Riding on the success of last year’s “Tremendous,” Ray Hodge isn’t afraid to experiment in the world of pop with his latest single “Betcha Can’t Do It Like Me.” The explosive anthem sees the singer-songwriter take on drum n’ bass while simultaneously keeping close to his roots. “Betcha Can’t Do It Like Me” features a blend of pop, soul, and dance — taking influence from the sounds that enrich the New York native’s hometown of Jamaica, Queens. The latest track draws listeners in with its striking beat, Hodge’s gripping vocals and a melody that exudes confidence.
“‘Betcha Can’t Do It Like Me’ is the first song I wrote that’s claiming myself and vibing on my own level. It’s about just going in my studio, no plans, and playing whatever comes to you. No matter how different or crazy. It’s about catching a vibe and shaping my sound. The song is just a run down of a random ass day in Jamaica Queens, NY. My friends and I just running around doing crazy shit and having fun expressing ourselves.” – Ray Hodge
Hodge also notes that the inspiration in the production of this track comes from childhood television shows and pulls nostalgic themes from video games.
“At the time I was also watching a lot of older episodes of Powerpuff Girls and I was inspired by the theme song, and some old school video game sounds from back in the day.” – Ray Hodge
New York native crafting his own original brand of music that somehow manages to encapsulate indie, pop and soul music all wrapped up into one perfect package, with his big vocals and personality being the centerpiece of it all. Ray Hodge has been sharpening his theatrical live performance skills the last few years playing various underground clubs in NYC.
The track “I Am King” off of Ray Hodge’s Braveheart EP seemed to take on a life of its own, with its powerful vocal performance and message leading to the Oprah Network TV series Queen Sugar placing the song in a pivotal scene on the show. Fans and press alike also responded to the tremendous song, landing Ray on outlets such as The Source, Billboard, Fuse TV, Billboard, Afropunk, HiphopDX and more.
Since the release of his debut EP Braveheart, Ray has been hard at work crafting his forthcoming sophomore EP that will be released later this year. This next wave of music sees Ray channeling the emotional rollercoaster of his life these last few years, as Ray shares that “This music is the story of my hardest years, channeled into songs. This next chapter is honest, dark, revealing and uplifting all at once, it’s my story and one hell of a ride. Are you ready for that?”
Be sure to stream “Betcha Can’t Do It Like Me” on all DSPs today.
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