Contributed by Alex on 5/13/08

Rapper/producer Fat Ray, hailing from Detroit, MI, got his first big break as a member of the production team, BR Gunna. Alongside Black Milk and Young RJ, he had a hand in numerous Detroit hip hop projects including albums by Detroit legends Slum Village and Phat Kat. In 2004, the group released Dirty District, Vol. 2 under their own moniker - a well-received album that featured guest appearances from J Dilla, The Dramatics, Elzhi, Guilty Simpson, and Phat Kat - but split up shortly after to pursue their solo careers. Recently, Ray reunited with Black to create The Set Up (in stores now). We linked up with Ray to get his side of working on the new project, returning to the studio with Black Milk, and fitting into the rapidly growing Detroit hip hop scene.

For those who don’t know, let them know… who is Fat Ray? How would you describe yourself? Your music?
FR: Fat Ray is one of Detroit’s hip-hop’s underground elite. A real consumer as well as contributor in various videos, albums, mix tapes and accomplishments. Fat Ray as an artist is the hungriest, as a person is the humblest, and describes his music as food for the soul.

As a solo artist, where do you think you fit within the Detroit hip hop scene?
FR: I’m a representive of everything that is hip-hop especially Detroit rap and lifestyle in general. Alot of people run away from home in search of fame, fortune and ready made success. I’m a firm believer in “no place like home!” My music serves as a tour guide through the harsh reality of the music industry and life as a Detroit native in 2008.

It’s pretty well known that Detroit hip hop artists (aside from the Eminem’s or the Jay Dee’s) don’t get the same love at home that they get everywhere else around the world - especially in Europe. Why do you think this is? What do you think needs to change for Detroit artists to become as popular on this side of the Atlantic?
FR: You said it, the word love. Hip-hop is built on love. Music listeners show love to artists. Everywhere in the world local, established, or up and coming artists get love for representing where they are from. In Detroit local artists get over looked, because nobody wants to be a local underground artist, nobody wants to invest in the unestablished. If you don’t have lots
of money or commercial success nobody cares. Everybody wants to be boss, if Detroit communities support their local artist other cities and communities would follow. Detroit artists are usually discovered by outside investors looking for Detroit gimmicks.

How did the Set Up project come together? Who’s idea was it, and why is now the time to put it out?
FR: The setup is what happened when two elite musicians come together with one common goal, the re-birth of Detroit hip-hop. It is a a collective idea after years of videos, shows and collabos. The Set Up is confirmation of good team work. It’s a transition from underground to the world.

Explain the in-studio dynamics of working on this project. Did your past experience working with Black in BR Gunna had an effect on the way you worked together on this project?
FR: Fat ray’s setup survival gear; 12 black beats; 10 hr block of stuido time; Tommy, Hex Murda, Jeffro & Mary Jane; Double pepperoni and cheese; 1 mic & 1 month deadline; and… voila, The Setup.

Previously working with Black made it easy to create a formula for the project.
With so many different music options for fans to choose from these days, explain to potential fans - or even existing fans - why they should cop your album? What sets it apart from other hip hop projects out right now?
FR: Music listeners should cop The Set Up because it’s a sign of things to come from Detroit hip hop. It features Phat Kat, Guilty Simpson, Elzhi and was inspired by J Dilla & Big Proof.

So far, the Set Up has been well received by fans and critics alike. Looking into the future, how do you plan to keep this positive momentum going? What is the next step in Fat Ray’s career?
FR: I plan to keep the momentum going by taking what I know about love and music and sharing the message with as many who will listen. I try to maintain my integrity as an artist, but as a man first and foremost. In the future I plan to focus on writing, the art of writing like music composition, literary art etc. … and the publishing of works: books, magazines, visual, verbal are keys to supplement my rap career.

Thanks for your time and good luck!

(Image via Scrill Gates)

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