| Ray Luv | |
| Background: | solo_singer |
| Birth Name: | Raymond Tyson[1] |
| Birth Place: | New Orleans, Louisiana, United States |
| Birth Date: | 15 April 1972[2] |
| Genre: | West Coast Hip Hop, Gangsta Rap, |
| Occupation: | Rapper, Record Producer, Songwriter |
| Years Active: | 1989–present |
| Label: | Young Black Brotha, Priority Records, Interscope Records, Atlantic Records |
| Associated Acts: | Mac Mall, Tupac Shakur, Mac Dre, Warren G, Nate Dogg, Too Short, Shock-G, Digital Underground |
Raymond Tyson, better known by his stage name Ray Luv, is an American Bay Area rapper from Santa Rosa, California, United States, who is best known for his contribution to the Bay Area hip hop scene in the mid-1990s.
Raymond Tyson was born on April 15, 1972, in New Orleans, Louisiana, and was raised in Santa Rosa, California.
Early in his career Ray Luv performed alongside Tupac Shakur in the group Strictly Dope, a group based in Santa Rosa, California.[3] In 1991, Ray was signed to the independent label Young Black Brotha Records by fellow friends Mac Dre and Mac Mall. Ray Luv has stated that he got his name from Tupac Shakur.[4]
His first extended play Who Can Be Trusted? was released in 1993 by Young Black Brotha "Get Your Money On" from Trusted was popular on local radio at the time. That next year, Luv was featured on the Above The Rim soundtrack.[5] Forever Hustlin, released in 1995 by Interscope Records through the Bay Area label Young Black Brotha, was his major label debut;[5] [6] it reached #21 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart.[7]
One of Ray Luv's biggest singles "Last Nite", music video was directed by Tupac Shakur in 1994. He was longtime friends with Tupac and fellow Bay Area rappers, Mac Dre and Mac Mall.
In 1997, Luv contributed to the Bay Area rap compilation, Best of Da Bay: A Series of Slaps, from Young Black Brotha.[8]
Ray Luv is co-owner of the bay area favorite online video series Pushin' The Bay TV, alongside the show's host Emcee T, a rapper who is also from Santa Rosa, California
| Title | Release | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US R&B | US Heat | |||
| Forever Hustlin | 1995 | 21 | 16 | |
| Coup d'Etat | 1998 | 29 | — | |
| A Prince in Exile | 2002 | 35 | — | |
| Deathwish | 2004 | 40 | — | |
| Title | Release | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Rap | |||
| "Last Nite" | 1994 | 16 | Forever Hustlin |
| "Definition of a Hustla" | 1995 | 18 | |
| "Still Smokin Indo" | 21 |
| Title | Release | Peak chart positions[9] | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Rap | ||||
| "They Don't Understand" (Mac Dre featuring Ray Luv) | 1993 | 9 | Young Black Brotha | |
| "Pimp Shit" (Mac Mall featuring Ray Luv and Mac Dre) | 18 | Illegal Business? | ||
| "Born Hustlaz" (Ray Luv & RBL Posse) | 1994 | 24 | West Coast Bad Boyz Vol.1 | |
| "All About My Fetti" (Young Lay featuring Mac Mall & Ray Luv) | 1995 | 21 | New Jersey Drive, Vol. 1, Black 'N Dangerous | |
| "Bay Area Playaz" (Mac Dre featuring Ray Luv, Mac Mall, Master P, Too Short, Young Lay) | 11 | Dwellin' in tha Labb | ||
| "Pimp or Die " (Mac Mall featuring Ray Luv and Young Lay) | 1996 | 27 | Untouchable | |
| "Cinnamon Waves" (Shock G featuring Ray Luv) | 2000 | 35 |