EntGrtahment
Page 7 The Compass Dec. 2005 ^
A closer look at Bobby Valentino I Ray J Exposed through raydiation
g Carla Layton
Staff Writer
By Ashley Yelity
Staff Writer
When Bobby
Valentino entered the R.L.
Vaughn center, the first thing
he said was, “I want all my
ladies to come to the front of
the stage.”
The ladies in the room
immediately rushed down
from their seats, screaming to
see Valentino. His visit at
Elizabeth City State
University’s 2005
homecoming concert was
coordinated by the students
of Student Government
Association (SGA) along
with Coach Harroldj^gJi
Fairley (the host) and alistjf
many other participants.
Bobby Wilson, known
professionally as Bobby
Valentino, was born in
Jackson, Mississippi and
raised in Atlanta, Georgia. He
began his music career at the
age of 13 in the group Mista,
which resembled a few of the
male groups out at the time
such as Boys II Men and
After Seven. Before the
second album, however, the
group decided to go their
separate ways because of
management problems.
Asked to describe the
experience of being a star
performer so early in life,
Valentino said, “It was real
hard. We were from all
different parts of the ATL, so
we were always late
everywhere that we went. It
was good because I did leam
a lot of things by being in a
group at such a young age.”
After years of putting his
,music-^career on hold,
Valentino decided, after
talking to his parents and
having their support, that
pursing a college degree was
as important as music.
Valentino then enrolled at
Clark Atlanta University
where he majored in mass
communications.
Following graduation from
Clark Atlanta in 2003,
Valentino felt that his passion
for music was^still strong:, so
he resumed his music career.
Many say Valentino’s voice
resembles Stevie Wonder
and Marvin Gaye.
After getting back
into the groove of things,
Valentino won the number
one spot on Billboards Hot
R&B Hip Hop singles and
tracks chart which sent his
self titled album to a number
two debut on the top R&B
hip hop Billboard album
chart.
On the pop charts, Valentino
is blowing up with his smash
hit, “Slow Down,” which
jumped to number 16 on the
hot 100 and his album
debuted at number three on
the Billboard Top 200 chart
with approximately 180,000
units sold.
view other student profile at
another school, the person
must be added as their friend
first. Another option offered.
jeiore me tor music was^stiii strong, so _ _
Are you with facebook;
By Lenora Mayne
Staff Writer their wall (a message eveloped a common interest
Besides eating and board that everyone would at ECSUonfacebook.com is
studying, facebook.com has see as they visit a specific the type of groups members
became the new and improve person’s profile). have developed along with
way of communicating for joining. Glancing though
Elizabeth City State As a registered facebook.com, I noticed some
University students, member you can even add common interesting groups.
“Facebook’’ has become a members as your friends but For example, “I need a refund
daily necessity for student at in order to proceed, the check this Friday”, “Why am
member has to confirm you, I fiiends with you on facebook
however they also have the BUT not on campus’’
option to reject. Students “Happy to be a VIKING’
have access to everyone’s “I’m not country... I’m from
page that’s on facebook from up north”, “sophomore class
their school, but in order to council”, “Student
ECSU.
For those who may
not know about facebook, it
is an online directory that
connects people through
social network at several
colleges all over the United
States according to the
facebook founder, Mark
Zuckerberg.F'acebookisnot is every member on ^ ^
only for student but for facebook.com has the right these groups are hilarious,
alumni’s as well. In order for to start up there own they’re somewhat serious, for
a student to register to group. Such as example, “the scoop”. The
facebook.com, they have to organizations, common scoop is written for student of
use their university e-mail interest, sports, fratemities, ECSU to know what is
address as verification of sororities and sponsored happening on campus that
attending a university. groups. week or the following week.
Government Association @
ECSU”, “Biology Majors”; “I
live in Jenkins Science
Center”, along with many
other groups. While many of
Becoming a member
of facebook there are many
option for students choose.
You can browse other
student’s profiles at ECSU
and send them messages,
poke them (a funny way of
saying,” Hi!”) Or write on
For ECSU, facebook.com
is something new. More and
more students are registering
everyday. As for the record,
there are over a thousand
students registered through
Elizabeth City State
University.
So if you are not registered
with facebook.com, I advise
that you do. It is the new and
improved way of
communicating with you
friends. Trust me, you will love
it!
With his ‘Raydiation’
CD, released in September,
Ray J’s first single ‘One wish’
is now in the top ten on
Billboards Hot R&B/Hip-
Hop Singles & Tracks. The
video can be seen on
Musical Television, Black
Entertainment, and VHl.
