Queue Points is the podcast that drops the needle on Black music history and celebrates Black culture. In this special year-end episode, DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray take listeners on a reflective journey through 2024—a year that moved fast, shook things up, and left us with plenty to unpack.

From personal milestones and hard-earned victories to jaw-dropping social media moments and cultural shifts, our hosts highlight the Good, the Gag, and the Ugly of the year. Jay Ray shares his pride in completing the AIR New Voices AMPLIFY program, while DJ Sir Daniel opens up about navigating career changes and discovering new creative opportunities.

The conversation gets candid as they discuss the rise of unlikely internet stars, the challenges of preserving Black cultural legacy in the digital age, and the losses that rocked the music and DJ community. They also emphasize the importance of leaning into personal gifts, giving grace, and creating art as a form of resilience in turbulent times.

Whether you're here for the laughs, the lessons, or the love of music, this episode has something for you. As we close out 2024 and look ahead to 2025, Queue Points reminds us to keep shining, keep creating, and keep the culture alive.

Key Highlights:

• Reflecting on personal and professional wins in 2024
• The rise of social media-driven celebrities and what it says about culture
• The impact of recent losses in the DJ and music communities
• Embracing talent and leaning into creativity in uncertain times

#2024Reflections #TheGoodTheGagTheUgly #YearInReview2024 #ShineYourLight

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:37 Reflecting on 2024

03:58 The Good of 2024

08:53 The Gag of 2024

18:39 The Ugly of 2024

30:35 Conclusion and Looking Forward

32:11 Closing Theme

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Speaker: 00:00:05

DJ Sir Daniel: Thanks for watching!

Speaker: 00:00:21

Greetings, and welcome to another episode of Queue Points Podcast.

Speaker: 00:00:25

I am DJ Sir Daniel.

Jay Ray: 00:00:26

And my name is Jay Ray, sometimes known by my government

Jay Ray: 00:00:29

as Johnnie Ray Kornegay the third.

Jay Ray: 00:00:31

And Sir Daniel, we have made it.

Jay Ray: 00:00:33

Through another year, sir.

Jay Ray: 00:00:36

DJ Sir Daniel: We sure have.

Jay Ray: 00:00:37

Queue Points podcast is the podcast dropping the needle

Jay Ray: 00:00:39

on black music history.

Jay Ray: 00:00:41

And like you said, 2024 acted like he had somewhere to go.

Jay Ray: 00:00:45

Like they couldn't, they, they came inside.

Jay Ray: 00:00:47

They didn't want to put the, she didn't want to put her purse down.

Jay Ray: 00:00:51

She didn't want to take off her jacket.

Jay Ray: 00:00:52

She was fluttering about the place and just got the hell up on out of here.

Jay Ray: 00:00:56

Yes.

Jay Ray: 00:00:56

Because in less than a few days, we will be, like you said, um, stepping the

Jay Ray: 00:01:03

new and an unknown territory of 2025.

Jay Ray: 00:01:07

And that is exciting and scary at the same time, considering what we've

Jay Ray: 00:01:13

been through over the past year.

Jay Ray: 00:01:15

Yes, indeed.

Jay Ray: 00:01:17

You know, it's putting all of this in perspective.

Jay Ray: 00:01:20

One of my true highlights is the fact that we get to do this show.

Jay Ray: 00:01:25

Um, because let me tell you something since COVID it has been

Jay Ray: 00:01:30

like, For real, though, for real.

Jay Ray: 00:01:33

So I am excited to experience 2025 because, you know, it's a

Jay Ray: 00:01:39

new year, you know, not even new year, new me, just new year, right?

Jay Ray: 00:01:43

Same me, new year.

Jay Ray: 00:01:45

Um, And I'm looking forward to it.

Jay Ray: 00:01:48

Uh, but I, I'm, I'm also just like, okay, girl, let's see what you give.

Jay Ray: 00:01:53

DJ Sir Daniel: Let's see what you got.

Jay Ray: 00:01:55

Come on, hit me with your, well, no, let me not say that.

Jay Ray: 00:01:57

Hit me with

Jay Ray: 00:01:57

your best.

Jay Ray: 00:01:58

Nah, you know what?

Jay Ray: 00:02:00

Take that back.

Jay Ray: 00:02:00

DJ Sir Daniel: Yeah.

Jay Ray: 00:02:00

Nah, cause 2025 will come around here and just Mali walking us all right,

Jay Ray: 00:02:07

just dragging us and just wrecking the house as soon as they come in the door.

Jay Ray: 00:02:10

So what we are going to do is we're going to be very demure and we're

Jay Ray: 00:02:15

just going to have a mindful and very mindful of of the things that we

Jay Ray: 00:02:21

That we have come across in 2024, and we're gonna do it the Queue Points way

Jay Ray: 00:02:28

You know, people like to come up with a top 10 list.

Jay Ray: 00:02:30

Restream recording Dec 23, 2024 • 12:16:36 AM: Mm-hmm

Jay Ray: 00:02:31

. DJ Sir Daniel: We are not going to do that.

Jay Ray: 00:02:33

What Queue Points is going to do?

Jay Ray: 00:02:34

We are going to list the good, the gag, and the ugly of 2024.

Jay Ray: 00:02:41

And before we get into all of that, Jay Ray.

Jay Ray: 00:02:45

If 2024 had a theme song, what would it be?

Jay Ray: 00:02:49

And it doesn't have to be a song that came from 2024.

Jay Ray: 00:02:53

It could just be a song that just pretty much sums up what this year was giving.

