Singer Ray J Accused Of Using Fake Blood For His Controversial Stage Performance

Singer and reality star Ray J has received an outpouring of support from fans in recent weeks. This comes as the brother of actress and Grammy-winning singer Brandy revealed he’s suffering from heart issues and may not have long to live. More recently, he shocked fans while performing with what appeared to be blood on his face, which, now, an insider is calling fake. 

Ray J performed in Shreveport, Louisiana duirng Valentine's weekend. During the performance, fans noticed not only the singer wearing what appeared to be a chest patch, but there was also a red substance on his face. In the footage, it seemed to be streaming from his eyes.

Now, days later, a photographer, Tommy Nard II, who was backstage at the show, is calling out the "One Wish" singer for allegedly using fake blood. Per KTAL 6, he said, "He loves the camera. He loves the attention. Anybody that knows him, it’s all theatrical. I'm behind the scenes, like, 'What are you doing?'"

He continued, "I seen him literally put on the fake blood and things like that, and go out there with the crowd, which is very shocking that he’d do something like that."

Following the clip of the photographer going viral, Ray J's manager, Melinda Santiago, defended her client by issuing a statement to PEOPLE. She said, "The bottom line is Ray J has been in and out of the hospital dealing with health and heart issues. That is a fact. Another fact is that the meds that Ray is on have some side effects."

She went on, "It's absurd that a local videographer (not our team) would want to clout chase for five min of fame off of Ray J name and play about Ray being sick is sick in itself. My job is to protect my artists backstage from opportunistic people. If we can't do that, then I’ll be cutting off all backstage access moving forward."

Many fans expressed concern for Ray J, Brandy, and the rest of the Norwood family after seeing what appeared to be blood on the singer's face. However, some have changed their tune after the latest development in the story. One person wrote on Instagram, "We all knew that." Someone else asked, "Who thought that sh-t was real? It was valentines day... he's a performer and drama queen."

Another person wrote, "As soon as I saw the monitor, I was like he could have chosen to keep his shirt on." A different fan said, "The BOY who cried Wolf." Finally, someone else said they knew it wasn't real blood, writing, "I knew it was fake, I just don’t find it okay to play around in that way."

Ray J and "Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood" star Princess Love tied the knot in 2016. They share two children and were on and off again for several years. However, the couple filed for divorce in 2020. Fast-forward to 2024, and the couple filed for divorce for a fourth time, per PEOPLE. Their divorce has not yet been finalized. Despite their marital issues, Love defended Ray J against accusations that he used fake blood during his performance in Shreveport. She did so by commenting on The Jasmine Brand's reporting of the story, stating that the blood was real. According to her, "It wasn’t fake." Still, it's unclear if Love was present for the performance. Unfortunately, fans didn't seem to believe what she said. One person on Instagram said, "Girl bye, we don't believe you either." Another one said, "Princess, stick to protecting your children from this man’s nonsense."

Ray J has had a rough 2026 regarding his health. He was hospitalized in early January after Pneumonia while in Las Vegas. After that, he revealed that he has complications with his heart, stating that his problems are the result of heavy drug and alcohol use over the years.

According to Deadline, he said on a livestream that his heart is "only beating 25 percent." He also discussed his life expectancy, saying, "2027 is definitely a wrap for me."