RAY VAUGHN PAINTS A TRAGIC PICTURE

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Ray Vaughn - CEMETERY Lanterns

**updated 3/6/25 - video released and added above**

Just three weeks after his previous release “Impossible Patty”, Ray is back to business dropping records that make you think and paint a beautiful (and often tragic) picture. Enter Cemetery Lanterns, a track where a single listen won’t do it justice. To say Ray Vaughn is showing off his storytelling and lyrical ability here would be a gross understatement.

The song opens up with the inner thoughts of a new gang initiate, zealous for his new crew and ready to make a name for himself. And after a little ill-advised guidance, enthusiasm immediately turns to tragedy as the story unfolds from the new guy’s point of view. This song is reminiscent of one of Kendrick Lamar’s most beloved records “Sing About Me” in that way. Because not only does it begin from a first person point of view, but then the 2nd verse is from a third person’s point of view in response. In this case, the second verse is from his brother who is attending the funeral service questioning what was the point of it all? A feeling far too many of us are familiar with who have experienced tragedy much like this.

It really plays out like a movie, and with the way Ray describes the scene in each verse, you can almost see it like a short film already. This is one of Ray Vaughn’s greatest strengths; his ability to not just tell a story, but to describe it in a way that mentally puts you there in each scene. His writing is often much more like an author than a rapper. And this one in particular, a few quotes won’t do it justice. Read through these lyrics as you take a listen:

“ Dead homies,  my  name  gon'  ring  when  I  die
I  ain't  scared  to  die
Nigga,  this  life  come  with  a  reset
This  flag  come  with  respect

Look
Granny  told  me  stay  inside 
but  the  turf  called  me  louder
Big  homie  said,  "It's  love" 
and  that's  the  only  thing  now  that
I  hit  a  dead  end  valley,  took  the  shirt  off  my  back
Pick  your  head  up,  nigga, 
do  your  stuff,  no  slack
First  one,  hit  my  jaw, 
felt  the  stars  in  my  head
Second  one,  hit  my  ribs, 
made  me  stumble,  I  bled
Third  one,  hit  my  nose 
and  all  I'm  seeing  is  red
Then  the  fourth  one  hit  my  temple, 
all  I  heard  was,  "That's  enough"
I  took  the  fades,  stood  tall, 
dead  homies,  I'm  locked  in
Bounced  back,  told  them  niggas 
we  got  to  run  it  again
Big  homie  said,  "Aye,  little  nigga, 
you  official
I'm  giving  you  this  blower, 
get  to  know  it  like  a  ritual"
Now  I'm  cruising  through  the  east, 
my  burner  tucked  in  my  jeans
Tryna  earn  me  up  some  stripes 
and  tryna  live  what  I  seen
Big  homie  in  the  back,  like, 
"Ayo,  who  is  them  fools?
Ask  them  niggas  where  they  from, 
and  then  see  what  they  gon  do"
(Sah?)
Ain't  ask  no  questions, 
I  just  hopped  out  quick
Toss  my  hoodie  on  my  head  as  I  do  my  shit
And  I  ain't  notice  no  one  moved 
until  the  window  dropped
Muzzle  flash,  I  end  up  gettin'  popped
Bullets  kiss  my  ribs  and 
had  me  gaspin'  for  air
Hit  the  ground,  felt  the  heat 
but  the  world  didn't  care
Niggas  ran,  tires  screeched 
and  left  my  name  in  the  streets
All  that  talk  about  my  rap 
and  now  they  smokin'  on  me,  uh
Eyes  getting  heavy,  body  stiff  and  it's  cold
Momma  warned  me  'bout  the  streets 
but  the  set  took  control
All  the  love  that  I  was  promised, 
now  I  barely  could  breathe
Tryna  be  a  real  one 
and  now  they  realer  than  me,  ah

If  I  don't  wake  up,  will  they  ride  for  me?
Or  just  pour  out  liquor 
when  they  slide  for  me?
If  I  don't  wake  up  (If  I  don't  wake  up)
WOULD they  CRY for  me? 
(WOULD they  CRY for  me?)
Or  just  pour  out  liquor 
when  they  slide  for  me?