Jay Ray: 00:02:59

Oh, you know what?

Jay Ray: 00:03:00

Um, shout out to Kendrick Lamar.

Jay Ray: 00:03:03

I think squabble up, um, actually summarizes 2024 really well.

Jay Ray: 00:03:09

It's just like, listen, what you got.

Jay Ray: 00:03:12

Let's go

Jay Ray: 00:03:14

. DJ Sir Daniel: You know what?

Jay Ray: 00:03:15

You're right.

Jay Ray: 00:03:16

You're right.

Jay Ray: 00:03:17

And on the flip side of that, what I will say is my song that will help you describe

Jay Ray: 00:03:22

2024 would be Sheena Easton's Strut.

Jay Ray: 00:03:26

Okay?

Jay Ray: 00:03:26

Yes.

Jay Ray: 00:03:27

2024

Jay Ray: 00:03:27

DJ Sir Daniel: says Strut, pout.

Jay Ray: 00:03:30

Put it out.

Jay Ray: 00:03:33

It's like you, what you, what you doing here?

Jay Ray: 00:03:36

We want to see what you got.

Jay Ray: 00:03:37

Yes.

Jay Ray: 00:03:38

We want to see what you got.

Jay Ray: 00:03:39

And it's going to be a lot of foolishness.

Jay Ray: 00:03:42

There was some fun.

Jay Ray: 00:03:43

Yes.

Jay Ray: 00:03:44

There were some tears definitely shed, but that's what, that's life, right?

Jay Ray: 00:03:49

Indeed.

Jay Ray: 00:03:49

Indeed.

Jay Ray: 00:03:51

Man, that's the thing we keep going.

Jay Ray: 00:03:54

DJ Sir Daniel: We keep going.

Jay Ray: 00:03:56

So let's just get to it.

Jay Ray: 00:03:58

So the good Jay Ray, what was your good of 2024?

Jay Ray: 00:04:05

I have had a lot of goods in 2024, but if I am going to pick one good,

Jay Ray: 00:04:12

um, it is the fact that, um, I got to participate in the, in the, uh, Air new

Jay Ray: 00:04:19

voices, amplify, which Queue Points, which was for Queue Points, right?

Jay Ray: 00:04:24

That was one.

Jay Ray: 00:04:26

I applied for it.

Jay Ray: 00:04:27

It's different when you apply for stuff and you get it.

Jay Ray: 00:04:30

That just feels really good.

Jay Ray: 00:04:31

Right.

Jay Ray: 00:04:32

I applied for it.

Jay Ray: 00:04:34

I got in and I also, um, learned a lot.

Jay Ray: 00:04:37

Um, that we get the opportunity to use here for the show.

Jay Ray: 00:04:40

Um, and I feel like I also contributed a great deal.

Jay Ray: 00:04:42

I made friends, you know, I got like friends and some came to our, uh, our

Jay Ray: 00:04:48

end of the year kickback that we had.

Jay Ray: 00:04:50

And, um, I am very proud, um, of, of that experience.

Jay Ray: 00:04:56

And that is one good that I would like to highlight.

Jay Ray: 00:05:00

What about you, man?

Jay Ray: 00:05:02

DJ Sir Daniel: Um before I say that I will echo what she said not only did

Jay Ray: 00:05:05

you make friends But you've made there's a lot of people who how do I put this?

Jay Ray: 00:05:11

They swear by Y'all listening.

Jay Ray: 00:05:13

They swear by jray in this industry Jray is like the god the go to person Um Um,

Jay Ray: 00:05:21

when it comes to all things podcasts, um, logistically, and that truly is his gift.

Jay Ray: 00:05:29

I'm saying that I don't mind.

Jay Ray: 00:05:30

I'm not guessing you.

Jay Ray: 00:05:32

This is truly how I feel.

Jay Ray: 00:05:33

You know, I say it all the time.

Jay Ray: 00:05:34

That is truly your gift of foresight.

Jay Ray: 00:05:37

And just organization, which a lot of us scatterbrains really

Jay Ray: 00:05:41

depend on people like Jay Ray,

Jay Ray: 00:05:43

Restream recording Dec 23, 2024 • 12:16:36 AM: you

Jay Ray: 00:05:45

DJ Sir Daniel: know, to, to make things happen.

Jay Ray: 00:05:47

So, yes, I totally agree with you on that aspect.

Jay Ray: 00:05:50

And yes, you rocked 20, 24, um, 20, 24 was, uh, I'm proud of

Jay Ray: 00:05:57

myself also for 2024, um, because, um, my boat got rocked in 2024.

Jay Ray: 00:06:06

You know, I had a big life change that a lot of people experienced this year.

Jay Ray: 00:06:11

You know, I, I lost my job.

Jay Ray: 00:06:14

I lost my, my main source of income.

Jay Ray: 00:06:17

And as a creative, Um, trying to, you know, keep the lights on and, but also

Jay Ray: 00:06:23

do your thing forces you to become creative and it forces you to really,

Jay Ray: 00:06:30

you know, put your, rely on your faith and really see what you're made out of.

Jay Ray: 00:06:37

And in the midst of all of that, I've had some really great opportunities.

Jay Ray: 00:06:42

Like I was able to, I was invited by a lot of, by quite a few of my peers to

Jay Ray: 00:06:48

appear, um, on various, uh, various DJ gigs, which, you know, I, I did without

Jay Ray: 00:06:58

any fear of trepidation, um, that's something that I put way behind me.

