Billboard's Man of the Year, Akon Delivers Again with New Artist: Ray Lavender

Lately, the R&B market is making an impression on both radio and television. The focus of music is shifting back from rap to strong R&B acts who can actually sing and entertain. T-pain, Chris Brown, Trey Songz and J. Holliday are just some of the exciting new talents that are bringing R&B back to the forefront of the industry. Another rising star who is standing out in the crowd is the very unpredictable, Ray Lavender. Lavender is stamping his imprint in the game with his rising controversial single, "My girl's gotta girlfriend."

Lavender who goes by the nick name Ray-L will tell you right away that he's a realist. His music is simply a diary of his life put to syncopated melodies and lyrics. He confesses that what separates him from other singers is that he says what others might think but are afraid to say. "I'm so real that if I was a rapper I'd be Tupac, he says very confidently. I apply my life to my music and I'm not afraid to be myself in this game."

Lavender's realism hasn't gone un-noticed to radio program directors as he was asked to clean up the single which has now been edited to "My girl's gotta best friend." He has a catchy second single coming out the beginning of the year. It is featuring his friend and label mate T-Pain. Lavender is beginning to recognize how politics is a huge part of music. Naturally, the bad side of the art of music is that it is a business. Lavender is learning a lot about music, life and politics as he spreads his wings and flies through the game. His voice, talent and personality has made him an Artist to Watch in 08.

Crazy, is how Ray Lavender describes himself. Truthful, is how I define him. The R&B crooner fell in love with singing in high school. Besides playing basketball, writing songs became a a hobby that Lavender preoccupied himself with. It wasn't until after his father passed away that he began to really take his craft to another level. The grief of losing his father changed his life.

"It killed me mentally because my father was my best friend. Like most people who lose some one that close to them, my heart is forever broken. It's hard to mend a loss like that ...it can almost kill you. I was dying just sitting their being still." Lavender decided to channel his sadness into his art. He moved from rural Hall County, Georgia to Atlanta. He began to meet a lot of different people through his friend and now manager, Andrew "Drew" Bryant. Lavender's talent blew away hit makers such as Dallas Austin, Jazze Pha and Tricky Stewart. Still, there was one particular producer that Bryant wanted to introduce Lavender to.

"Drew said, there's this African guy I want you to meet. He's real low key but a lot of people know him underground. This was early 1997. At that time you didn't have a lot of African producers in the game so I didn't know what to expect." The average person would have wanted to only associate with the producers everyone already knew but that's what makes Lavender different. He's somewhat of a nonconformist. Initially, Lavender assumed the producer might have not known how to deliver the hip hop/ R&B feel he was looking for but being the open-minded person he is, Lavender took a chance.

"The minute I heard the beats, all the misconceptions of him being an African producer went out the door. He was better then most of the hip hop producers I had met. Right away we clicked and we've been brothers since. Lavender's ability to be open and free paid off for him because his producer; Akon, became the go-to hit maker for many artists. Akon is also Billboard Magazine's man of the year for 2007.

People may have first heard Akon on the song "Locked up" or "So Fly," which was on Adam Sandler's hit movie soundtrack, The Longest Yard. The soundtrack was executive produced by St.Louis native, Nelly. Akon who is West-African was also born in St. Louis but split time between Senegal and the States. He grind-ed his way through the ever-changing music game as a producer and artist. Akon now has his own label Konvict music - Kon Live which is home to Lavender, Chili (TLC) and T-Pain. The label is a joint venture with Geffen Records.

Lavender is one of the very few fortunate artists to be under the Geffen -A&M- Interscope umbrella. The label is headed by Brooklyn-born chairperson, Jimmy Iovine who signed acts such as Tupac, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and No Doubt. The beauty about Ray Lavender's home based label with Akon is that he has creative freedom and doesn't have to worry about the games and tricks that may go on at other places.

