Quick Links
You either love them, hate them, love to hate them, or hate to love them. Despite what side of the fence you fall on, you know the Kardashian name, which has been deemed the name of America’s First Family. While the television show Keeping Up with the Kardashians has given us a better understanding of the family with their larger than life personalities, they cannot take all of the credit for their success and notability.
Ray J., who was formerly also referred to as Brandy’s little brother, has made a name of his own. He’s a singer. Reality TV star. He also has his own company called Raytroniks that specializes in electronic devices including a motorized bike called the Scoot-e-bikes. As you can see, Ray J. goes by various names and titles, but one that cannot be forgotten is his part in putting the Kardashian name on the map when it comes to pop culture and entertainment.
Recently, we considered how Kris Jenner influenced the Kardashian name. Admittedly, Ray J. may have had a much bigger part in their rise to fame. Looking back at what the Kardashians have accomplished since Kim’s encounter with the rapper and a camera during an 'intimate' moment, one can only wonder what Ray J. can't do or make happen. So, without further ado, here’s a list of the things the Kardashians have accomplished all thanks to the help of Ray J.
15. THE Tape Of All Tapes
There have been quite a few celebrities that have had sex tapes and some have even went as far as to claim that the tapes were “leaked” against their will. Among the list of leaked tapes involving celebs is the infamous tape between Ray J. and Kim Kardashian. While the two dated in the beginning of the 2000s and the tape didn’t go public until years later, Kim wasn’t as known as she was once the tape surfaced, and it eventually became synonymous with her name. Regardless of whether you loved it or hated it, the Ray J. and Kim K. sex tape was the tipping point to the Kardashian fame and notoriety. During an interview, Ray J. has said that Kardashian was the last one to have possession of the tape before it “leaked” and was sold to Vivid Entertainment. Whether or not Ray J.’s claim is true, no one can deny the giant role the tape played in the making of the Kardashian empire.
14. A Long-Standing Storyline
While we’ve already mentioned the infamous sex tape, we have to mention the role that it played in the Kardashian dialogue. Once released, the tape was the focal point of conversation with Kim and momager, Kris, voicing their frustration and sadness over the privacy breach of the tape. Many tears, distraught faces, and interviews later, the sex tape is still the center of attention and is almost always brought up in conversation. The first season of Keeping Up with the Kardashians focused all about the woman behind, and in, the sex tape— and her famous booty. This tape will always be a part of the conversation, sorry Kim, get used to hearing about it.
13. Kim Became More Than A Sidekick/Assistant
Prior to the sex tape, Kim Kardashian was known within the California circuit thanks to her family’s name within the area, but nowhere near as big as it is now. Kardashian, who was friends with various other celebrity children including Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie, had a circle of friends one could only imagine when thinking about having famous friends. Prior to being the social media personality and entrepreneur that we know her as now, Kim worked as Paris' assistant. Organizing and maintaining the hotel heiress' closet, Kardashian’s former job was nowhere near as glamorous as it is now, which includes countless selfies, appearances, and photoshoots.
12. The Rest Of The Clan
We all got a chance to meet Kim thanks to the sex tape she starred in with Ray J., but we now get to know more about the family behind the woman. Mom, Kris, was married to Olympian Bruce Jenner, who now goes by the name Caitlyn Jenner. Sisters Kourtney and Khloe often teased Kim and picked on her for being their mom’s favorite. Robert, the only man of the clan besides Jenner, was the only son and was named after their late father and esteemed attorney, Robert Kardashian Sr. Younger sisters Kendall and Kylie were children from Kris’ marriage to Jenner, but are still fully part of the family with their names continuing along with the ‘K’ tradition. Would we have known all of them if it wasn’t for Ray J.? Probably not. In that case, we should thank him. Or should we?
11. First Celeb Relationship With A Kardashian
Since his break up with Kim, Ray J. has become the first of many celebrities to date the queen of reality TV. From 98 Degrees frontman Nick Lachey to comedian, entertainer, and entrepreneur Nick Cannon to current husband Kanye West, Kim has had her share of famous boyfriends, and husbands, which Ray J can be credited with starting (more on Ray J. being the “first” later on in the list). Another one of Kim's well-known exes is football player Reggie Bush and ex-husband Kris Humphries, whose marriage to Kardashian was a special on E! News but only ended up lasting 72 days. Before Ray J., dating a Kardashian wasn’t a thing, now it’s as hot and popular as this season’s trends on the runway: you have to have one to fit in.
10. We Know A Girl Named Kim And She's A Ho
Former BFFs Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie had a show called The Simple Life, which was a hybrid between reality TV and an exposé on how people live in America. If it wasn’t for Ray J., we wouldn’t have known what Nicole meant during an episode that featured a girl with the last name 'Ho'. In an attempt to be funny and shady, upon hearing the name, Richie responded to the student, whose first name is Kim, saying “We know a girl named Kim and she’s a hoe.” Ouch, harsh words, but without Ray J., the public would never have discovered who this 'Kim Ho' really was. To think, we would've been in the dark and deprived Kim K. forever. Mean? Yes. Informative? Absolutely.
9. Keeping Up With The Kardashians
If it wasn’t for Ray J., then we wouldn’t have been introduced to one of the biggest reality shows to be on TV, Keeping Up With the Kardashians. Can you imagine a life without a weekly documentation of the Kardashian/Jenner lifestyle? We would have missed all the arguments between the sisters, arguments between the sisters and mom, amateur pole-dancing with Kendall and Kylie, and one of many favorites, the episode where Kourtney laughed at Kim as she cried about whatever it was that bothered her at the time (Kim has been seen crying on the show for many different reasons). The show has also helped America learn more about the family and was a great precursor to the family’s active, frequent personalities on social media.