Jay Ray: 00:07:02

I, I literally don't have time for that.

Jay Ray: 00:07:06

Um, the nerves.

Jay Ray: 00:07:07

allow me to, to, to, to put more preparation into what I'm doing and

Jay Ray: 00:07:14

to really, um, create a vision that I want to for, that I want to see happen.

Jay Ray: 00:07:19

And so it's allowed me to really expand and flex my muscle and just to really step

Jay Ray: 00:07:26

in and present myself as, you know, The best at what I do or what I, you know,

Jay Ray: 00:07:33

and doing, and that's not just as a DJ, but as a podcast host, we've had several

Jay Ray: 00:07:39

opportunities, opportunities, shout out to the folks at Afros and audio, who,

Jay Ray: 00:07:44

um, took us from a small classroom to the main floor presentation this, um, in 2024.

Jay Ray: 00:07:51

So I'm very happy for the personal growth that I've experienced along

Jay Ray: 00:07:56

as professionally alongside UJ race.

Jay Ray: 00:08:00

So 2024, you know, you try, you try, you try, you tried a little, you try

Jay Ray: 00:08:07

a little bob and weave with me, but you know, I bobbed and weaved back.

Jay Ray: 00:08:11

I stood up and I took my licks, but it's like, I'm still going.

Jay Ray: 00:08:15

Yes.

Jay Ray: 00:08:16

You cannot, what's that mean?

Jay Ray: 00:08:19

You cannot fool me.

Jay Ray: 00:08:22

You cannot trick me 2024.

Jay Ray: 00:08:25

So no, but yes.

Jay Ray: 00:08:26

So that was my good.

Jay Ray: 00:08:28

And uh, I, I just foresee more good and gooder for Queue Points

Jay Ray: 00:08:33

for the Queue Points crew.

Jay Ray: 00:08:34

In 2024.

Jay Ray: 00:08:36

Yes.

Jay Ray: 00:08:37

In 2024.

Jay Ray: 00:08:38

Um, and definitely in 2025.

Jay Ray: 00:08:40

Yes.

Jay Ray: 00:08:41

Um, so to that point.

Jay Ray: 00:08:44

You know, there's always something right that that's kind of like, it's not good.

Jay Ray: 00:08:52

It's not bad, but you know what?

Jay Ray: 00:08:53

It's kind of like the gag, right?

Jay Ray: 00:08:56

So for you, um, cause I had to think about this and I got a good one.

Jay Ray: 00:09:02

Um, what's your gag for, for 2024.

Jay Ray: 00:09:06

DJ Sir Daniel: You know what?

Jay Ray: 00:09:06

I'm glad you asked me that Jay Ray.

Jay Ray: 00:09:09

Cause I, what has really gagged me all year long.

Jay Ray: 00:09:13

Is I am a, you know, I'm like the rest of you out there, I, I partake in my

Jay Ray: 00:09:21

social media and I have my, you know, I indulge in foolishness online and I see

Jay Ray: 00:09:28

a lot of stuff that's happening, but I am perpetually gagged when I see people.

Jay Ray: 00:09:36

That we have turned some of the most unlikely people into superstars.

Jay Ray: 00:09:43

A product example.

Jay Ray: 00:09:45

Here's my biggest example.

Jay Ray: 00:09:47

Um, you all out there, I'm pretty certain are familiar with who Shemarco

Jay Ray: 00:09:51

is and, or, or as he's known as big Marco clock that T you know, who Shemarco is.

Jay Ray: 00:10:00

I.

Jay Ray: 00:10:00

So Marco is a bonafide rockstar and I'm putting rockstar up in quotes right

Jay Ray: 00:10:06

now, but he is a bonafide rockstar who went from being, uh, ridiculed

Jay Ray: 00:10:13

and made fun of online because of his, it's clear, it's very clear that he has

Jay Ray: 00:10:19

some, um, is definitely a birth defect.

Jay Ray: 00:10:20

He is a form of scoliosis and, you know, he's shaped funny.

Jay Ray: 00:10:27

Um, he's, You know, he definitely has a lot of, um, dental challenges with the

Jay Ray: 00:10:34

crowded teeth and, you know, everybody's concerned about his, where he lands

Jay Ray: 00:10:40

on spectrum and his mental health.

Jay Ray: 00:10:42

And he has gone from fighting a lot in the streets, fighting, um, with various

Jay Ray: 00:10:49

people, being ridiculed, people running up on him and recording him to make

Jay Ray: 00:10:53

fun of him to becoming A well paid Um, performer, someone that actually has a

Jay Ray: 00:11:03

song that is playing in certain types of clubs, but he, but now because of

Jay Ray: 00:11:09

his heightened visibility, um, because of social media, he is able to command

Jay Ray: 00:11:16

appearance fees and performance fees.

Jay Ray: 00:11:19

He's traveling.

Jay Ray: 00:11:21

Um, they're rolling out the red carpet for him.

Jay Ray: 00:11:24

Now, here's the thing, Jay Ray, I don't know.

Jay Ray: 00:11:26

I don't know if it's good or bad.

Jay Ray: 00:11:28

I know it's good in the sense that He's not begging, or he's not, um, he's not

Jay Ray: 00:11:37

begging for money online like he used to.

Jay Ray: 00:11:39

It was like every other morning he was begging people to cash

Jay Ray: 00:11:43

app him to pay for a new phone.

Jay Ray: 00:11:45

It looks like he's able to sustain himself.

Jay Ray: 00:11:48

That's good.

