Johnnie Ray Kornegay III (Jay Ray) is a podcast consultant and co-host and producer of Queue Points, the Black Podcasting Award and Ambie Award-nominated podcast that drops the needle on Black music history. In addition to his duties at Queue Points, he is the Deputy Director of Strategy and Impact for CNP (Counter Narrative Project). A photographer, creative consultant, and social commentator, Jay Ray's work is centered around a commitment to telling full and honest stories about communities often ignored.
Related Episodes
Remembering Sparky D: Golden Era Battle Rap Queen
This episode honors Sparky D, tracing her rise from a Brownsville dancer to a pioneering female battle rapper during the Roxanne Wars, and examining her work with The Pla...
Cold Chillin Records: The Juice Crew, Big Daddy Kane, Roxanne Shanté And Biz Markie
This episode dives into Cold Chillin' Records and how Fly Ty and Len Fichtelberg built a Queensbridge-backed powerhouse with Warner Brothers distribution, clarifying that...
Waiting to Exhale Soundtrack: 1995 Black Music Landmark
This episode explores how the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack became a Black film history milestone, forged by Babyface's focused solo production and a deliberate all-women ...
Got That Oil: Gospel Roots of Black Music
Got That Oil: Gospel Roots of Black Music traces the sacred threads running through soul, R&B, hip-hop, and gospel, exploring how artists who grew up in the church—like A...
2 Live Crew: Pioneers of Miami Bass and Free Speech
In this 40th-anniversary commemorative episode, DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray explore why 2 Live Crew defined Miami bass and became a pivotal force in hip hop, not just for t...
Explicit Hip-Hop 1996: Akinyele, LL Cool J & Lil' Kim
In this Black Music Month episode, DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray dive into three of 1996’s most explicit hip-hop tracks—Akinyele’s Put It In Your Mouth, LL Cool J’s Doin’ It,...
Donwill on The Almanac of Rap & The Art of the Interview
Donwill, the DJ, rapper, and Webby-winning podcaster behind Okayplayer's The Almanac of Rap, sits with DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray to unpack the craft of interviewing and w...
The Quiet Storm Era & the Decline of R&B: Amani Roberts on What We Lost
DJ Sir Daniel, Jay Ray, and Amani Roberts examine how corporate radio consolidation, advertising priorities, and shifting ownership reshaped R&B and sidelined the genre’s...
Dr. York, The Cult of NatureBoy & the Music Behind the Harm
This episode of Queue Points examines how music, charisma, and community-building can be manipulated to cause real harm, connecting The Cult of the NatureBoy documentary ...
Seth Neblett on Parliament-Funkadelic Women & 'Mothership Connected'
In this episode, Seth Neblett discusses his book Mothership Connected: The Women of Parliament-Funkadelic, highlighting Mallia Franklin and the women who kept P-Funk’s mu...
Related Videos
Honoring Sparky D and Talking Royalties: So So Def vs. Sony
DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray return to Queue Points Live and devote the main discussion to pioneering rapper Sparky D following her passing, covering her role in early hip-h...
Why Whitney Thought “Shoop Shoop” Wouldn’t Work
Whitney Houston’s initial doubt about the lead single “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” becomes the entry point for a deep dive into the 1995 Waiting to Exhale soundtrack, exploring...
Got That Oil: The Secret Ingredient of Every Black Music Legend
Exploring the spiritual roots of Black music, this episode traces a sacred thread from the Black church to Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, and beyond, examining how fai...
Streamer University Chaos, Jay-Z’s Target Move, and Eve’s Tiny Desk Triumph
A look at the chaotic Arc of Kai Cenat’s Streamer University auditions in Atlanta, framed as clout-chasing and parasocial fandom, alongside discussions of misdirected ene...
Queue Points Check-In: 1,000% Growth, New Features, DJ Gigs, and Holding Space for Karmelo Anthony
DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray return on Instagram Live to thank supporters and reveal major Queue Points updates, including downloads up over 1,000%, a spot on a Black Music ...
The Brooklyn Singer Who Built a Cult — Then Went to Prison
This episode opens with Dr. Malachi York’s Brooklyn music roots, showing how his early work behind the microphone and in the studio helped shape early hip hop and doo-wop...
Michael Jackson Biopic Talk, Lil Wayne’s Invite Complaints, Drake’s Ice Rollout, Mary J. Blige & Touré, and Addressing Violence Against Black Women
DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray break down the Michael Jackson biopic Michael—from expectations, nostalgia, and standout casting to backlash, legal reshoots, and the notable ab...
Playing MAGAlebrity Roulette
DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray spin the MAGAlebrity Roulette to explore how politics intersect with Black music culture, rating celebrities like Waka Flocka, Ludacris, and Sex...
The Album That Made Jay-Z a Legend
Celebrating 30 years of Reasonable Doubt, this episode traces how Roc-A-Fella bootstrapped an indie classic that wasn’t an instant smash but became hip-hop scripture. DJ ...