Tik Tok Tik & More: A Conversation with Marc 2Ray

Marc 2Ray has made his name in the DC Hip Hop scene as a grinder with the gift of gab who also happens to be a genuinely nice guy. By day, 2Ray is a Floortime Therapist for children with Special Needs, by night he is penning and recording thought-provoking records chock full of messages like his latest and greatest “Tik Tok Tik.” Marc’s new single sees the aforementioned “nice guy” taking aim and firing pointed shots at the clout-chasing and short attention spans further propagated by social platforms like the song’s namesake. This song is Marc’s debut single on Swaggertown Records. I enjoy 2Ray’s writing, spirit, message, and genuine love for his craft, so it wasn’t a surprise that we became friends over the years, especially considering the fact that he’s right “down the street” in DC. Recently, we decided to chat it up again as friends do, and I’m here to report back the dopeness:

The last time we spoke for an interview, you were working on “Perspectives”; what’s happened since then on the career side (both music and therapy)?

Yeah, on the music front, NiccoFeem and I released “Perspectives” back in 2020 and we dropped a really powerful visual for it a few months later. It received some notable accolades such as being covered by Revolt TV and being used in the curriculum at St. Petersburg College in Florida. After that positive reception, Nicco and I got together and did a whole EP which we are planning to drop in 2023. I’ve also put out a few singles of my own since then and I’m working on a solo project with LOZ BEATZ that will be dropping late in the year. On the education front, I’m continuing to provide several of my songs to be used as teaching tools for multiple high school and college curricula. I also recently presented a panel at The DC Music Summit about how Hip Hop can be used to teach. And then, on the therapy front, I stepped into a managerial role at The Floortime Center where I work, providing therapy for children on the autism spectrum.

As an Educator and avid #HipHopEd practitioner, you know I’m loving all of this. Can you please explain in some detail what “the day job” consists of; I think it’s a special part of your story and who you are and would love for readers to gather an optimal understanding:

So Floortime is a play-based therapy that targets social/emotional development, speech, and occupational therapy, among other things. I’ve been working in the field since 2008, and I’ve spent the last 9 years at The Floortime Center in Bethesda, MD. I do individual sessions, but mostly I work providing therapy in social group sessions for children ages 2-6. It’s extremely rewarding to be working with these kids and seeing the progress firsthand. A typical “day in the life” would consist of doing 4-6 therapy sessions, then hitting my home studio to work on music, and I’m also working to get an occupational therapy degree so I would close the day out with schoolwork most likely. It’s a busy day, but working at the center and on the music comes naturally so it doesn’t really feel like “work”, so that helps. However, the schoolwork definitely does though.

On the personal side, I know you’ve gotten engaged (CONGRATS again). I’ve met your lady, briefly, and she is obviously lovely and seems like a major supporter. I think in the lifestyle we’ve chosen, it’s mandatory for our significant other to “get it.” How does having such a supportive partner enhance your journey as a musician?

Thanks, bro! Yeah, so we got engaged last year and actually did a small wedding with some immediate family and close friends last June. My wife is from Brazil, so we wanted to get married sooner rather than later so we can get all the immigration documents sorted out as that can take a hot minute. We are actually planning to go to Brazil twice this year and one time will be for a bigger wedding ceremony with her extended family. And absolutely, she’s one of the biggest supporters that I have. She’s often at my shows either helping to run the merch table or in the front row taking a video. Every time I release a song, she helps share it with her family and friends and also understands when I’m pulling late-night studio sessions to make those songs. We support each other 1000% in the ventures that we are each undertaking and I think that is so necessary to have in a partner.

It was dope seeing you over the summer when we crossed paths at that show. I know you take the performance aspect seriously. Has your preparation/process changed at all since we last spoke? If so, how?

Likewise homie! It was an honor to rock out with y’all! Yeah, so always giving a great and memorable performance is very important to me. I try to incorporate as much live music as possible in my set, even if it’s just adding a live drummer. But having the energy of a live band backing you just hits so much harder for the audience. I’ve been fortunate enough to consistently work with DJ Q and Allison Balanc to help add to the live elements in my sets. I also don’t use any backing vocal tracks when I perform as my voice is my instrument and really aim to keep that “live” feel across the board. For the past year, I’ve really been working on my cardio game as I now have an ever-growing discography and need to be able to jump around on stage and keep that breath control going for 30-45 minutes of rapping.

I definitely think the live band can hit harder in a lot of crowds, though some audiences really love the classic emcee/DJ connection. DJ plus drummer is probably my personal favorite as it feels like the best of both worlds. While we’re on that ever-growing discography, explain the premise of “Tik Tok Tik” to the people:

So “Tik Tok Tik” really plays off the theme of time passing. In my verses, I highlight the importance of taking the time to create thought-provoking content, which then in turn builds longevity. I also comment on the “ticking clock” of those who instead prioritize chasing temporary clout on social media (like Tik Tok) while neglecting their craft. The hook calls back to a very famous classic Hip Hop song while also conveying this message. It was important for me to do that as it helps illustrate the timelessness of some artists’ work.