Jay Ray: 00:11:49

Um, food, clothing, and shelter wise.

Jay Ray: 00:11:52

I am concerned of how long this bubble will stay inflated because as we all know,

Jay Ray: 00:12:00

when they're, when they're vulnerable people, they get, you know, they get

Jay Ray: 00:12:04

these kinds of opportunities and are, you know, and become famous overnight.

Jay Ray: 00:12:10

There's always people on the sideline.

Jay Ray: 00:12:14

Waiting to with their hand out to get something to use their name to get their

Jay Ray: 00:12:20

own money or Just waiting for him to fail.

Jay Ray: 00:12:23

Yes, and because and I just I you know Like the rest of y'all, I get my laugh and

Jay Ray: 00:12:30

I kiki about stuff too, but at the same time as a human being, I'd be like, damn,

Jay Ray: 00:12:35

is he, you know, I would hate for him to go back to what he was going through.

Jay Ray: 00:12:40

And I just don't know.

Jay Ray: 00:12:41

And it ain't none of my business really, but I just don't know if he has that

Jay Ray: 00:12:46

kind of support to keep him, uh, a float or to keep the momentum of his,

Jay Ray: 00:12:53

Yes, you know, as this is a career

Jay Ray: 00:12:55

at this point.

Jay Ray: 00:12:55

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, it's a

Jay Ray: 00:12:56

DJ Sir Daniel: career for him at his point.

Jay Ray: 00:12:58

And yeah, but it just, but again, to my, my main point is.

Jay Ray: 00:13:03

That social media is taking the most unlikely, sometimes some of

Jay Ray: 00:13:07

the most undeserving people, people that we just don't, that don't

Jay Ray: 00:13:11

necessarily, in our opinion, look like or feel like they have, that

Jay Ray: 00:13:17

they're actually talented or anything.

Jay Ray: 00:13:20

And that's just the bewilderment of social media at this point.

Jay Ray: 00:13:24

But I am, I continue to be gagged at what social media has done for.

Jay Ray: 00:13:30

individuals, good, bad, or indifferent.

Jay Ray: 00:13:33

Yes, that is a very real thing.

Jay Ray: 00:13:37

I, I, and I, yes to that.

Jay Ray: 00:13:40

And I want to encourage us all let's stop making people who

Jay Ray: 00:13:45

don't deserve it famous in 2025.

Jay Ray: 00:13:49

DJ Sir Daniel: Good luck.

Jay Ray: 00:13:49

There are.

Jay Ray: 00:13:51

Sir, Daniel, I promise you, you mentioned these two people.

Jay Ray: 00:13:54

I'm not going to mention their names here.

Jay Ray: 00:13:55

Cause that's shady.

Jay Ray: 00:13:56

But there are two people that you text me about regularly that I'm

Jay Ray: 00:13:59

like, I still don't understand why these people are like a thing.

Jay Ray: 00:14:03

Like I don't understand it.

Jay Ray: 00:14:04

It doesn't make sense to me.

Jay Ray: 00:14:06

I don't get it.

Jay Ray: 00:14:08

And that's okay.

Jay Ray: 00:14:09

Yeah, everything ain't for everybody.

Jay Ray: 00:14:10

Ain't that?

Jay Ray: 00:14:11

What?

Jay Ray: 00:14:11

Uh, what, what, uh, Jill Scott said

Jay Ray: 00:14:13

DJ Sir Daniel: this.

Jay Ray: 00:14:13

You sure did.

Jay Ray: 00:14:14

Yeah.

Jay Ray: 00:14:14

And, and so some of these folks ain't for everybody.

Jay Ray: 00:14:17

Let's stop making some of them famous . But I, I dig that gag and, you know, I

Jay Ray: 00:14:23

had to think about this one a bit and actually my gag is related to my good.

Jay Ray: 00:14:27

DJ Sir Daniel: Okay.

Jay Ray: 00:14:27

So here, . And you know what, I'm gonna walk in this a

Jay Ray: 00:14:31

little bit because I was gagged.

Jay Ray: 00:14:34

Um, you were actually in the room when this gag happened.

Jay Ray: 00:14:37

Um, uh, as part of my Air Amplify new voices opportunity, I had the

Jay Ray: 00:14:44

opportunity to, um, present on SEO, right?

Jay Ray: 00:14:49

It was just very random.

Jay Ray: 00:14:50

I had talked about SEO and then they were like, Oh, would you like to present on it?

Jay Ray: 00:14:54

And I did a little deck and presented on it.

Jay Ray: 00:14:57

Um, The like a week later or whatever well at the end of the cohort, you know,

Jay Ray: 00:15:02

they were asking people like, okay Well, what did you get the most out of blah blah

Jay Ray: 00:15:05

blah blah blah and people were going down the line Here's what I got the most and

Jay Ray: 00:15:08

one of the people and I was so grateful But also gags was like actually the one

Jay Ray: 00:15:14

thing that I really got a lot out of was Johnny's presentation or SEO and I

Jay Ray: 00:15:18

grew by like 200 percent and I was like

Jay Ray: 00:15:25

DJ Sir Daniel: 200 percent we need that at home.

Jay Ray: 00:15:27

Jay Ray.

Jay Ray: 00:15:28

I know.

Jay Ray: 00:15:29

Oh my God.

Jay Ray: 00:15:30

Um, I believe it was 200%.

Jay Ray: 00:15:32

I'm gonna go back and listen.

Jay Ray: 00:15:33

But either way it was, it was a lot of percent.

Jay Ray: 00:15:36

Okay.

