He was signed with Elektra in 1995 by Darryl Williams. In 1997, he performed in a television special with his sister, but despite the mainstream attention, he was dropped by Elektra soon after. His easygoing image and boyish looks appealed to the producers of Brandy's television show, Moesha, scoring him a role on the popular UPN series starting in 1999. He also started producing, putting together the music for several commercials and a few of the demos for his second record. In 1997 he also released his debut album Everything You Want, recorded the year before, which spawned two singles. "Let It Go" was the lead single of the smash soundtrack for Set It Off (Brandy also appeared on the soundtrack; and her song "Missing You" with Tamia, Chaka Khan and Gladys Knight peaked also at number 25). It peaked number 25 in the U.S. and number 11 in New Zealand. The second single peaked at number 54 on the U.S. R&B chart.
After appearing on the last episode of Moesha in 2001, Norwood stepped back into the studio and recorded "Another Day In Paradise" with Brandy, which was a Top Ten success in Austria, UK, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, Norway, Ireland, the Netherlands and number 11 in Australia and France. The song was the lead single of the R&B/Hip Hop tribute Urban Renewal, in which he co-produced and performed songs. Norwood also worked with The Neptunes, Rodney Jerkins and Lil' Kim, and several other hitmaking producers and singers for his second studio album This Ain't A Game, a Hip hop-oriented record that featured more of his rapping than his debut. The album was released in 2001, but despite a strong promotional push from new label Atlantic Records, it wasn't a breakthrough success. The lead single "Wait A Minute" appeared in the lower half of the charts in Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Great Britain. The second single did even worse peaking on the R&B/Hip hop chart only.
In 2002 he appeared in the video for his sister's smash-hit "What About Us", which was produced by Jerkins, and was released as her third album, Full Moon's lead single during the first quarter of 2002 (see 2002 in music). While "What About Us?" entered the Top 20 on the majority of the charts it appeared on, it reached the Top 10 in Australia, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, the UK, and the United States.
After a two year break, Norwood returned to recording studios, adding the finishing touches on his third studio album Raydiation with help from producers such as Rodney Jerkins, Timbaland, and R. Kelly. A joint venture by Sanctuary Records and Ray-J's own label, independent Knockout Entertainment, the album was finally released on September 27, 2005 in North America after several delays, debuting at number forty-eight on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 18,321 copies in the first week. Boosted by the album's lead single "One Wish," a top 20 success in Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, the U.S.. Raydiation eventually sold over 400,000 copies domestically.[2]
In 2005, Norwood joined the cast of UPN's One On One,[3] where he played the character of D-Mack for the final season.
More recently, Knockout Entertainment announced a multi-million dollar album deal with Koch Records and Shaquille O'Neal’s "Deja 34" entertainment company.[2] The first album for this deal is Norwood's upcoming fourth album All I Feel, which featuresThe Game, and remixes with Manny and Gil (MP Productions) among others. It was released on April 1st,2008.[4] The album's first single is "Sexy Can I" featuring rapper Yung Berg peaked at number three on the Top Singles (Hot 100) for six weeks. A video for the track, directed by R. Malcolm Jones, was shot in December 2007
Changes
Ray J Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If I ever give you all of me (if I ever)
Just a piece of me that you can see
Will you ever make a change for me?
A change in you is a change for me, baby
I said you ought to make a change
Open up your heart and mind
In there, you will find
The key to a new life
The words "I'm sorry"
Are said a thousand times
But what's it gonna take
For you to change your life around?
If you truly want to be happy
Then recognize in yourself
There's a true gift from life
The truth in life
Just a piece of me that you can see
Will you ever make a change for me?
Change in you is a change for me, baby
Take a longer look at yourself (take a longer look)
Find the hidden truth and let it exhale
Let me lead the way (uh oh oh oh)
Can you envision all the things that I see? (oh oh)
The words "I'm sorry"
Are said a thousand times
But what's it gonna take
For you to change your life around?
If you truly want to be happy
Then recognize in yourself
There's a true gift from life
The truth in life
Just a piece of me that you can see
Will you ever make a change for me?
Change in you is a change for me, baby (change for me)
(If you want)
(If, if you want)
Recognize in yourself
Change
The words "I'm sorry"
Are said a thousand times
But what's it gonna take
For you to change your life around?
If you truly want to be happy
Then recognize in yourself
There's a true gift from life
The truth in life
Just a piece of me that you can see
Will you ever make a change for me?
(Will you ever make a change?)
Change in you is a change for me, baby
If I ever give you all of me (if I ever)
Just a piece of me that you can see (piece of you)
Will you ever make a change for me? (change for me)
A change in you is a change for me, baby
If I ever give you all of me (if I ever gave you all)
Just a piece of me that you can see (just a piece of you)
Will you ever make a change for me? (change for me)
A change in you is a change for me, baby (change for me, change for me)
If I ever give you all of me (whoa)
Just a piece of me that you can see (find a way to love yourself)
Will you ever make a change for me? (change, girl, change, girl)
A change in you is a change for me, baby
If I ever give you all of me (all of me, give you all of me)
Just a piece of me that you can see
Will you ever make a change for me? (change for me)
A change in you is a change for me, baby
If I ever give you
(Change, change, change) (Change for me)
The lyrics of Ray J's "Changes" are a plea for a loved one to improve their life and to change for the better. It's a plea for someone to recognize the need for personal change and to love themselves for who they are. He asks if the person he loves will ever change for him, and reminds them that a change in themselves will affect their relationship. He urges them to take a long, hard look at themselves, to find the hidden truth, and to let him lead the way. He points out that saying "I'm sorry" is not enough, but true happiness can only come from recognizing the truth in life and in themselves.
