The independent R&B music community continues to grow. Beloved singer and songwriter Arin Ray is the latest act to dive headfirst into the indie waters.
Yesterday (June 16), Arin Ray dropped his independently released debut single, “Sweet Thang” (via CampCo). The sultry tune, which was co-produced by Dan Forte and Louie Lastic, follows Arin Ray’s collaborative tune “Both Of Us” with Paperboy Fabe.
With a just under three-minute runtime, on “Sweet Thang,” Arin Ray manages to supercharge all of R&B’s greatest attributes—an addictive groove, dreamy lyrics, and an unapologetic dedication to yearning.
“Brown skin with soft lips / Making it seem effortless, though she look innocent / Baby, talkin’ that sh*t / Walkin’ it / Walking in that b*tch / Hold on imma talk my sh*t / Playa with the mighty walk that pimp / Drip, gonna drip / She got a thing about her / something like a sixth sense / She make you think about it/ Take another sip sip / She got me thinkin’ ’bout her / Bouta take another quick trip,” sings Arin Ray.
Back in March, Arin Ray opened up about his decision to become an independent musician during an interview with HOT 97‘s Nessa.
“I’ve been here this whole time,” he declared. “Honestly, I’ve been trying to get something out. I’ve been prepared to have something to come out for the last two years. I’ll just say I’m newly independent… I don’t have that problem anymore.”
As Nessa followed up to ask about his decision to step away from his previous major label home, Interscope Records, Ray replied, “Obviously, it’s control of the situation. It’s ownership. It’s building a team that’s artist-specific. I think that’s the biggest thing…you can only really go as far as your team pushes you.”
Since the announcement, Arin Ray has hit the ground running. Based on clips shared to his official Instagram page, Arin Ray has been in the studio working on a new project. A rep for Arin Ray revealed to ENVERT that the forthcoming body of work is an EP titled LIMBO.
Later in the interview with Nessa, Arin Ray teased that his fall schedule was filling up quickly with show dates, which could be a supporting tour for the EP. For now, “Sweet Thang” will just have to hold fans over for what’s coming down the pipeline.
Listen to Arin Ray’s new single “Sweet Thang” produced by Dan Forte and Louie Lastic below.
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