Between promoting his
album and juggling his
impressive acting career, he
has taken some time out to
talk to me about the
promotion of his album.
Carla: I just have a couple
of questions for you
Ray J: Okay, That’s what’s
up
Carla: What was the
process between the making
of your last album and your
current album Raydiation?
Ray J: Well, I got off
Atlantic Records, and I
wanted to start my own
label, KnockOut. So it took
me a little bit of time to get
my money together and just
get my budget right so I could
start working on my projects.
Then I went to Miami, just
started working on my
projects out of the Hit
Factory, (the world’s largest
and most successful
commercial recording
faciUty, located in NY), my
own money, and my own
budget. It took about a year
and a half just to put the
whole project together. It
was a struggle but it was a
real positive struggle, I was
able to work with R Kelly,
Timberland, Rodney
Jerkins, Maya, Brandy,
you know it was just a
blessing.
Carla: Tell me a little bit
more about your company
KnockOut Entertainment.
Ray J; KnockOut is you
know, definitely based out of
Los Angeles, I’ve been
yelling KnockOut since Lil’
Kim said, “It’s Queen Bee
KnockOut collaboration,”
on my last album. I’ve been
trying to get it ofi" the ground.
I’m the first artist off of
KnockOut Entertainment
and this is the first project off
of KnockOut, Raydiation,
we’re doing positive things.
‘One Wish’ is in the top ten
right now. Of course. Brandy
is an ^ist and an owner of
the KnockOut, she’s on the
label, and then I got one other
artist too, his name is Shorty
Mac and he’s featured all
over my album Raydiation, so
he’s the hip-hop artist off of
KnockOut. So, that’s
basically what KnockOut
consists of right now, and as
the years go on we’ll build
and grow, we’ll expand, and
grow.
Carla: Okay, on your
‘Raydiation’ album is there a
particular song that means the
most to you?
Ray J: No, I like all the
songs. I feel hke every song
has, you know, a different feel
a different vibe. So I like
them all. If there was one
song I listened to a lot, it
would have to be at this
moment, ‘Let’s Play House.’
One I did with p^odney
Jerkins, I love the concept of
the song. I mean everybody’s
having babies right now. At
least I know a lot of people
having kids. It just a great
concept for right now and
what the world is going
through.
Carla: What was it like
working with My a on the
song, ‘Sexy’?
Ray J: Oh, it was hot and
Seductive. You know I’m a
fan of Mya, you know I’ve
had a crush on Mya before
my career, so to be able to
do a song that seductive and
that sexy, and that dark with
her was real fun.
Carla: What types of
projects can we expect from
you in the future?
Ray J: You can expect me
to keep pumping this
Raydiation album everyday.
It’s in stores now; you can
expect me of course on
BET.COM, everyday
Monday through Saturday,
after 106 and Park. And you
can see me on the show One
on One, I play the role of D-
Mack. It’s in its fifth season.
I’m one of the new series
regulars, and you can catch
me on that show every
Monday night, eight o’clock
onUPN.
Carla: Yeah, I’ve seen you
up there.
Ray J: Oh you did?
Carla: Yeah, you do a good
job!
Ray J: That’s what’s up.
Carla: So who do you rely
on the most, as far as support
for your career?
Ray J: God. I trust in God
andltrustinmy heart. Andl
know He’ll guide me in the
right path. I’ve learned a lot
just growing up in my career,
I leam from my mistakes. You
know, you always get a
second or a third chance so
you just got to do it right.
Carla: Right, right So what
is in the future for you?
RayJ: In the future for me?
Just ‘Raydiation’, that’s
basically what it is
‘Raydiation‘. Brandy’s album
will be out, and then you
know, the TV side, I’ve got
that right now. And hopefully
in a few years I’ll get into
doing movies and stuff.
Carla: Okay, I have one
more question.
RayJ: Okay.
Carla: If you had ’One
Wish’, what would it be?
RayJ: If I had‘One Wish’
right now, it would be for
everybody to go out there
and support this ‘Raydiation’
album; we’ve been working
on it fot a long time. I think
it’s something soulful,
something passionate, and
something positive. You know
I think my ‘One Wish’ right
now, is for the whole world
to hear it and to go buy it.
Between, acting, and
promoting his Album Ray J
continues to be consistent in
within his career. You can
catch Ray J on BET.COM,
everyday Monday through
Saturday, after 106 and Park.
And on the show One on
One, playing the role of D-
Mack., every Monday night,
at eight o’clock on UPN.