Born and raised in North Carolina straight out of Midway, Monte Ray found solace in music at an early age. “I’ve been in the studios since I was born,” he explains. “My dad was a disc jockey for a radio station in Greensboro, NC, so when I was a kid I would always get to sit with him. My mother taught me how to play the drums and it just went from there. I didn’t start messing around with [music] until I was twelve, but I’ve always been around music since I was born.”
Monte Ray – the only child in a musical household – turned to writing raps and poetry to help deal with every day struggles. He prides himself on the balance of assertiveness with melodic play in his lyrics, a style that he calls “R&B Crack”, another way of seeing his music as being addictive to listeners. Press play on his 2023 single, Bad Babii and notice the irresistible mixture of wordplay and harmonies that has set him apart from any artist. It’s his skill to take relatable scenarios and turning them into masterpieces that has garnered Monte Ray a diverse group of fans online.
In 2023 Monte Ray has had much success behind his album Growing Pains, releasing stunning visuals that has earned him a variety of new fans on social media and around the world. Roll Out Mag has named him one of the Lyricist of the Month for September of ‘23, as well as him being nominated for Best Independent Artist at the Indie Awards hosted by Roll Out Mag. Monte Ray is well on his way to that Grammy.
Instagram: @MonteRay91