PVD Ambassador: RayyyL Talks Smooth Podcast, Rhode Island Culture, Business Ventures
Image Courtesy of RayyyL
Rhode Island is the smallest U.S. state with a population of under 1.1 million people. It’s nicknamed the Ocean State as it has over 400 miles of coastline and multiple inland bays. Traditionally, much isn’t known about Rhode Island in the mainstream media, especially as it relates to diversity and/or urban culture. Thankfully, social media has the ability to connect us with people in every corner and aspect of the globe. However, as vast and accessible as it may be, it’s still not everyday that you learn a lot about a state when following someone on Instagram. But, this has been my experience with RayyyL. There’s a thriving urban scene in RI and Ray “RayyyL” Lambert is one of its key players. As an event curator and podcast host, he has his finger on the pulse of what’s new, hot, and relevant in Providence. Initially starting with Smooth Sundays, a weekly nightlife event, RayyyL’s brand has evolved into hosting multiple events each week under his company Smooth Events; these events include R&Brunch and Aura Saturdays. His latest venture is Smooth Podcast, a show where he interviews notable guests who are highly successful in their respective fields. Guests include educators, small business owners, and a 2022 Providence mayoral candidate. Smooth Podcast has already racked up thousands of views since it premiered in mid-July and it’s easy to see why: it’s honestly a great podcast. It’s simple but effective plot succeeds at its mission: to motivate viewers to become better versions of themselves. Another key to RayyyL’s success is that he himself is as smooth as the name of the brand, making Smooth Events and Podcast seem all the more authentic. Whether it’s him wearing the dopest ‘fits or getting everyone in the Providence area catching a vibe, RayyyL clearly knows what he’s doing. Recently, we sat down for an in-depth interview where we talked about Smooth Podcast, life and culture in RI, his event planning process, and turning failures into wins.
Eight Eleven: For those who aren’t familiar, what is the Smooth Podcast? What’s the basis of the show?
RayyyL: A lot of people know me as the guy that started Smooth Sundays. A lot of my brand, a lot of my events have the Smooth logo on it. But for my podcast, the acronym is for Simply Motivating Others Onward Through Hope; it’s the Smooth Podcast. I’m basically shining a light on people I deem as successful, because successful is very subjective. We talk about the highlights of their life but what I like to really harp on is the moments in their life were they were like, “oh sh*t, I don’t know if what I’m doing is right or a massive failure.” Where it’s like if it happened to nine out of ten people, it would deter them off their path. The real successful people know that when there’s a bump in the road or if there’s a failure, that’s not necessarily an overall failure. That’s just part of the road to success. I wanted to shine a light on that and give some hope for anyone out there who’s trying something new or is not where they want to be, that’s it’s all part of the journey overall.
You’ve been an event curator for years now and you’re an expert in this field. When did you discover the moment where you wanted to transition into having a podcast? How did this come about?
Most of my off time is spent listening to podcasts. Whether I’m at work and I get to listen to things or whatever the case may be, I listen to a lot of podcasts. I’m really gravitating towards a lot of self help and empowerment podcasts. It’s been something that I’ve been wanting to do for quite some time since 2020, I just didn’t know the right way to go about it. But, I knew I needed to make sure visually that my podcast looked good and was a hundred percent before I did anything. In my opinion, you can say what you want and have whatever people you want, but if the set doesn’t visually look good, people aren’t going to really tune into it. I gravitate towards podcasts where their set looks visually appealing. I just wanted to make sure it was the same for me. I wrote down a list of people and now that list is getting longer. I have people contacting me to get interviewed, it’s kinda crazy! I’m not even at nine episodes, I’m only at eight episodes. So, this is just the beginning. The best thing about it is that it’s truly a passion project for me. There’s no metric for me of getting a certain amount of likes or views. I think that part of YouTube and being an entrepreneur in general kind of deteriorates people or might put people down. It’s really something to where I’m going to put out that content whether 5, 500, 5k, or 500k people watch it. It’s just something that I want to do. It also expands my network because your network is your net worth. I’m going to get to a point where I reach out to someone that I don’t necessarily know on a first name style, but I’ll be able to reach out to them to be on my podcast. That alone is worth its weight in gold. I’m just happy that I’ve been getting the support I’ve been getting thus far and I hope a lot more people will tune in and keep rockin’ with it. For people who might not know anything about starting a podcast, a big factor to me was not only the lighting but to have more than one camera. A lot of startup podcasts, there will be one camera straight on and you get this one angle throughout the entire podcast. So, you’re staring at the same exact screen for however long of the podcast. I knew that I had to have multiple cameras so if I ask the guest a question, it could pan out to just them and cut me out. That kind of versatility actually keeps the viewer engaged.
