Following the release of Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, Kendrick Lamar announced earlier this year that the album would be his last under contract with Top Dawg Entertainment. People wondered how this would affect the label moving forward now that its biggest artist is gone, but it looks like TDE already has its next big player: Ray Vaughn.
Vaughn hails from Long Beach City, California, but briefly lived in Arizona before relocating to Palm Springs, California. Last year, TDE announced Vaughn as its newest artist, and this year, he’ll be featured in a cypher at the BET Hip Hop Awards.
On Thursday, BET announced the lineup of artists selected to participate in the cyphers for the 2022 Hip Hop Awards. And of course, on the list was TDE’s very own freestyle assassin.
If you’re unfamiliar with the up-and-coming artist, here are five facts you should know.
He first gained notoriety on YouTube for freestyling.
The “Top Shottas” rapper is known for his lyricism and doesn’t shy away from an opportunity to freestyle. This is exactly how his fanbase grew.
Vaughn started “Freestyle Fridays,” a series on YouTube where he drops videos of him rapping over popular beats. His flow and consistency gained him a lot of views, which is how he caught the attention of California-based label TDE.
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He turned down an academic scholarship to UCLA.
Vaughn’s hustle and hard work were first apparent in academics, and he eventually became the valedictorian of his high school, according to Audible Treats. In addition, Vaughn’s grades were so impressive that UCLA offered him a full-ride scholarship, but he turned it down to pursue music.
He is a part of a big family and is one of seven children.
Vaughn is the third oldest out of seven children, according to Hypebeast, and his closeness with his siblings is often displayed on social media. Vaughn often appears in funny TikTok videos with his brother, fellow artist Seven Johnson.
@sev_916 When Yo sibling get a Good Whoopin @ray.vaughnderay I COULDN’T TAKE IT😭#laughalittle ♬ original sound – Seven
TDE is Vaughn's dream label.
Being born and raised in California, as well as a fan of TDE’s legacy thus far, Vaughn always pictured himself signing to the label. During an interview with Billboard in 2021, he mentioned that signing to TDE is like joining the Los Angeles Lakers.
Vaughn is ready to "play" among the "big boys."
While sitting down with Billboard, Vaughn also divulged how he sees himself fitting into the TDE family.
“Do I want to be the rookie that takes lead of the team and becomes the face of the franchise? Or do I want somebody else to come in and do it?” Vaughn said. ” I feel like I’m responsible for taking us to the next level now — and even if [Kendrick Lamar] was staying, I would still have the same mentality, that I want to be a starter and play with the big boys.”
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