Ha,  my  lil'  nigga  ain't  listen 
now  his  name  in  the  candlelight
They  kicked  them  shits  over, 
hope  you  mad  in  the  afterlife
I'm  staring  at  your  body 
with  your  rag  on  your  chest
Same  one  you  bled  for 
and  now  you  laying  to  rest,  stupid
What's  the  point  of  a  rep 
if  you  dead  by  a  summer?
You  think  them  niggas  gon'  love  you 
like  momma  or  brother,  huh?
You  think  the  hood  gon'  cry  for  you 
like  your  niece  will?
Your  big  homie  cold  if  he  telling  you 
you  should  keep  STEEL
Can't  believe  my  brother 
got  stretched  out  on  the  pavement
Baited  to  be  joinin'  this  gang  shit
Say  he  a  trophy  but  he  really  goLD PLATED  jaded
To  be  something  he  wasn't, 
now  granny  screaming,  "My  baby,  baby"
Aretha  on  playlist, 
your  death  even  hurt  the  candy  lady
They  gon'  post  you  on  the  gram, 
pour  a  shot  and  forget
How  they  ain't  carrying  your  casket 
and  you  carried  the  set?
They  gon'  scream  how  you  was  solid 
and  gon'  say  you  was  real
But  they  ain't  trading  places  with  you,  they  don't  know  how  it  feel
Big  homie  what?  Big  homie  who? 
Big  homie  what?
Big  homie  never  really  ever  gave  a  fuck,  huh?
Your  daughter  tried 
to  get  in  your  casket,  she  was  hurt
I  can't  believe  they  put 
my  brother  on  a  shirt

If  I  don't  wake  up, 
will  they  ride  for  me?
Or  just  pour  out  liquor 
when  they  slide  for  me?
If  I  don't  wake  up 
(If  I  don't  wake  up)
WOULD they  CRY for  me? 
(WOULD they  CRY for  me?)
Or  just  pour  out  liquor 
when  they  slide  for  me?  ”

“ Dead homies,  my  name  gon'  ring  when  I  die
I  ain't  scared  to  die
Nigga,  this  life  come  with  a  reset
This  flag  come  with  respect

Look
Granny  told  me  stay  inside  but  the  turf  called  me  louder
Big  homie  said,  "It's  love"  and  that's  the  only  thing  now  that
I  hit  a  dead  end  valley,  took  the  shirt  off  my  back
Pick  your  head  up,  nigga,  do  your  stuff,  no  slack
First  one,  hit  my  jaw,  felt  the  stars  in  my  head
Second  one,  hit  my  ribs,  made  me  stumble,  I  bled
Third  one,  hit  my  nose  and  all  I'm  seeing  is  red
Then  the  fourth  one  hit  my  temple,  all  I  heard  was,  "That's  enough"
I  took  the  fades,  stood  tall,  dead  homies,  I'm  locked  in
Bounced  back,  told  them  niggas  we  got  to  run  it  again
Big  homie  said,  "Aye,  little  nigga,  you  official
I'm  giving  you  this  blower,  get  to  know  it  like  a  ritual"
Now  I'm  cruising  through  the  east,  my  burner  tucked  in  my  jeans
Tryna  earn  me  up  some  stripes  and  tryna  live  what  I  seen
Big  homie  in  the  back,  like,  "Ayo,  who  is  them  fools?
Ask  them  niggas  where  they  from,  and  then  see  what  they  gon  do"
(Sah?)
Ain't  ask  no  questions,  I  just  hopped  out  quick
Toss  my  hoodie  on  my  head  as  I  do  my  shit
And  I  ain't  notice  no  one  moved  until  the  window  dropped
Muzzle  flash,  I  end  up  gettin'  popped
Bullets  kiss  my  ribs  and  had  me  gaspin'  for  air
Hit  the  ground,  felt  the  heat  but  the  world  didn't  care
Niggas  ran,  tires  screeched  and  left  my  name  in  the  streets
All  that  talk  about  my  rap  and  now  they  smokin'  on  me,  uh
Eyes  getting  heavy,  body  stiff  and  it's  cold
Momma  warned  me  'bout  the  streets  but  the  set  took  control
All  the  love  that  I  was  promised,  now  I  barely  could  breathe
Tryna  be  a  real  one  and  now  they  realer  than  me,  ah

If  I  don't  wake  up,  will  they  ride  for  me?
Or  just  pour  out  liquor  when  they  slide  for  me?
If  I  don't  wake  up  (If  I  don't  wake  up)
WOULD THEY CRY for  me?  (WOULD THEY CRY for  me?)
Or  just  pour  out  liquor  when  they  slide  for  me?