Jay Ray: 00:15:37

It was a lot.

Jay Ray: 00:15:38

And so the gag was, I'm sitting here in this room, right?

Jay Ray: 00:15:43

Um, amongst these people who are incredibly talented.

Jay Ray: 00:15:47

Yeah.

Jay Ray: 00:15:47

That's it.

Jay Ray: 00:15:48

Yeah.

Jay Ray: 00:15:48

And I needed to be reminded that I am also talented and I am also in this room.

Jay Ray: 00:15:54

And so I was gagged at the fact of like, Oh God.

Jay Ray: 00:15:57

Okay.

Jay Ray: 00:15:58

I see you God.

Jay Ray: 00:15:59

Cause you ain't even had to, there was no, she ain't have to say it.

Jay Ray: 00:16:03

And none of that had to happen, but she said it and I was just

Jay Ray: 00:16:06

like, oh my god, thank you

Jay Ray: 00:16:09

DJ Sir Daniel: Absolutely.

Jay Ray: 00:16:10

Yes, you're right.

Jay Ray: 00:16:11

You're right And you know what the the exercise for you then is to not

Jay Ray: 00:16:15

let that gag you anymore You should be like, you know what I receive that.

Jay Ray: 00:16:19

I I I work hard at this.

Jay Ray: 00:16:22

Yeah, i'm not gagged anymore.

Jay Ray: 00:16:23

I I get it.

Jay Ray: 00:16:24

I know why I know why y'all love me Yes, I

Jay Ray: 00:16:28

think, I think the other thing too, for, for folks who

Jay Ray: 00:16:31

are listening to this is step out, lean into your gift, right?

Jay Ray: 00:16:38

DJ Sir Daniel: For sure.

Jay Ray: 00:16:40

Lean into your gift, because here's the thing.

Jay Ray: 00:16:43

We You do this too, Sir Daniel, I'm sure.

Jay Ray: 00:16:46

Like what the stuff that we do is kind of second nature.

Jay Ray: 00:16:49

It's just like stuff that we do.

Jay Ray: 00:16:51

But literally there are people out there in the worlds that are amazed.

Jay Ray: 00:16:56

I am amazed.

Jay Ray: 00:16:58

I see you up there with those, like with the vinyl and like,

Jay Ray: 00:17:01

you'd be like blending and stuff.

Jay Ray: 00:17:03

Listen, that's not my ministry.

Jay Ray: 00:17:06

I respect it so much.

Jay Ray: 00:17:07

It's amazing to me.

Jay Ray: 00:17:09

Right.

Jay Ray: 00:17:10

And.

Jay Ray: 00:17:12

We have to lean into that.

Jay Ray: 00:17:13

I do things that people are like, wow, that's a thing.

Jay Ray: 00:17:18

And that's so for everybody listening, lean into your magic, whatever that

Jay Ray: 00:17:24

magic is, that you might have a lot of magics, maybe sprinkle that thing.

Jay Ray: 00:17:27

What Robbie has been saying, Robbie said, shine your light so bright that it

Jay Ray: 00:17:34

inspires other people to shine theirs too.

Jay Ray: 00:17:37

Two, because guess what?

Jay Ray: 00:17:39

It's a whole lot of folks out here that aren't able to do that.

Jay Ray: 00:17:45

So if you are baby go big.

Jay Ray: 00:17:48

When Leo

Jay Ray: 00:17:49

DJ Sir Daniel: say big, go big.

Jay Ray: 00:17:51

Do you know?

Jay Ray: 00:17:52

It's just go.

Jay Ray: 00:17:53

No, don't half ass.

Jay Ray: 00:17:55

Yo

Jay Ray: 00:17:55

ho ho.

Jay Ray: 00:17:56

That's

Jay Ray: 00:17:56

DJ Sir Daniel: exactly right.

Jay Ray: 00:17:58

You know, you're absolutely right.

Jay Ray: 00:18:00

And I'm going to say this last piece and before we hop to the

Jay Ray: 00:18:03

next part, but yeah, your talents.

Jay Ray: 00:18:07

They're going to make a way for you that they teach that in the Bible.

Jay Ray: 00:18:11

A lot of people say that all the time, but they, it's true.

Jay Ray: 00:18:13

Your talents will make a way for you.

Jay Ray: 00:18:15

And when you think like the conventional way of things that you've done stops

Jay Ray: 00:18:20

working that talent that you have.

Jay Ray: 00:18:22

Uh, somebody is going to recognize it and it will make a way for you, whether that's

Jay Ray: 00:18:28

getting you a couple of dollars until a payday or starting a brand new career.

Jay Ray: 00:18:34

So I received everything you just said, J.

Jay Ray: 00:18:36

Ray, um, and.

Jay Ray: 00:18:39

And it's funny, the, the talents that we're talking about, yes, I love working

Jay Ray: 00:18:44

with vinyl and I love, um, DJing period is, you know, I really do feel happiest

Jay Ray: 00:18:51

when I'm doing it and that's why I, um, you know, when the people that I look

Jay Ray: 00:18:57

up to in the art, um, a lot of those people actually passed away in 2024.

Jay Ray: 00:19:05

And so.

Jay Ray: 00:19:07

There was some deaths that really, that really shook me, you know, this year.

Jay Ray: 00:19:12

I mean, they always shake you, especially when it's people that

Jay Ray: 00:19:15

you grow up, grew up admiring, but it really shook me like this.

Jay Ray: 00:19:20

I would say the, the passing of Mr.