Are there any plans to expand with guests beyond Rhode Island or New England area?
Yea, I have a bunch of connects. I definitely have plans on doing something where I interview people that don’t necessarily live in New England.
What has been the most helpful thing you’ve learned since becoming a host?
Probably that with time and consistency, anyone gets better with anything. My podcast episode 100 is going to be better than episode 1, just because I’m putting in that time, effort, and consistency. Also, a lot of podcasts don’t pop until episode 100, especially if it’s not a celebrity or something. When you hear about other podcasts poppin’ off they’ll tell you, you gotta just keep doing it. Like I said previously, I’m thankful enough to where this is truly a passion project. I’m not trying to make it big time off of this. If it falls in the ears of a mass amount of people that’s fantastic but that’s actually not the goal. The goal is honestly to just shine a light on the people I deem worthy of the light being shined on.
Smooth Podcast
Recently, you had the chance to interview a Providence mayoral candidate. As you know, politics is a sensitive subject nowadays. Was there a transition from business and entertainment to politics and are you concerned with heading into that territory?
Not at all, because I’m asking him questions and he’s giving me answers. I’m not saying on the podcast, “Hey, vote for this person.” It might be a little bit different if I said, “Hey, I’m a Democrat. Hey, vote for this person, he’s great.” That might be shifting things but just giving someone a platform to answer questions on, that’s not really me persuading people. What’s crazy is someone that’s a part of his team reached out to me to do it. It wasn’t even in my mind to do it. How do I not take that opportunity, you know?
You’re from Providence, Rhode Island. Rhode Island isn’t usually discussed in mainstream culture. What is the urban scene like when it comes to music and entertainment? Are there any PVD rappers/hip-hop artists that we should add to our playlists?
There’s a billion things to do. It’s funny because if you’re from Boston, a lot of the urban community there comes down to Rhode Island because our clubs are more lenient. A lot of the club owners in Providence are Spanish, it’s more of an urban vibe. It attracts people from Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. There’s actually too many clubs in Providence to be honest (laughs). Way too many clubs and hookah bars, there’s legit one on every corner, it’s kinda crazy. The only way it’s sustainable is the fact that we get people from those states to come to Providence on a weekly basis. That speaks volumes to the kind of place that Providence is. As for hip-hop artists, the biggest name that people would know is AraabMuzik, the producer. People would probably bet that he’s from New York, but he’s actually from Providence. He’s real good people and so is his brother. Outside of that, we have a lot of rising acts that haven’t really hit the mainstream yet but they’re coming up. I honestly can’t say that Rhode Island has legit movement for rap but there are dope rappers. People that would crossover though, not just yet. There’s been back and forth on if you actually have to get out of Rhode Island and go to a New York or California to have some success in the music business. I’m a fan of this guy King OSF. Dee Gomes had a really big song with Lil Tjay called Replay. That was probably the biggest track in a while that we’ve had from Rhode Island.
Smooth stands for Simply Motivating Others Onward Through Hope. Like you previously said, instead of just focusing on success, you’re especially drawn to hearing about people’s failures and how they overcame them. What is one low period or obstacle you had on your own road to success and how did you persevere?
