Dec. 12, 2005

Singer-actor Ray J has always been best known as the younger brother to "Moesha" star and R&B good-girl Brandy. Being the younger Norwood has made it difficult for the 24-year-old to carve out his own niche as an entertainer.

"It has been hard being Brandy's brother," Ray J admitted, during our interview at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills. "I look at it like this-it just makes me stronger and makes me more powerful at the end of the day. But I felt like, damn, there is a place in the music game for me but I just got to find out who I am musically. So now it's time for me to get serious about my music and go out there and show them what I'm made of."

Most skeptics dismissed Ray J's junior release, 'Raydiation,' when it bowed in September on his own label Knockout Entertainment, in partnership with the Mathew Knowles-helmed Sanctuary Urban Records. "Ray J couldn't buy a hit," a radio executive told Billboard's Gail Mitchell, senior editor of R&B & Hip-Hop. Making matters worse was that Sanctuary Urban was beset with financial problems and Ray J's manager/mom Sonja Norwood quickly had him moved to Sanctuary's mainstream division.

Now, Ray J's single "One Wish" is a smash that's inching toward the top spot at radio-it's currently at number three and has been for two weeks. When his UPN sitcom 'One on One' breaks for hiatus Feb. 16, 2006, he'll begin extensive touring to promote the album and the undetermined second single.

The McComb, Miss.-native believes his fresh approach to life and the industry has finally led to his music career coming together. "I am definitely opening up this time, man. I went through my being cool route. I had fun in the clubs, had fun throwing parties and being wild. I kind of got caught up in the gangbanging world. I was getting shot at a lot. I was around a lot of drugs and stuff like that. I got caught up in that life. But now it's time for me to grow up and express the way I feel now," he concluded.

Prayer Power

Attendees of Dr. Bobby Jones International Gospel Industry Retreat in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. are still in awe over the miraculous recovery of a local woman named Kathleen Goodin. During the retreat's finale last Tuesday, just moments into a benediction prayer by singer Tonex, it was discovered that Goodin, sitting on the fifth row of the Broward Center for the Performing Art's Amaturo Theater, had stopped breathing.

While a nurse from Dr. Jones' Nashville Super Choir and several doctors in attendance began CPR procedures, singer Kim Burrell initiated a prayer of healing before instructing the audience to quickly exit so that paramedics could enter. As local EMS workers attempted to recessitate Goodin, a small group of gospel artists and personalities including Dottie Peoples, Vickie Winans and Lexi, among others, continued to pray while Kirk Franklin played softly on the piano.

After taking Goodin out on the stretcher, the medical staff told Dr. Jones and those remaining that she had died. Burrell was adamant about praying with Goodin again and followed the ambulance to the hospital. After some resistance from medical staff, they allowed the Sony Gospel artist to pray with the woman a second time. "I held her foot, and it was ice cold. But as I began to pray, I called her out by name and said, 'Kathleen Goodin take off your grave clothes.' I'm glad to report that when I left the hospital, she'd started breathing on her own," Burrell announced at the closing reception at the Renaissance Hotel.

The stunned crowd immediately celebrated the miracle. "That woman was dead and God brought her back to life! Isn't that amazing? God sure is good," said an elated Dr. Jones.

Buzzworthy

Former Xscape member Kandi Burruss has signed to DeVyne Stephens' Upfront Entertainment. Burruss, a Grammy-winning songwriter who's penned hits for Destiny's Child, TLC and Mariah Carey, is slated to drop her sophomore solo set in early 2006. Another Stephens artist is multi-platinum singer Akon, whose debut album was released on Upfront and SRC/Universal. "They call me the urban Tony Robbins. If an artist has that special thing, I help bring it out. If it's not there, I can't create it," said Stephens.

Former 'The Price is Right' beauty Claudia Jordan is engaged to the fastest man in the world, track star Maurice Green. They're set to wed sometime next year.

Don't look for actor Allen Payne if the Michael Baisden play 'Men Cry in the Dark' picks back up at the top of the year. Sources close to the production tell BV Buzz that Payne was terminated from the touring stage play after about four weeks of being on the road this fall for "being difficult." According to the source, the 'Jason's Lyric' star refused to ride the tour bus for more than six hours. "When one trip lasted seven hours, he had a fit," said our tipster. Payne was replaced by an unknown actor. Richard Roundtree ('Shaft'), En Vogue member Rhona Bennett and R&B singers Christopher Williams and Monifah also appeared in the show. A rep for I'm Ready Productions, producers of the play, said via email: "The parting of Allen Payne from the production was mutual. We wish Allen the best."

Elisabeth Withers-Mendes, star of the Oprah Winfrey-produced Broadway musical 'The Color Purple,' has inked a deal with Blue Note Records. She was apparently discovered by veteran music duo Ashford & Simpson.

BV Scene

Jackee ('227'), Victor Williams ('The Kings of Queens'), Beverly Todd ('Crash'), Kym Whitley ('Curb Your Enthusiasm'), Trenyce ('American Idol'), Bob Jones (author, 'Michael Jackson: The Man Behind The Mask') and Hollywood personality Norwood Young were among those at the Los Angeles home of former talk show host Rolonda Watts for a party for the book 'Queens: Portraits of Black Women and Their Fabulous Hair' by Michael Cunningham and George Alexander… Tony Rock ('All of Us'), Lamman Rucker ('All My Children'), Kym Whitley, Chico Benymon ('Half & Half'), Poncho Hodges ('The Other Side'), former NFL player Matthew Hatchett and comic Alex Thomas among the partygoers at Black Elegance magazine's Los Angeles re-launch party at The Loft at the Hollywood & Highland Center… Actress Tamala Jones performing stand-up comedy at Serra's Café in Studio City, Calif. while Buddy Lewis, Chris Spencer, Angell Conwell ('Baby Boy') and Shaun Robinson ('Access Hollywood') looked on.

Can't Say Names…

Sources say the soon-to-be ex-wife of a Hollywood talent-no, not the 'Nutty Professor'-is calling around town trying to get people to save her marriage. The estranged wife is pulling out the big guns too, using Bible scriptures, Christian views on divorce and an alleged terminal illness survival story to earn the sympathy of those she contacts. The husband had apparently decided to end his troubled marriage after meeting and falling in love with a popular Tinseltown comedic actress.