Ray J says he only has one year left to live.
“2027 is definitely a wrap for me. That’s what they say,” the musician said in a social media video shared on January 27, 2026. “I shouldn’t have went this hard, bro.”
Ray J is keeping a positive outlook, telling his followers that it didn’t “matter if my days are counted” because “my baby mama gonna be straight, my kids gonna be straight.” He appeared to be referring to wife Princess Love, with whom he shares Melody Love (born in May 2018) and Epik Ray (born in December 2019).
“If they wanna spend all the money, they can spend it. I did my part here,” Ray J added. “And damn, when it’s all done, burn me, don’t bury me.”
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As the video continued, Ray J thanked his parents for transporting him to doctor’s appointments before shouting out his sister, Brandy.
“She paid my bills for me for the rest of the year,” Ray J said of his sister.
Ray J’s social media video came weeks after it was reported that he had been hospitalized for pneumonia and heart pains in Las Vegas on January 6, 2026. Us Weekly reached out to Ray J’s team for comment.
“I was in the hospital. My heart’s only beating, like, 25 percent, but as long as I stay focused and stay on the right path, everything will be alright,” Ray J said in separate social media video posted on January 25, 2026. “So thank you for all your prayers.”
The singer has continued to offer more details about his ongoing health battle. Keep scrolling for everything to know:
What Is a Black Heart?
According to the National Library of Medicine, black heart is a real, albeit rare, condition. A black heart is mostly associated with alkaptonuria, which is a genetic disorder causing the dark pigmentation of tissues. However, it can “also refer to severe, fatal damage caused by extreme substance abuse, or a plant disease.”
In the Instagram video posted on January 27, 2026, Ray J told fans that he “f***ed my heart up on the right side,” pointing to his chest.
“It’s, like, black,” he added. “It’s like gun.”
During an interview with TMZ on January 29, 2026, Ray J further explained that his heart is only beating at 60 percent and “half of his heart has turned black,” according to his doctors.
How Did Ray J Get a Black Heart?
The musician speculated that he “f***ed up,” which is why his health started to decline.
“I think I thought I had more weight. I thought I was a big [shot], so I could handle all the alcohol,” he told fans in the January 27, 2026, Instagram video. “I could handle all the Adderall. I could handle all the drugs, but I couldn’t. And it curbed my time here.”
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Is Ray J Being Treated for a Black Heart?
Ray J explained in his January 29, 2026, interview that he has been put on several cholesterol medications and some for people who are at “high risk” for heart failure.
Medical professionals have recommended that Ray J stay in bed, he told TMZ. The musician was also told he cannot drink or smoke. Not being able to see his kids made Ray J realize “I need to change my ways of living,” he said. (Ray J is currently under a protective order barring him from seeing his kids, stemming from a November 2025 incident.)
It’s possible that Ray J will need a pacemaker or defibrillator, he told TMZ. However, the determination will be made during a follow-up doctor’s appointment.