Jay Ray: 00:19:24

C then, um, fat man, scoop DJ polo.

Jay Ray: 00:19:31

And then Clark Kent.

Jay Ray: 00:19:33

Yeah, all within the same year, I was like, Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, Hold on.

Jay Ray: 00:19:39

2024 Hold on life.

Jay Ray: 00:19:40

What is really happening here?

Jay Ray: 00:19:42

And each and every single time that I would hear, we would hear You hear about

Jay Ray: 00:19:50

the people that have been influenced by them and the things that people were able

Jay Ray: 00:19:56

to glean from their careers or that they took from them in some form of mentorship.

Jay Ray: 00:20:02

It just made me.

Jay Ray: 00:20:04

more appreciative of the, the more immediate people that are in my circle.

Jay Ray: 00:20:10

Cause I, I know who those gentlemen are.

Jay Ray: 00:20:12

I didn't necessarily, I was not close enough to reach out and touch them,

Jay Ray: 00:20:16

but there's plenty of people in my circle who, um, who mean a lot to me

Jay Ray: 00:20:21

and are very instrumental in there.

Jay Ray: 00:20:25

They know, they probably don't even know it, but are very

Jay Ray: 00:20:29

influential on me as, as a DJ.

Jay Ray: 00:20:32

And so.

Jay Ray: 00:20:33

So that made me those deaths made me appreciate those people more,

Jay Ray: 00:20:40

especially when I get to reach out and talk to them and see them at events.

Jay Ray: 00:20:45

Like I got to see a whole bunch of people at, um, at this most recent

Jay Ray: 00:20:49

crafts and crates where we had a surprise, a guest performance by

Jay Ray: 00:20:53

Nicolay, which was really awesome.

Jay Ray: 00:20:55

Shout

Jay Ray: 00:20:56

out to Nicolay and the foreign exchange,

Jay Ray: 00:20:57

DJ Sir Daniel: man, you know?

Jay Ray: 00:20:59

So, yeah, so that.

Jay Ray: 00:21:00

Those things really shook things up for me for 2024.

Jay Ray: 00:21:05

Was there a death in particular this past year that kind of.

Jay Ray: 00:21:11

You know, rocked you just a little bit.

Jay Ray: 00:21:13

Um, recently actually.

Jay Ray: 00:21:16

Um, so this is personal.

Jay Ray: 00:21:17

Um, there is a, a brother here.

Jay Ray: 00:21:21

Uh, I went to the viewing just yesterday.

Jay Ray: 00:21:24

Um, and we grew up together like literally, uh, He was my neighbor when

Jay Ray: 00:21:32

I was like a kid, kid, kid, kid, kid.

Jay Ray: 00:21:34

So we was like little kid friends, right?

Jay Ray: 00:21:38

Um, he lived right next door to me.

Jay Ray: 00:21:40

We lived in a, in a, in a row in row homes.

Jay Ray: 00:21:42

He was my, he was connected and, um, my age and, uh, you know, he

Jay Ray: 00:21:50

passed away and that was wild.

Jay Ray: 00:21:55

Um, Because it's also happening what seems like more frequently.

Jay Ray: 00:22:02

Um, and so I saw, uh, I actually went early on purpose.

Jay Ray: 00:22:06

I was like, Oh, maybe I'll get in here early and I won't

Jay Ray: 00:22:08

see a lot of people, right?

Jay Ray: 00:22:10

Um, cause I knew I wasn't equipped, uh, to do the funeral.

Jay Ray: 00:22:15

And I actually happened to see, um, another brother that

Jay Ray: 00:22:17

I went to high school with.

Jay Ray: 00:22:18

And he was like, man, I guess this is.

Jay Ray: 00:22:20

Our season where this is now, you know, our parents would go through that, right?

Jay Ray: 00:22:24

Mm-hmm . Mm-hmm . This is our season of like, going through that.

Jay Ray: 00:22:28

So that definitely rocked me, um, at the end of this year.

Jay Ray: 00:22:33

Um, yeah, and, and to the, and, and in addition, I would say another thing that

Jay Ray: 00:22:41

just kind of rocked me this year was the, um, watching the world be so polarizing.

Jay Ray: 00:22:50

Like it's either this or it's that.

Jay Ray: 00:22:53

Um, and with no nuance, with no, what seemed like no critical thought, it

Jay Ray: 00:23:03

was just like hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, or love, love, love, love, love.

Jay Ray: 00:23:10

And just like the casting away of folks.

Jay Ray: 00:23:13

Um, has really, like, really rocked me this year, too.

Jay Ray: 00:23:17

Um, and has forced me to be, you know, to just lean on my empathy.

Jay Ray: 00:23:24

You say something, um, that was kind of your model, I think, for 2023.

Jay Ray: 00:23:29

And it's, um, you know, that idea of giving people grace, grace and space.

Jay Ray: 00:23:35

Um, really just being reminded of that, like give people grace and space because,

Jay Ray: 00:23:41

um, it's hard out here in these streets.

Jay Ray: 00:23:43

So between, yes, between, uh, that death that happened super recently, but also

Jay Ray: 00:23:48

just watching the world be on fire.

Jay Ray: 00:23:52

It's been like,

Jay Ray: 00:23:55

so what I am looking forward to though.

Jay Ray: 00:23:57

And I think I said this in our kickback is, um, I'm dying to

Jay Ray: 00:24:01

see the art that comes out.

Jay Ray: 00:24:02

I want to see what we do.