That’s a great question. It’s funny because I ask that question all the time. I’ll be honest, I probably go through a low point every so often. When you’re an entrepreneur and trying new things, you’re not going to just take off. I have so many endeavors that with every endeavor comes a low point. When I was faced with real reality, it was probably right after college. I went to Boston College, which is a pretty prestigious college and I graduated with a psychology degree. In the psych world or healthcare field in general, if you’re not a nurse, you got to get your Master’s or Doctorate etc., to finally get some real money coming in. So my first job out of college, I was making $12 an hour and I wasn’t doing any events at the time. That was my main source of income. I guess it was from there that I really developed the thought that I gotta have multiple streams because there were times that I legit couldn’t afford things. You’re at that point where you’re living on your own but because you’re living on your own, you can’t ask Mommy or Daddy for money. You want to be on your independent grind. But, with that comes all the responsibility of it. Having student loans, paying for rent, food, and things of that nature off of $12 an hour, when I’m seeing people work that sell cars for a living or work in the mall. They’re making more than me. There were a lot of nights where I was thinking to myself like, yo what am I doing? From day one, you think when you go to college, come out and get a degree, you make a lot of money. I graduated from one of the top colleges and wasn’t making any money; that was definitely a low point. I could’ve been home the whole time working wherever and would’ve ended up with more, it was kind of depressing at that point. I felt I was really sold a dream. Another low point was when a really close relative of mine was locked up when we were young. He was my superhero at the time. He got arrested and my grandmother’s house got raided. When you look up to someone for twelve to fourteen years of your life and then you see them in cuffs, you see the damage that they do to the whole family and it kind of changes your perspective. You think, “I need to start looking at myself for reassurance and the person that I depend on.” Other people can be nice to you but they can have some things going on that you just don’t know about. It might seem a little narcissistic, but I think you have to value yourself more than anything else, no matter who you are. You have to value yourself and put yourself first. That’s not the same as being greedy or selfish, you have to do that. You have to have these talks with yourself that you don’t need anybody; if sh*t hits the fan, you got you. That takes time. It takes you convincing yourself, putting in that groundwork of showing yourself that. That’s been a key factor in everything I do. When I started the events, I started by myself. On the podcast, I don’t have someone else that’s interviewing the guests, it’s just me. A lot of things are just me. You win or you lose and it’s on me. I built that skin to where I’m cool enough to go to war with just me.
How do you first get into party promoting? Do you remember your very first event?
That’s a multilayered question. My first time promoting an event, I was a part of this group called Tuff Tunez. It was about three or four of us and we would do one-time big parties. This might seem crazy, but now where I’m standing it makes all the sense in the world. I didn’t care about getting paid. I didn’t even know it was a thing. I was just so happy to be something through an event, that was good enough for me. Shoutout to DJ and Drew, they are two individuals that are pioneers in their own right. They were spearheading the movement. That was my first time throwing a party, hoping people come. I didn’t deal with the owners or any of the money. I was just promoting it and was happy to be there. This is 2010 or 2011, around there. The first event I did by myself was actually in Boston, in 2012. It was at a bar on a Thursday and it went well. That was it until I graduated college. Once I graduated, I got that $12 an hour job. My schedule was messed up and my Sunday was like my Friday. I’d work Sunday morning and then I had the next two days off. I’d go back home and there was nothing to do on Sunday night. Shoutout to Fanta, she was the manager at a spot called Skarr Lounge. I hit her up on Instagram and she said that they didn’t have anything on Sundays. I told her that I was thinking about promoting a night and she told me to come by and she’d introduce me to everyone. I met with the owner and the girls that were working. The name Smooth Sundays came to me and I didn’t even have to second guess it. I told them about my idea and the girls actually laughed at me. They said Sunday night is the day when everyone is getting ready for work. This was in 2013 and the everyday turnup wasn’t really a thing back then; it was more of a Friday and Saturday thing. I made sure to call it Smooth Sundays, the name went well together. I didn’t want expectations to be crazy and I didn’t know what to expect. So, at the very least I thought, did you have a smooth time? I wasn’t false advertising. If you had a smooth night, then you got what the event said. So, I ran with that and did it by myself. I’d have a few hosts here and there. I also made sure I did a small place that was packed week after week. Throughout Rhode Island, my name started ringing bells all over the place. Before that, I was living in Boston for four years and then I came home and started that. That’s how everything started.
Obviously you’ve been doing this for years and have had a lot of success. What has been the toughest lesson you’ve learned as a curator?
The toughest lesson is a recurring lesson. I can’t speak for others, I can only speak for myself. When it comes to events, nightlife and things of that nature, 2+2 doesn’t equal 4. You can have the best location, DJ, and your promo is on point but your event can still be lackluster for whatever reason. There’s no guarantee of a successful night when you’re doing it at the velocity that I do events. Currently, I’m part of three weekly events. Do they do good? Yes. Will there be one event that might be slow within a month? Of course. It’s just understanding that it’s not necessarily you every time, it’s the odds game. I don’t expect everyone that knows me to come to my event every single week. I can’t expect to hit it out of the park every single time. I’ve definitely taken some losses especially with bigger events like concerts and afterparties. But, I’ve just been very fortunate that my wins have severely outweighed my losses.
