How would you describe your sound?
It’s TDE. It sounds very TDE-ish. TDE is the greats before us: the Jay Rock’s, the Q’s, the Kendrick’s. TDE has a unique sound, to say the least. We have our own vibe, our own sound. It might be a little unorthodox, but when it comes off, it sounds good.
What did it mean to shoot the Red Bull freestyle in your hometown Long Beach?
That’s home. That's my home, where I came from. I grew to be the person I am. I take a lot of pride in Long Beach, because it shaped me and molded me into the man that I am today.
It’s dope. It was a milestone for me, to say I shot with Red Bull in Long Beach. I don't know if you guys shot with somebody else from Long Beach, in Long Beach. If that's not the case, then I'm the first of the first. That’s how I feel. And it's Red Bull!
Where was the shoot in Long Beach?
They picked the perfect location. We shot by the lighthouse. What’s crazy, I didn't know it was going to be at the lighthouse. But they picked the lighthouse and I have the lighthouse tattooed on my neck.
What was your headspace when you recorded the freestyle?
It's the same case every time. I usually go back, because I'm not in those predicaments anymore. I just sit by myself, and take the time to reflect. Everything I think about during the reflection, I just write as I’m reflecting. It doesn't even have to rhyme. I can make the rhymes later, I just created the realness from it by pulling from the reflection. Write exactly what happened and try to say that creatively, then make rhymes to lead up to that point.
Have you always been this vulnerable in your music?
No. I started getting vulnerable in 2017, when I started rapping in the car. I was one of the artists that started pioneering that, back when it was a theme. Looking out the window for the 10 Toes Down Challenge, you looking sad and you’re rapping about your girlfriend. After that, it went viral. That's what created the vulnerability, because I was fully open with relationships. It started turning into life. Oh, I'm talking about real life stuff.
You spit in the freestyle: “My mama’s husband hit that eight-ball right in front of me. Man, why the f*ck is God so harsh when it come to me?” How did that affect you?
It's a lot. Because you see that, and you don't think it's ever your kid. But when you get older and you see it, it's a real situation. People are fighting demons right in front of you, and you don’t even see it.
I didn't know what he was going through. You walk in and you see some shit like that, it fucks you up. It changed my perception of the man that he was at that point in time. Once you get older though, you realize that they’re fighting their own demons. It taught me to not judge, because I still love to do without a fault. You know?
How has music helped you throughout all this?
It's a coping mechanism. People think I rap for other people. I don't rap my fans around, I rap for me. It's more like therapy. It's really therapeutic. When I write from that space, I'm really reflecting. It’s like a diary that I'm sharing with everybody.
When did you realize that you could do music for a living?
Since 9. Nine or 10, we used to do Freestyle Fridays in the living room. Everybody used to tell me, “Yo, you’re actually good.” I’m like oh shit. My uncles did it. I'm like “You know what, I can rap.” After that, I took it seriously, but I didn't have the equipment. By the time I was 12 or 13, my mom's husband bought me a computer set. Like a little studio. After that, I was serious. I've never had another dream since I was 12. I’m going to be a rapper, period. Nothing else, nothing more. That’s what I’ma be.
Is Ray Vaughn your real name?
Yeah, it’s just spelled differently. I broke it down to two names, so people wouldn't ask me my last name.
Now, we want to ask you about your last name.
My last name is Welch. But in more music, you'll see that I don’t like my last name. Because it's my father's last name.
Definitely want to talk about “Sandcastles” with Ab-Soul.
Oh yeah, that shit was crazy. I recorded it with my guys, Wallis Lane. We’ve been working, locked in. We have 50 to 60 songs together. They loaded the beat. As soon as they did it, I immediately was like “Ab-Soul needs to be on here.”
I cut the record, then called Ab-Soul like “Yo I have a record.” He said, “Send it.” When I sent it, he’s like “Oh this is different. Let's get it.” He was excited, because it wasn't what he expected. Just a barbecue, going bar for bar. What people expect from him is that song. We had hella fun. Then the video, he showed up and gave the big brother TDE arm around the little brother TDE.
What’s the synergy between you two in the studio?
He doesn't write, so we have the same recording process. The difference with him, he comes in and he comes from a different place. He walks in and does the whole verse, versus me I do it bar for bar. He just stays away, then comes in and he's done. Like what? When the fuck did you do that? So it’s good.
Do you have a favorite line from the song?
“My brother in Orange, he want an appeal. They opening cases, Deal or No Deal.” That’s probably my favorite. Because my brother’s really in Orange, trying to get an appeal. [laughs]
How much are you blowing at Nieman’s?
