Ray J (William Raymond Norwood Jr.) is a singer, songwriter, actor, producer, reality tv star, and a business owner. As of October 2019, his net worth is $7.5 million. His reported annual salary is $1 million.
Ray J earned a lot of his fortune through music sales, but much of it also came through television shows and brand endorsement deals.
Born into a business-oriented family (his sister is singer/actress Brandy Norwood, and his first cousin is Snoop Dogg), Ray J started his career at age eight, doing commercials and a guest appearance on the Sinbad show.
He ventured into music, signing to Elektra Records and releasing his debut album, Everything You Want, in 1997. The album peaked at position 56 on U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.
Ray J starred on Moesha, playing Dorian, alongside his sister Brandy Norwood between 1999 and 2001. He also had two other shows with Brandy — For the Love of Ray J and Brandy and Ray J: A Family Business.
In 2001, Ray J released his second studio album, This Ain’t a Game. The album peaked at 21 on Billboard 200 and nine on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. He released his third album, Raydiation, in 2005, and it peaked at position 48 on Billboard 200. His fourth album, All I Feel, was released in 2008 and sold around 250,000 copies.
Ray J became a household name after his infamous sex tape with his former girlfriend, Kim Kardashian. The tape went public in 2007, a year after the couple parted ways.
Ray J appeared on Love and Hip Hop: Hollywood in 2014 and is still a primary cast member of the show. He also appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2017.
In 2016, Ray J married his wife, Princess Love. They filmed their wedding for a VH1 special. Their daughter Melody was born in 2018, and they are pregnant with their second child.