With production from Rockwilder, Rick Ross, and Knoxxx on his debut album, C.O.D. (Sony), and his single featuring Scarface, "Bumpin' My Music," getting national spins, this Eastside-Clevelander may easily be on his way.
Cash sat down with Vibe.com and politicked it about growing up in the 'hood, Cash on Delivery, and his plan for longevity.
Vibe.com: How long you’ve been rapping?
right Ray Cash: Im been taking it serious since 2001. I started back in 1996 in highschool. When I felt I was good enough to start banging on tables making beats and rhymes with my freinds. I realize I was nice or that I could be nice when I went to the studio the first time. I knocked out three songs my first session.
Did you freestyle the tracks or did u write them?
Ray Cash: Nah, they was actually written tracks.
What's your process like for writing music?
Ray Cash: As long as they let me do me, Im good. Let me do me! I mean I don’t mind input, if you can't take input you'll never go nowhere. As far as certain muther fuckers that aint in the streets and is behind a desk and think they can pick a hit; I cant fuck with that cause if you aint in the street and you don’t what these young motherfuckers are bouncing to you’ll never win!
Now that we're talking about the streets; what hood are you reppin’?
Ray Cash: The east side of Cleveland all day. I grew up on the hills!!
How was it growing up there?
Ray Cash: Oh it was cool!! My house was directly across the street from the projects, growing up my mom was like "don’t take your ass across the street." She’d go to work and I’d go across the street cause it was popping over there!! I used to sit on my porch and see these niggas getn it.
So you got a little street hustle in ya?
Ray Cash: Of course! I aint got no older brothers, me and my partners looked up to the older niggas in the hood and they fucked with us!! We picked up all that shit!! I learn in the street from other people’s mistakes, nah mean. I aint nevah had no jail time! A lot of niggas they be proud of that shit! That aint nothing to be proud of!!!
How do you use your personal experience to make your music?
Ray Cash: I mean that’s what my music is its honesty. I think that's why niggas like scarface and Jay and them will have longevity cause they keep it honest! Feel me. If you feel fucked up write about!! So my music is honest we aint bullshitn!! I wanna do me and rep my state!
What influenced your decision to sign with Sony?
Ray Cash: It was kinda like right place at the right time. Sony its not known for breakn rap artist and all that shit but its like you gotta take chances. So was like we wanna fuck with you and they gave me my control. I don’t gotta go to New York and work on my album I can stay home and do it! As far as promotion you already know you can do that shit yourself!!!
What producers did you work with on your album?
Ray Cash: Rockwilder, Rick Rock, Cooly C, Jam West, my man Pop Trax. I got a couple cleveland producers I got Yanni he worked on Wayne album.
What do you want people to get from your music?
Ray Cash: I want them to get a breath of fresh air. I want them to listen to my music and play it back to listen again to what I said.
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