8. All The Spin-Off Shows
If you thought Keeping Up with the Kardashians wasn’t enough of the Kardashian/Jenner crew for you, then you definitely got your fair share during the spin-off shows stemming from the show that introduced the world to this family. From Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami to Kourtney & Kim Take Miami to Kourtney & Kim Take New York, there was no shortage of spin-off shows that have stemmed from the original show. Did we forget Khloe & Lamar and even the latest of the franchise Rob & Chyna? A lot of spin-offs for a big family that continues to grow. Will the kids will eventually keep up with the family tradition of making their mark on the television screen?
7. Fashionistas
It may be true that Kim Kardashian was a personal assistant for Paris Hilton and helped the hotel heiress organize her closet, but when it comes to being a prominent member in the fashion industry, that success didn’t happen until after Kim's relationship with Ray J. Rearranging clothes in Hilton's closet was the closest Kardashian would get to fashion. Since the infamous sex tape came out, the Kardashians have been heavily involved in the fashion industry including their own collection with BeBe, being front row at fashion shows, being featured in high fashion magazines like the prestigious Vogue, and even appearing on the catwalk to strut their stuff. Also with Kanye West on their side, the Kardashians have crossed over from reality TV to the fashion world. Who knows what industry they’ll conquer and take over next.
6. Many Other Celeb Victims Followed Ray J.
After the sex tape and the hard work of mom/manager Kris Jenner, the Kardashian name skyrocketed and transformed the family from dating famous celebrities to becoming the famous celebrities everyone wanted to date. While we are privy to Kim’s famous exes and romantic liaisons including Nick Cannon, Reggie Bush, and husband Kanye West, the rest of the members of the Kardashian crew have also been linked and tied to celebrity romances. Khloe Kardashian was married to basketball player Lamar Odom and have been seen cozying up with other celebrities including French Montana, Odell Beckham Jr., and currently Tristan Thompson. Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner, who aren’t technically Kardashians but are half sisters with the Kardashian ladies, have also been publicly tied to celebrities including rappers and a few athletes.
5. The Name Meant Nothing Prior To Ray J.
While the late Robert Kardashian Sr. was well known as a lawyer and played a vital role in the O.J. Simpson case, the name remained prominent mostly within the California region alone. While the Kardashians were always wealthy, but the fame and notoriety came after Ray J.’s relationship to Kim. Now a reference within pop culture and a worldwide name— all publicity is good publicity, right? The Kardashian name carries weight and even has fans and supporters taking on the persona of the family. Social media personalities including 'Joan The Scammer' and musical artists have used the Kardashian name within their work. No matter how far you try to run, the Kardashian name isn’t too far behind.
4. "I Hit It First"
Back to Ray J. being the first to publicly date a Kardashian. It’s so true that Ray J. was the first to publicly be tied to a Kardashian that he even recorded a song about it properly titled, “I Hit It First.” If the song didn’t make it obvious that the singer, and now married man, was referencing his famous ex, then the song artwork was the icing on the cake to confirm everyone’s notions. Although a lawsuit probably would’ve been involved if Kim’s image was used to promote the song and including her likeness for something that didn’t work in her favor, Ray J. pixelated the image enough to not be identical to Kim but to draw enough similarities for us to know who he was talking about. Can’t lie, the song was pretty catchy, and Kim’s husband later on went to do something similar.
3. So Many Nudes
If not for the sex tape, there’s no guarantee that we would later on see more of Kim’s body. During all of the seasons of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, we’ve seen Kim preparing and posing for various photoshoots including a spread in Playboy Magazine. During one of the episodes (another one where Kourtney laughs at how Kim cries), Kim is upset over her private parts being visible and easily noticed in the photo featured in W Magazine stating that the picture looked like “serious porn.” Kim cried, as her sisters showed her little to no sympathy about her emotions, and said she would never pose naked again. We all know that wasn’t true as she has been seen posting nude selfies, being photoed in barely any clothes, and as some would say, "breaking the internet" with her spread in Paper Magazine.
2. Kanye Credits Ray J. In "Famous" Video
Even Kanye West knows how important Ray J. is to his wife’s claim to fame. In West’s video “Famous,” which is a song where he talks about possibly having sex with Taylor Swift and a video that also faced criticism for featuring wax figures of celebrities including himself, his wife, Taylor Swift, Amber Rose, and Donald Trump, just to name a few, West also features Ray J. in the bed naked placed strategically next to his wife. Was that by coincidence? Of course not. West knowns what Ray J. and the famous tape did to catapult her to where she is now and embraces it. Remember when we talked about Ray J.’s song “I Hit It First?” Well, it looks like Ray J. wasn’t the only artist to include his former relationship with Kim K. through his craft. West even mentions Ray J.’s name in a song off of his latest album, The Life of Pablo.
1. Ray J. And Kanye's Kids?
Here's another fine example of how Ray J. is the reason the Kardashians are famous and they would be nothing without him. A few months ago, Kanye West got into a heated argument with fellow rapper Wiz Khalifa, who was married to Kanye’s ex Amber Rose. During their argument, West claimed that it is because of him that Khalifa and Rose were together and had a child because he made her famous. If this is true within West’s mind and rationale, then it is no surprise that West would credit Ray J. for his marriage to Kim and his two children. Is this actually how matchmaking goes? Not really. But if Kanye says it, then it must have some logic, right?
Sources: intouchweekly.com, usmagazine.com, wikipedia.org, buzzfeed.com, billboard.com
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEq6CcoJWowW%2BvzqZmsKeiobFusc2tnKuskZ67rrHNrWZqbV2nsqK%2FzqeqZqyYmnqsrdGdmKygmZa7tHnWqKylnF2Xsm66zq2foqaXYsSqwMeorK1lopbGbraO