In nightlife, nightclubs and bars are constantly evolving, nothing is forever. There’s always a new phase. When starting new events, what is your process like and how do you decide on new themes and keep up with trends? How do you determine the longevity of each event?
I determine my events based on what I want. It might sound a little selfish but I’ve been a part of some events previously that I had to say to myself that it’s not my vibe. Going forward, I make sure that I definitely carry events that I would be at whether it was my event or not. I think that’s the key. I think comfort, safety, music, food, those things really play a big factor into the kind of vibes I like nowadays. I’m very much a lounge person and not really a club person. They serve their purpose but on a weekly basis I’m way more of a lounge person. I tend to go toward lounges and less of actual clubs. I think that there’s a significant longevity in brunch. Brunches allow me to promote to professionals, street dudes, everything in between and everyone feels comfortable. There’s no age limit. You can be at a brunch at eighteen or twenty years old. You can also be at a brunch when you’re sixty. No one looks crazy being at a brunch. With that, I think there’s super longevity. Not only that, but brunch hours are longer than a nightclub’s hours. The brunch that I do, we call it brunch but it’s from 12:30pm all the way until like 9pm. There’s no night party that’s going to last nine hours. Where I’m trying to be in life and how my professional career takes off, I want to still be able to do events that when people look at it, they’re like “that’s cool that he’s doing that.” Where I see myself going, I have to pick and choose my events wisely and I think brunch is something that I can have forever. I want my events to be places where people can connect and have meaningful conversations as well as turn up.
Becoming an entrepreneur is a dream of many these days, but it’s also a lot of hard work. What advice do you have for someone who wants to quit their job and pursue their dream of owning a business?
The first thing would be don’t quit your job. I think it gets misconstrued as you have to pick one or the other. You either work a nine-to-five or you’re an entrepreneur. Previously, I mentioned about going to college. I went back and got my Master’s degree. I still work in that field full time. Having that salary and consistent money allowed me to purchase a three-family house. If I was only an entrepreneur, I would need two years of similar profits to show that I can afford a mortgage. What my job allowed me to do was already have profits without worrying about it. On my path to becoming a super entrepreneur, I learned you have to view your nine-to-five as your partner. Don’t view it as the enemy. View it as, “oh, that’s my partner and he’s gonna invest with me until I no longer need his investment.” I don’t think people should rush off of that. I’m about to study again to become licensed in my field which will open me up to a plethora of new opportunities. If you’re going to think outside the box, you really have to think outside the box. I think with good time management, you can have a nine-to-five and be an entrepreneur at the same time. What empowered me as an entrepreneur is to know if sh*t goes left, I still have this. I would say view your nine-to-five as a business partner. It can be as fickle or as materialistic as you want it to be as long as the outcome is you improving yourself. Take whatever motivation you can.
Image Courtesy of RayyyL
Top 5 artists you’re listening to?
Brent Faiyaz, Peezy, Drake, Chris Brown, and Burna Boy.
What’s the most eclectic thing you have in your music library?
I downloaded the Jazz Essentials playlist on Apple Music. That’s strictly jazz and no lyrics. If I have to really dive into work notes or really study, that’s the music that I like listening to.
Favorite restaurant in Providence?
That’s tough. We’re known for having great food. I would say Capri. It hits every single time, I like them a lot.
Favorite club in Providence?
Paris Lounge, that’s where I do a lot of my events at. It’s very versatile. You get the music, food, hookah, drinks and bottle service, it’s all in one. It’s a small, very comfortable vibe and in a nice spot.
One hidden talent you have that people don’t know about you?
I was kind of a child actor, I did a decent amount of things. I was in a PBS movie as a child that I still get residuals from and I was in a bunch of commercials as a kid.
Favorite clothing brand?
I’m simple. I like Zara, Express, Nike. Those are my three go-tos.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Man, my life is going to be completely different in five years. In my 9 to 5 career, I’m going to be running a very profitable therapy and coaching business. That’s what I’m really into. For events, I have three events in my head that I project to do well. One of those events, I can build that to receive at least six figures a year. Later this year, I’m actually going to be managing a brand new spot in Providence. I’ll probably still be managing that or part owner. In real estate, I will have bought my own house and have about four multi-family properties. I’ll have a kid or two as well. I’m also craving to do something in the fitness space. Also, I’ll still be doing my podcast in five years. Maybe it will be an even bigger platform by then.
Follow RayyyL on Instagram and Twitter at @rayyyl. Smooth Podcast can be found on YouTube.