Building on that, flush out the pros and cons of social media for independent artists today:

I think it’s a mixed bag in a lot of ways. The fact that every artist can utilize social media, Google ads, and other methods to get their content to a vast number of folks can be seen as a massive positive, but also as a negative. On one side, everyone has access to this massive network of potential new fans. We as artists no longer have to tread the age-old path of getting in close with radio and then labels as one of the only ways to get out to a bigger audience. Now, we can do this using our phones and by putting out consistent content while at the same time, utilizing the analytics we have on many social media sites to fine-tune our key demographic of supporters and fans. At the same time, however, every artist has that ability, so it can be an oversaturated market. Thus, making yourself stand out in the first 10-15 seconds when a potential new fan comes across your music is massively important. Because of this, I see a lot of artists fall into the trap of spending so much time making their social media accounts look really big (maybe bigger than they are) that they neglect their music. I’ve even seen a few folks focus on going viral so hard that what they go viral for has nothing to do with their music. So their social media then has a massive number of hits, but if they want to rock a show, they are still unable to sell 50 tickets in their hometown. That’s sort of where I got the concept of “Tik Tok Tik” from.

Something I find flummoxing is that while so many people favor the 10-15 second attention span format (Tik Tok), long-form interviews are also thriving by way of podcasts. Any thoughts on how or why this is so?

I find myself thinking about that a lot too. I believe that might have to do with the instant gratification and constant swiping of Tik Tok and other social media platforms. If the video doesn’t catch your interest in the first 5 seconds, you are on to the next one and not really looking back most of the time. Whereas with podcasts, I see that you have more of an idea of what you might be getting into ahead of time in terms of topic and duration. I personally find that it’s easier for me to pick what and when to listen to that way, as it makes it less of a crapshoot. But then again, that’s the cool thing about Tik Tok sometimes, you are constantly being exposed to stuff that you might not even be on your radar at all.

Well said per usual my guy. Back to the record, produced by LOZ BEATZ and y’all have an entire project coming. Tell me about the project with LOZ BEATZ and how that’s progressing:

Yeah man, so LOZ BEATZ (which is composed of Eric “eGogh ” Erusiafe and Sonny “Ghost” Tran) and I have an EP that we are working on which should be dropping in late 2023. I can’t really give too much away, but it will focus on falling in love with Hip Hop, specifically through the lens of growing up in the ’90s. We are working closely with Chris “Von Pimpenstein” Carter (who is a super talented mix engineer) as well as my manager Steve Strang (from Verzatyle Entertainment) to help bring this concept to its full potential. I think it’s going to be a really special project.

What are you listening to right now and why should we be listening, too?

Right now, I’m listening to a lot of Nas actually. His latest “King’s Disease III” really spoke to me and made me listen to his whole discography again. I’m also really rocking with Connor Price too. He’s an example of an artist who perfectly uses Tik Tok to build his fan base while at the same time, staying true to his craft. His wordplay and flow are always on point. And of course, I’ve always got Mac Miller’s “Blue Slide Park” and “K.I.D.S.” on repeat.

I am very much here for the Nas renaissance. Jay needs to drop an album here soon, or I think there might be a new number one in the eyes of most. I feel like we’ve covered a lot of ground here and gone on a few tangents per usual (largely my fault lol). So back to the subject at hand, what’s next for Marc 2Ray?

I’ve got a few big things already on the books for 2023 that I’m excited about. Definitely the release of the EP I did with NiccoFeem as well as my solo EP with LOZ BEATZ. We have several visuals ready to roll out as well. I’ve got a few more singles in the works and a short film based on one of my story-telling songs that will be coming out too. On April 1st, I’ll be performing as part of the 35th Wammie Music Awards which highlights the historic and thriving DMV music scene. My performance will be an ensemble with the very talented Trap-Operatic Soprano, Alexandria Chrichlow. I’m really looking forward to putting on this performance for my peers and the region’s music fans. And lastly, I’ll be continuing to work with teachers and principals to get my music into more schools’ curricula as the feedback from teachers regarding students’ attention and retention of a topic when conveyed through Hip Hop has been overwhelmingly positive.

We love to see it. Tell the people anything else they should know:

Hmm, I feel like I’ve covered all the bases with my music and educational/therapy work so I’ll end with a few random facts. I’m big into story-based video games. I cried at the end of playing Red Dead Redemption 2 and I’m proud of it. I have a cat named Zoe who is always hanging out at my home studio when I work on music. Her favorite spot is sleeping on my YAMAHA amp, as it gets warm after about an hour of use. Also, I’m one of those weirdos who never learned how to whistle (Writer’s Note: I can’t whistle either lol). I just can’t do it. If there’s anything else you want to know, hit me on social media (check out Marc 2Ray on Instagram here) and I’ll hit you back!

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Tags: Hype Magazine, Interview, Marc 2Ray, MC Bravado, Tik Tok Tik

About the Author

MC Bravado MC Bravado is an emcee/educator from Baltimore by way of New York. He's received noteworthy press across mediums, including but not limited to Billboard, Rolling Stone, HipHopDX, CBS, FOX, ABC, SiriusXM Shade45, Okayplayer, DJBooth, HotNewHipHop, The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Magazine, Earmilk, and REVOLT TV. Performing alongside or collaborating with the likes of Bone Thugs, Scarface, Joell Ortiz, Statik Selektah, & MANY more, Bravado is a veteran presence.  No stranger to big stages (Warped Tour, A3C, SXSW), MC B is showing & proving his way to rarefied air. That being said, the former Baltimore city high school English teacher still keeps a leg in the classroom as program coordinator for nonprofit Music Education program Beats Not Bullets. He also co-owns Label Necklace, an independent record label that empowers & educates other creatives while running the label’s boutique PR branch.