Ha,  my  lil'  nigga  ain't  listen  now  his  name  in  the  candlelight
They  kicked  them  shits  over,  hope  you  mad  in  the  afterlife
I'm  staring  at  your  body  with  your  rag  on  your  chest
Same  one  you  bled  for  and  now  you  laying  to  rest,  stupid
What's  the  point  of  a  rep  if  you  dead  by  a  summer?
You  think  them  niggas  gon'  love  you  like  momma  or  brother,  huh?
You  think  the  hood  gon'  cry  for  you  like  your  niece  will?
Your  big  homie  cold  if  he  telling  you  you  should  keep  still
Can't  believe  my  brother  got  stretched  out  on  the  pavement
Baited  to  be  joinin'  this  gang  shit
Say  he  a  trophy  but  he  really  goLD PLATED  jaded
To  be  something  he  wasn't,  now  granny  screaming,  "My  baby,  baby"
Aretha  on  playlist,  your  death  even  hurt  the  candy  lady
They  gon'  post  you  on  the  gram,  pour  a  shot  and  forget
How  they  ain't  carrying  your  casket  and  you  carried  the  set?
They  gon'  scream  how  you  was  solid  and  gon'  say  you  was  real
But  they  ain't  trading  places  with  you,  they  don't  know  how  it  feel
Big  homie  what?  Big  homie  who?  Big  homie  what?
Big  homie  never  really  ever  gave  a  fuck,  huh?
Your  daughter  tried  to  get  in  your  casket,  she  was  hurt
I  can't  believe  they  put  my  brother  on  a  shirt

If  I  don't  wake  up,  will  they  ride  for  me?
Or  just  pour  out  liquor  when  they  slide  for  me?
If  I  don't  wake  up  (If  I  don't  wake  up)
WOULD THEY CRY for  me?  (WOULD THEY CRY for  me?)
Or  just  pour  out  liquor  when  they  slide  for  me? ”  

When asked about what inspired Ray to make this record he said:

RAY : I FELT I NEEDED TO MAKE A RECORD ABOUT LOYALTY AND STRUGGLE AND GROWING UP IN THE HOOD. BUT HOW DO I DO THAT DIFFERENTLY? AND I ALSO FELT LIKE I HAVEN’T DONE THAT IN A WHILE AND I NEEDED TO FIGURE OUT A CREATIVE WAY TO GET THE POINT ACROSS.

ASPIRE : SO LIKE KENDRICK’S “SING ABOUT ME” WHERE YOU HAVE TWO DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, BUT IN THIS CASE…  IT’S LIKE THE TWO PEOPLE IN THE VERSES ARE FRIENDS OR RELATED.

RAY : EXACTLY. THE SECOND VERSE IS HIS ACTUAL BIG BROTHER LOOKING DOWN AT HIM AT THE FUNERAL SPEAKING FROM HIS POINT OF VIEW. THATS REALLY THE ENTIRE STORY. CEMETERY LANTERNS IS A STORY FOR THOSE CAUGHT BETWEEN LOYALTY AND SURVIVAL. IT’S ABOUT THE STRUGGLE OF GROWING UP IN THE HOOD, TORN BETWEEN FOLLOWING THE FOOTSTEPS OF THOSE YOU LOOK UP TO OR BREAKING THE CYCLE. EVERY DAY, PEOPLE MAKE CHOICES THAT LEAD THEM DOWN THE WRONG PATH AND TOO OFTEN, THOSE STORIES END THE SAME WAY. THIS SONG IS FOR THEM.

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