Most artists rarely have the kind of freedom Lavender has until after the third album. In some cases labels and publishers have producers, writers/ghost-writers already picked out for the artists based on inner politics. "Sometimes there's politics involved when it comes to things like.. you know you got a hot beat... but their forces that stop you. Sometimes it's the radio and sometimes it's other things but my situation is different. They (the label) told me to do what I want cause I'm the one who has to sing the songs. I write and co-write with whoever I want to write with and I'm open to listening to any tracks as well."

Lavender also recognizes that they are some things that a more established artist can get away with as opposed to a newcomer such as himself. For the most part, he's very happy with his situation and is enjoying the good aspects of his dream to sing. "Once you get in its good," he says excitedly. The money, fame, the models and of course the writers publicizing you. When you have records and are on t.v everyone loves you, but I've been through different experiences so I know how to handle a lot of things.

Lavender's many experiences in life are reflected through his songs. His handsome looks and southern swagger hasn't hurt him with the ladies either. His various interactions with women have made him quite the relationship expert as well.

Lavender, being an experienced heartthrob and ladies man gave his thoughts on quotes and daily affirmations written by author, Mercedes A Terzol (whose book 999 Ways To Say No To A No Good Man has disappeared on me again but nevertheless, thanks to a special someone we are all supplied with various emails of poems and quotes written by Terzol.

AC: One of the poems I read today was about trust and relationships. I wanted to save it as a discussion topic for Mary J but since you are an expert yourself what is your take on this: (Lavender is given quotes)

RL: Actually one of my song centers on that (love and trust) it's called, Checking My Phone. The other day I set my phone down after coming from playing basketball and my shorty/friend was at the crib. The minute I get out (of) the shower I hear "-Ray who is(name with held) and what is she doing calling you back?" See this can go two ways, Lavender, says. For one: we're not married. Two: there are guidelines people have to take in a relationship. A good way to ruin a relationship is to not respect your partner's privacy.

AC: You've dealt with someone checking your phone. How about emails and things like that

RL: Yeah, further along in the song I address that. I'm like..what are you? Inspector Gadget or something? If so the crucial part about that is if you come to my myspace page or go through my email and phone, are you ready to handle what you might find? Can you handle it? Or is it gonna throw you all the way off? You went through my things... now are you prepared for what that girl might tell you. Can you handle how that person might come at you? You were confident enough to go through my stuff now can you handle it..that's the question. Thats your fault for being Inspector Gadget.

Lavender goes on to further advice that if your mind is going to be thrown off by your Inspector Gadget duties then you might want to help yourself out and chill with the drama. He also speaks about cheating.

AC You're often described as a ladies man, yet you got cheated on by a significant other. How did you handle it

RL: Yeah I found out my girl was cheating on me

AC: I'm sorry to hear that, that can be painful and humiliating depending on how you find out. You've experienced many trials in your life

RL: Nah its all good. I caught her cheating on me for another girl..for real and I decided to just join in to keep things cool.

AC: (after a mental note of the Hail Mary) Well that's what makes you different Ray. For others, getting cheated on is bad but finding out your partner was creeping on you with the same sex could be absolutely shocking and traumatizing, but not for ladies man Lavender. I'm assuming this was the inspiration of your single.

RL: Yeah don't edit me out. I'm giving it to my listeners and fans how it is. It's my life through music.

Listeners will get a chance to hear Lavender's many factual stories of love, relationships, and life next year on his highly anticipated album, X-Rayted. His legions of female fans will also be able to check Lavender out in Akon's future movie, Cocaine Cowboy as well as in the ads for Akon's clothing line. Even if people don't agree with Ray Lavender's lyrics, the one thing that can be appreciated about the R&B star is that at least he's himself. He's like Vincent Van Gogh surrounded by Renoir, Degas and Monet. Ray Lavender is a realist amongst impressionists, painting images of his life through authentic colorful stories and memorable melodies. He is definitely an artist we're all looking forward to listening to in 2008.