Jay Ray: 00:24:04

I want to see what other folks do when folks feel pushed it, uh, like

Jay Ray: 00:24:09

their backs are against the wall and they got to fight their way out

Jay Ray: 00:24:11

like a, like a cat, you know, some beautiful stuff can come out of that.

Jay Ray: 00:24:16

And I'm looking forward to that beautiful stuff because guess what?

Jay Ray: 00:24:19

We're going to need beautiful stuff.

Jay Ray: 00:24:21

DJ Sir Daniel: We are definitely going to need art.

Jay Ray: 00:24:24

We are definitely going to need that.

Jay Ray: 00:24:26

And that's why we're going to lift up the people.

Jay Ray: 00:24:28

Because what's your experience of what we collectively experience?

Jay Ray: 00:24:33

Whether it's the actual physical death of someone or the death of An era like

Jay Ray: 00:24:39

what you what we experienced with those.

Jay Ray: 00:24:41

Um, those revelations and then the polarizing the country Right, you

Jay Ray: 00:24:46

know We're grieving we are greeners.

Jay Ray: 00:24:49

We are in a sense grieving and I I you know, that's Some people look at that

Jay Ray: 00:24:55

as as ugly and It can get ugly, but I think to me, what was really ugly

Jay Ray: 00:25:05

about 2024 is this insidious, this insidious, um, feeling among, and I

Jay Ray: 00:25:18

don't want to, I don't want to pinpoint and, and just rag on young people, but

Jay Ray: 00:25:25

it, because it's not just young people.

Jay Ray: 00:25:27

There are a lot of Older folks who are facilitating and enabling

Jay Ray: 00:25:32

them with this feeling of that there is no value on anything that

Jay Ray: 00:25:39

happened before they were born.

Jay Ray: 00:25:42

And there is no value regarding any art that was created before they were born.

Jay Ray: 00:25:48

There is no, you know, I've mentioned it before and I don't even know

Jay Ray: 00:25:52

who this young man is, but he referred to samples and Old school

Jay Ray: 00:26:00

music, quote unquote as UNC shit.

Jay Ray: 00:26:04

Restream recording Dec 23, 2024 • 12:16:36 AM: Mm-hmm

Jay Ray: 00:26:05

. DJ Sir Daniel: First of all, that boy was as white as the palm of my hand.

Jay Ray: 00:26:10

And I was like, first of all, why do you feel emboldened to speak on

Jay Ray: 00:26:15

such things to be able to speak?

Jay Ray: 00:26:17

I have, I had

Jay Ray: 00:26:17

thoughts on that.

Jay Ray: 00:26:18

DJ Sir Daniel: Speak on the culture.

Jay Ray: 00:26:20

Mm-hmm

Jay Ray: 00:26:20

. DJ Sir Daniel: And then it just, and then when I see other things happening

Jay Ray: 00:26:25

across the, um, social media and.

Jay Ray: 00:26:29

You know, the, the cultural platforms where, you know, a comedian can feel

Jay Ray: 00:26:36

emboldened to say something, to, to speak on or infer buck breaking on a major

Jay Ray: 00:26:43

rapper, because he wants to, cause he feels like he's a comedian and he has fun.

Jay Ray: 00:26:47

Full carte blanche to talk about black people and black women and, and just go

Jay Ray: 00:26:54

beyond and say, and even, and even if, um, infer that they're, they're okay to

Jay Ray: 00:27:01

use, they have a past to use the N word.

Jay Ray: 00:27:03

Restream recording Dec 23, 2024 • 12:16:36 AM: And

Jay Ray: 00:27:04

DJ Sir Daniel: the only way that they can feel that is if you, you know,

Jay Ray: 00:27:09

y'all Negroes out there that have, yes, that have given them said past, you

Jay Ray: 00:27:15

know, I'm always talking about those.

Jay Ray: 00:27:17

Cut it off.

Jay Ray: 00:27:18

Friggin invites to the cookout.

Jay Ray: 00:27:20

There's a, there's a whole bunch of y'all that I don't know if you all are

Jay Ray: 00:27:24

on perks, you rolling on something, or you too drunk to realize that you are,

Jay Ray: 00:27:29

you are yet again, enabling and abetting and the giving away and the throwing away

Jay Ray: 00:27:36

of this culture of the things that we created in this world across the diaspora.

Jay Ray: 00:27:41

And so that, to me, that.

Jay Ray: 00:27:45

Has become like really prevalent and it's something it's like a really ugly

Jay Ray: 00:27:49

pimple that has just come out about of nowhere of people wanting to just

Jay Ray: 00:27:58

Lack of a better term shit on the things that a lot of people paid with their blood

Jay Ray: 00:28:03

To create that you have benefited from you continue to make money off of yep

Jay Ray: 00:28:09

And so that's my ugly and I'm sick of it.

Jay Ray: 00:28:12

I'm sick of

Jay Ray: 00:28:12

it.

Jay Ray: 00:28:13

I have so many thoughts on that and I do want to echo something that you just

Jay Ray: 00:28:17

said um this This young man who said this stuff um has no connection to the history

Jay Ray: 00:28:32

That he is now making money from so he is literally making money off the culture You

Jay Ray: 00:28:38

Restream recording Dec 23, 2024 • 12:16:36 AM: Mm hmm

Jay Ray: 00:28:39

that he has He has no critical thinking.

Jay Ray: 00:28:42

He has no history.

Jay Ray: 00:28:44

He has no connection to it.

Jay Ray: 00:28:45

So he's able to just kind of fly off the cuff and say it.

