{One Wish:} Why Ray J Deserves {More Credit} for His Fame

Let’s play an informal game of Family Feud. No Steve Harvey. Just you and me. Feel free to use these sound effects to maximize your Feud experience.

We surveyed 100 Americans: Why is Ray J famous? Top two answers on the board.

“Brandy’s brother.” Ding!

The number one answer is still out there. 

“Sex tape with Kim Kardashian!!!” Ding!

But for the love of Ray J, would you just Wait a Minute? Two puns intended.

Isn’t it time that Ray J was recognized for his music, rather than his sister’s or former paramour’s accomplishments? I mean, if “Wife of a Bears’ lineman wins a bronze medal today in Rio Olympics” is the wrong headline for trap shooter/general badass Corey Cogdell-Unrein’s athletic accolades, surely the reverse is true too.

Especially when this is on the docket:

Are you finished pop n’locking along with our hero? I’ll wait.

Ray J’s “One Wish” is a song for the ages. Not quite like how—and let’s remove the artist from the conversation please; this is not that kind of post—“I Believe I Can Fly” was the soundtrack for so much more than Space Jam.

“One Wish” is lesser than “Waterfalls”—though personally I prefer it. It can’t hold a candle to “End of the Road.” Shoot, it doesn’t even stack up against “Cupid.”

Nevertheless, “One Wish” is a good f*cking song.

Not a good f*ckingsong… but I’d buy that for a dollar.

No, it’s no “No Diggity.” And, decade-wise, “One Wish” will probably be overshadowed by the steady stream of hits from Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, and Usher. But it can bang with “Ice Box,” “Anonymous,” “Bed,” “Promise,” and any of Mario’s songs from the aughts. In fact, that’s exactly what it does, every blue moon when DJ Clue? lines up that set during his Desert Storm Radio and I have a driveway moment that may be mistaken by passersby as a seizure.

So the next time you hear those fluttery piano notes—courtesy of producer Darkchild—stick around for the burst of Ray J’s vocals that soon follow. “One Wish” has the melodic range, rhythmic syncopation, and call-and-answer antiphony that make it worthy of a listen, at least.

And then just maybe, starting with you and me, we can start a movement to stop talking about those damn Kardashians. Because if I had one wish, I’d seriously consider using it for that.