Ray Vaughn – 2025 XXL Freshman

Being: “My influence is Kendrick Lamar, André 3000, Meek Mill, Future and Sade. I think Kendrick Lamar is at the level of his career and I don’t think any artist on the West Coast directly influences him because he does so much.

André (André 3000), which is more of his lyrical ability and tone. If people listen to my music, some songs, they say I remind them of Andre. I think that’s because of influence of course. Of course, Meek is energetic and aggressive. I ramble in the same type of style. I have it forever. I feel like once he comes in, it gives me a better way to cast my voice.

The future of party songs and the “atmosphere” that keeps people moving forward and melodies. To me, he was like one of the kings of melody because he did it effortlessly. It even sounds like he didn’t try it at all.

And Sade is because she deserves to die. She can listen to music anytime, anywhere, no matter you are on earth. If you’re in the club and they open Sade, you won’t be angry. If you’re on the beach and they open THAAD, you won’t be angry. That’s what I long to be in the last game. ”

The truth about being a freshman in XXL: “My life, I’m like, I’m going to be a freshman. I feel like it’s just time. It took me 100 to get here and it took me a quarter of a century to get here. I think it was Meco who called me first. He’s my manager. He’s my manager, but he’s one of my best friends. I was like, “Yes, I’m going to go back to high school.” “I was just playing. I told my mom and grandma that my mom was like “I’ve read these before.” I was like, “fire.”

I think [being a Freshman] Strengthen the artist and let the world know that it is a real interest. I think it’s stamped. They may be the next big thing. Now, if they fail after this, it’s up to them. But it’s definitely a spotlight to verify them.

[What I bring to the Freshman Class]a lot of human music. People will feel a lot of bars. Many music moves people emotionally in a positive way. I feel like Kendricks, Coles, The Drakes, the gentle fabric, I feel like we haven’t seen anything with XXL in a while, just because the artists who have been banging out don’t really want to take it. But I am now a pioneer in trying to take this goal.

That’s how we even get here through human music. I feel like we were based on human music from the beginning, people were just talking about their day, “one, two, three, four.” It was that kind of music. Now, when it isn’t like that, it has downplayed the lifestyle. Half of these rappers did not do what they said, nor did they do what they said. So when you find someone who is related, because they are talking about the same things you live in, then you have a way to deal with it. This is cured. This is a form of treatment. I think this is very important.

There are a lot of these rappers who make music and you don’t know them. You know nothing about them. I can listen to an album from someone else now and know nothing about you. I only know your obstacles, but I still don’t know you. So, I, I think it’s important because then people will fall in love with this person, not just music.

[When my fans see me on this cover]I know they’ll say, ‘Damn time. We’ve been watching you for a long time and now you’ve finally got the fact that you identify…” I think they’ll be heavy. They’ll say, ‘Yes. He’s there.

[To the people being introduced to me for the first time]don’t be with me. Shut up, sit down and listen, and make yourself feel. ”