Jay Ray: 00:28:48

But here's the other thing that I know about that.

Jay Ray: 00:28:50

He, to your point, he's had people in his circle that have enabled

Jay Ray: 00:28:55

him to say stuff like that.

Jay Ray: 00:28:57

And I have problems with y'all.

Jay Ray: 00:29:01

My beef is with y'all.

Jay Ray: 00:29:02

He's only saying the foolishness that he's saying, because y'all let him say that.

Jay Ray: 00:29:08

This is your culture, your legacy, your history, and we are a people

Jay Ray: 00:29:14

who our ancestors and the people who the shoulders we stand on matter

Jay Ray: 00:29:20

as much as what we create today.

Jay Ray: 00:29:23

And if you don't get that, you've missed very, very, very, very valuable lessons,

Jay Ray: 00:29:29

and you got to go back and learn them.

Jay Ray: 00:29:32

That's all I got.

Jay Ray: 00:29:34

He stopped going over there.

Jay Ray: 00:29:36

Stop giving him your art because he's able to make money off of your back.

Jay Ray: 00:29:42

He doesn't even respect your history, the history of your ancestors, the history

Jay Ray: 00:29:47

that he's, that you're continuing to move forward with and make money from.

Jay Ray: 00:29:53

He don't respect none of that.

Jay Ray: 00:29:54

Stop going over there.

Jay Ray: 00:29:55

I'm looking at y'all.

Jay Ray: 00:29:56

I don't care nothing about him.

Jay Ray: 00:29:57

It's y'all that keep going over there to that man and giving him your brilliance.

Jay Ray: 00:30:03

Stop it.

Jay Ray: 00:30:05

I'm so sorry.

Jay Ray: 00:30:06

I, I, we hadn't talked about him.

Jay Ray: 00:30:08

I don't like that.

Jay Ray: 00:30:10

DJ Sir Daniel: I don't like it at all.

Jay Ray: 00:30:11

So yes, the, the, your two uncles have, have said what they had to say about it.

Jay Ray: 00:30:17

And we're going to leave that here in 2024 and I want to hear enough.

Jay Ray: 00:30:20

I don't want to hear nothing about it no more on

Jay Ray: 00:30:23

my list.

Jay Ray: 00:30:26

DJ Sir Daniel: So that has been the good.

Jay Ray: 00:30:29

The gag and the ugly of 2024.

Jay Ray: 00:30:32

Our Queue Points, uh, 2024 year in review.

Jay Ray: 00:30:36

Um, Jay Ray, let the people know.

Jay Ray: 00:30:38

Yes,

Jay Ray: 00:30:38

DJ Sir Daniel: nothing much has changed, but it is about to change

Jay Ray: 00:30:41

some more for the good, but just let the people know how they can

Jay Ray: 00:30:44

continue to watch us thrive and grow.

Jay Ray: 00:30:47

Absolutely.

Jay Ray: 00:30:48

Thank y'all so much.

Jay Ray: 00:30:48

If you can see us, if you can hear us, thank you so much for joining us.

Jay Ray: 00:30:52

We really, really do appreciate you.

Jay Ray: 00:30:54

Go ahead and hit the subscribe button wherever you are.

Jay Ray: 00:30:57

And if you could do us a solid and share the show with your friends,

Jay Ray: 00:31:01

your family, your colleagues, if you love Queue Points, chances are

Jay Ray: 00:31:04

they will love Queue Points as well.

Jay Ray: 00:31:06

You can support us by visiting our website at Queue Points.

Jay Ray: 00:31:09

com.

Jay Ray: 00:31:09

There you can catch up on all the old shows.

Jay Ray: 00:31:12

Taking taking you way back.

Jay Ray: 00:31:14

We're up to almost we're getting into we're getting close to 200 now, sir.

Jay Ray: 00:31:18

Daniel Wow, isn't that something so in in 2025, we will be into the 200th show So

Jay Ray: 00:31:25

going over to the website check it out.

Jay Ray: 00:31:27

Check out the old shows.

Jay Ray: 00:31:28

You can also support us by visiting our website I'm sorry by visiting

Jay Ray: 00:31:32

visiting our store at store.

Jay Ray: 00:31:34

Queue Points.

Jay Ray: 00:31:34

com where you can get some fresh gear and all types of other things.

Jay Ray: 00:31:38

And, you know, check out our blog, magazine.

Jay Ray: 00:31:41

Queue Points.

Jay Ray: 00:31:41

com as well, where we have a lot of amazing content.

Jay Ray: 00:31:44

We appreciate y'all.

Jay Ray: 00:31:46

We love y'all.

Jay Ray: 00:31:47

DJ Sir Daniel: Absolutely.

Jay Ray: 00:31:48

So, like I say, at every end of every, at the end of every episode

Jay Ray: 00:31:52

in this life, you have a choice.

Jay Ray: 00:31:54

You can either pick up the needle or you can let the record play.

Jay Ray: 00:31:57

I'm DJ Sir Daniel.

Jay Ray: 00:31:58

My

Jay Ray: 00:31:59

name is Jay

Jay Ray: 00:31:59

DJ Sir Daniel: Ray,

Jay Ray: 00:31:59

y'all.

Jay Ray: 00:32:00

DJ Sir Daniel: And this has been Queue Points podcast, dropping

Jay Ray: 00:32:02

the needle on black music history.

Jay Ray: 00:32:04

We will see you on the next go round and we will see you in 2025.

Jay Ray: 00:32:09

Indeed.

Jay Ray: 00:32:10

Peace, y'all.