Ray J hospitalized again after heart failure battle

R&B singer Ray J, 45, was hospitalized for the second time in 2026 after a medical emergency during a livestream at a Los Angeles recording studio on Oct. 1. He is now resting in a hospital, his representative confirmed. The singer, born William Ray Norwood Jr., was rushed by ambulance from the Fab Factory studio with his mother present. This follows a life-threatening January hospitalization for severe heart failure after pneumonia, when he revealed his heart was beating at only 25% capacity. His January condition indicated a severely reduced ejection fraction, below 30%, which raises risks of heart failure complications. Ray J also faces legal issues, including a Thanksgiving arrest and a defamation lawsuit from Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner.