up about it. It is OK. We all experience anxiety from time to time and I gave you a couple of things that you can do on your own, but don't hesitate to reach out to a professional to better manage what you're going through. Ok, and lastly, make sure, if you have not like share, subscribe to the podcast and send this out to a friend. And if you want to hear certain episodes or have certain conversations, let me know. You can shoot me a DM or just leave a review and I will definitely follow up. All right, y'all Be blessed, peace.