Ray J's song "Changes" touches on some powerful and universal themes such as self-discovery, self-love, and personal growth. The lyrics suggest that in order to change the world or to change someone else, we must first change ourselves. The song encourages us to look within ourselves and search for the truth, to recognize our gifts, and to embrace our uniqueness.
Line by Line Meaning
If I ever give you all of me (if I ever)
If I ever give you my entire self (and not just a part of me),
Just a piece of me that you can see
Only a part of me that I allow you to see,
Will you ever make a change for me?
Are you willing to change for me?
A change in you is a change for me, baby
Your transformation will cause changes in me as well.
I said you ought to make a change
I recommend that you make a change.
Find a way to love yourself
Discover how to genuinely love yourself.
Open up your heart and mind
Allow your heart and mind to be receptive to change.
In there, you will find
You will discover something important if you do.
The key to a new life
The tool you need to live a different life.
The words "I'm sorry"
The phrase "I apologize."
Are said a thousand times
Repeats frequently.
But what's it gonna take
But what else is needed
For you to change your life around?
To transform your life significantly?
If you truly want to be happy
If you genuinely desire to be content
Then recognize in yourself
Realize within yourself
There's a true gift from life
That there's an authentic gift from life itself.
The truth in life
The authentic reality of living.
Will you ever make a change for me?
Will you transform for me?
Take a longer look at yourself (take a longer look)
Examine yourself more closely (look more attentively).
Find the hidden truth and let it exhale
Unearth the concealed reality and release it.
Let me lead the way (uh oh oh oh)
Allow me to guide you forward.
Can you envision all the things that I see? (oh oh)
Can you visualize everything I perceive?
(If you want)
(If you're willing)
(If, if you want)
(If, only if you're willing)
Recognize in yourself
Realize within yourself
Change
Transformation
If I ever give you all of me (if I ever)
If I ever offer you all of myself (and not just some of me),
Just a piece of me that you can see (piece of you)
Only a section of myself that you're allowed to see,
Will you ever make a change for me? (change for me)
Are you willing to transform for me?
A change in you is a change for me, baby
Your transformation will also change me, baby.
If I ever give you all of me (if I ever gave you all)
If I ever offered you my entire self (in the past),
Just a piece of me that you can see (just a piece of you)
Only a part of me that you're permitted to see,
Will you ever make a change for me? (change for me)
Will you transform for me?
A change in you is a change for me, baby (change for me, change for me)
Transforming yourself will also change me, darling.
If I ever give you all of me (whoa)
If I ever offer you everything I have (wow),
Just a piece of me that you can see (find a way to love yourself)
Only a part of me that you're allowed to witness (search for a way to love yourself),
Will you ever make a change for me? (change, girl, change, girl)
Are you willing to transform for me, lovely? (Transform, lady, transform, lady)
If I ever give you all of me (all of me, give you all of me)
If I ever offer you everything I have (all of me, give you all of me),
Change for me
Transform for me
The words "I'm sorry"
The phrase "I apologize."
Are said a thousand times
Repeats frequently.
But what's it gonna take
But what else is needed
For you to change your life around?
To transform your life significantly?
If you truly want to be happy
If you genuinely desire to be content
Then recognize in yourself
Realize within yourself
There's a true gift from life
That there's an authentic gift from life itself.
The truth in life
The authentic reality of living.
Just a piece of me that you can see
Only a part of me that you're allowed to witness.
Will you ever make a change for me?
Are you willing to transform for me?
Change in you is a change for me, baby
Transforming yourself will change me, baby.
(Change, change, change) (Change for me)
(Transform, transform, transform) (Transform for me)
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BILLY LAWRENCE, DARRELL ALLAMBY, SHARI WATSON, SHARI ANITA WATSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dutchess Maria
Ray J's best album, had so substance #realmusic
Andrew Velázquez
His 90's music the best, hands down. I love Ray J! Thank you SO much for posting this!! :D
Lateshia Childs
I love this CD I still play it, I'm so glad I brought it back in 1996. I wish Ray J would have stuck with this sound for a little while longer that Neo-soul vibe sound fit his voice better.
Eric Stubbs
Ray j first album. It should've blew up. I loved it
sillysongbird
omg i remember this song...
samin zukanovic
sweet
lewnosta
@tenecia007 ...you're welcome...thanks for listening!
lewnosta
@learningrussian ◄i agree...and you're welcome►
Nikita Alex
wat ever happened to this song cry guy--now just brandys yes man