I’m not going to cap, most I blew at Nieman’s is $10K to $15K.
Yeah that’s not bad at all, compared to my friends. The guys I’m on the label with, they probably going dumb.
We want to touch on the TDE moment. Playing Top Dawg those 25 records, were you nervous? What was going through your head?
I wasn't nervous. Because I knew once he wanted to see me in a room, in my head that's all I ever needed from anybody, is to get in the room. After getting in the room, I'll make sure I'll do the rest. It's always been like that for me. It'll be hell getting into the room, but once I get into the room, I've never been told “You need to be doing something else.” It’s always been “Yeah, you got exactly what it takes.”
It was just a matter of us getting into the room. I'm not a nervous person. I'm very controlling when it comes to nerves. Because it was Top, the only thing in my head was “He has to like me, there's no way he can’t. I have to make sure that I display all the reasons he can't.”
How's your guys' relationship evolved?
Very good. Me and Top are very close. He’s like a music dad. He tells me stuff I'm pretty sure other labels executives wouldn’t tell you about the industry, how to move and certain shit. He cares when other labels probably wouldn't. I could call Top and 2am or 3am. Even if he's at home, he'll pick it up like “What's up Ray? What ya got?” It's never, “Why are you calling?”
Best piece of advice he gave you?
Don't make excuses for yourself, and don't let anybody else make excuses to you.
You have three kids, talk about what fatherhood means to you.
It's a normal life for me. For me, it's balance. That’s the only thing that's difficult and I had to learn. Finding a balance with being a dad and being a superhero at the same time, because you gotta find time to save the world and still teach your kids the same values that you have. Morals that you have in creating mini-superheroes. To me, it's regular. It's real life, regular life for me. That balance is something that gets me at times.
Do they bump your music?
They don't bump my music because they’re too little. They listen to the music though, they know the words.
Three things you need in the studio at all times?
First I need a U 87 [microphone]. I need me. I don't need nothing in this studio. I don't smoke, I've never smoked. I don't drink. I don't do anything because I always told myself, I don't want to have any type of vice when I go in the studio to record. I don't want to be like, “Oh if I don't have this, I can't create.” It's literally just me.
If I didn't have water, I'd be fine in the studio. Put me in there, I’ll create the best music. Some of my best music, I didn't even drink water the whole session and I'm in there for 12 to 13 hours. I never wanted to create that type of environment where I need something to create.
What inspires you the most?
I don't need inspiration to make music. If you need inspiration to make music, then you can't make music inspired. If you're not inspired, you can't make the best music. To me, it's all off energy. If I come in the studio and feel like making music, not even an inspiration. My spirit is like “Oh, make music today.” Or not, or it is. That’s it.
I’m very bare minimum, that’s why Top loves me. Because I don't need anything at all. That's why you get those artists that can only make music in the seasons, because they need candles. If they can't have the candles, they throw a fit. Or if they're not inspired because they haven't went through anything. I've lived long enough to pull from any experience that I want to talk about. I just pull from those: Okay, this happened with this person. Or this happened like this. Whenever I think of an idea: Has that happened to me? When did it happen to me? Okay, pull from them. That's where I pull from, so I never run out of content. You shouldn’t if you've lived long enough.
What's a goal you have for yourself?
It's small for everybody, but a goal for me is for anybody to look at TDE as my label. Because when you think of TDE, there has to be somebody. When you think of QC, who do you think of?
Right now, Lil Baby.
Exactly. You think of somebody. So, when you think of TDE now, who do you think of?
Ray Vaughn?
[laughs] I’m weak. I want that. That's a small goal for me. When I accomplish that, it's a milestone. I can take over the world because people will look at it and say “Oh, that's Ray’s label.” That's a goal for me so it’s putting in that groundwork and that overtime so that other people see it.
When you think of TDE, who do you think of?
I think me. But predominantly, the general population, when the world thinks TDE right now, they think SZA. And that’s big sis. SZA has the greatest show I've ever seen in my life, and that's no cap. She’s putting in so much work and going crazy, doing shit that nobody on the label has ever done. Ten consecutive weeks #1 on the Billboards? Nobody has ever done that on our label. That's crazy. She’s doing this shit that's inspiring to me, as well as motivating. She’s setting the path.
What can we expect next music-wise from you?
Just pushing out more music. Keep pushing singles out until we figure out which one catches. We’re going to throw out the best music I'm creating, try to keep the buzz going.