R&B singer Ray J has told fans that doctors have warned him he may not have long left to live after a recent hospitalisation for pneumonia and heart pain, prompting a wave of concern online and renewed focus on the performer’s long-running health struggles and recent personal turmoil.
The 44-year-old, whose real name is William Ray Norwood Jr., was admitted to a Las Vegas hospital earlier this month with what was described as a severe case of pneumonia alongside heart pains. A source close to the singer told TMZ that he underwent X-rays and an echocardiogram, with no results disclosed publicly. In the days after his admission, Ray J posted video messages and appeared on livestreams where he spoke about the seriousness of his condition and thanked supporters who had been following updates about his health.
In one Instagram video quoted by People, Ray J said: “I want to thank everybody for praying for me. I was in a hospital. My heart’s only beating like 25 percent, but as long as I stay focused and stay on the right path, everything will be all right.” He added: “My health is not okay, so I thank everybody for supporting and praying for me.”
LADbible, which also reported on the posts and videos, said the singer had described having “just almost died” and credited prayers and support for his recovery so far. The outlet quoted Ray J repeating the same assessment of his heart function and telling followers he had been in hospital, while acknowledging that he was still unwell.
In a separate video referenced by both People and LADbible, Ray J appeared more downbeat as he discussed a grim prognosis he said had been put to him. “2027 is definitely a wrap for me,” he said, according to People, adding that doctors had told him he would not live long. LADbible described the moment as including a friend off-camera who objected angrily to the prognosis and urged him to ignore the doctors. Ray J responded in the same recording: “I shouldn’t have went this hard, bro,” as he reflected on his past choices and what they may have done to his health.
During the same exchange, Ray J spoke about his children and financial security for his family if his health deteriorates further. “My baby mama gonna be straight, my kids gonna be straight, if they wanna spend all the money, they can spend it. I did my part here,” LADbible quoted him as saying. He then added: “And damn, when it’s all done, burn me, don’t bury me.”
People reported that Ray J also described the cause of his condition in stark terms, saying his heart had turned “black” due to abusing alcohol and drugs and admitting he had felt “invincible.” The details have not been independently verified through medical records, and there has been no public statement from doctors treating him setting out an official diagnosis beyond reports of pneumonia and heart pain.
Ray J has previously suffered serious respiratory illness. TMZ said the singer was diagnosed with non-COVID pneumonia in 2021 and reported that it was so severe he feared he could die, requiring oxygen and an inhaler before he recovered. People, citing its prior reporting at the time, said his longtime manager David Weintraub had told the magazine in 2021: “He’s in the hospital for pneumonia, but it’s not the contagious kind.” Weintraub added: “[The doctors] wanted to keep him there a couple extra days to watch him there.” People also reported that Weintraub had confirmed Ray J did not have COVID-19, despite initially being placed in a COVID unit, and that the singer had been hooked up to oxygen while using an inhaler to help him breathe.
The latest health scare comes during a turbulent period in Ray J’s personal life. In November 2025, he was arrested in Los Angeles on suspicion of making a criminal threat following a chaotic livestreamed dispute involving his estranged wife, Princess Love. People reported that he was booked into jail and charged with making a criminal threat, with bail set at $50,000, and that he was released later the same day. The Los Angeles Police Department did not respond to People’s request for comment, and representatives for Ray J and Love also did not respond, according to the report.
Footage of the livestream shared online appeared to show the couple arguing while their children were present. People reported Ray J saying: “Drive drunk, Princess,” as he accused Love and others of attempting to leave while intoxicated. Love, holding their daughter, responded during the exchange: “All I wanted to do was have a good Thanksgiving!” People also reported Love telling him: “Ray, you just pointed a gun,” while Ray J denied it, responding: “I didn’t point nothing at y’all.” During the dispute, People reported that Ray J said: “I’ll shoot the f—ing police.”
Ray J and Princess Love married in 2016 and share two children, a daughter, Melody Love, and a son, Epik Ray. People reported that Love filed for divorce for a fourth time in February 2024. The relationship, frequently featured in celebrity news coverage over the years, has been marked by break-ups, reconciliations and public disputes, with both parties making claims about the other’s behaviour in various public statements and on social media.
Beyond his personal life, Ray J has remained a prominent name in entertainment and internet culture for decades, beginning with his music career in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He is best known for songs including One Wish and Sexy Can I, and for television appearances that expanded his profile beyond music. He is also the younger brother of singer and actress Brandy, a fact he has referenced while thanking family for support during his health crisis.
LADbible reported that Ray J praised his parents and Brandy in his recent health update, saying they were assisting him with medical bills and doctor’s visits “for the rest of the year.” People’s account of the videos similarly framed his comments as a message of gratitude toward those close to him as he faces ongoing treatment.
Ray J has also been involved in a high-profile legal and public dispute linked to the sex tape he made with Kim Kardashian, which became public in the mid-2000s and helped propel Kardashian into global celebrity. LADbible noted that Kardashian later pursued legal action over the tape and that Ray J has claimed in the past that it was not leaked, alleging the release was wanted. In 2025, Entertainment Weekly reported Ray J had countersued Kardashian and her mother Kris Jenner over the tape, alleging breach of contract connected to an alleged settlement agreement, while also describing the broader allegations and denials in that dispute.
As Ray J’s health comments spread across social media, fans and critics have responded with a mixture of sympathy, disbelief and concern, particularly over his claim that his heart is functioning at 25 percent and his statement that doctors believe he has limited time. No independent medical documentation has been released publicly to corroborate his diagnosis or prognosis, and Ray J has not provided specific details about treatment plans beyond his general remarks about staying focused and “on the right path.”
For now, the singer’s own words remain the most direct account of what he says he is facing, delivered through short videos and livestream clips that show him oscillating between determination and resignation. “My health is not okay,” he said, while insisting he still hopes that, with support and focus, “everything will be all right.”
