Ray J has been hospitalized with pneumonia this week – after battling the illness a little over four years ago.
The 44-year-old star – who recently asked fans for help after revealing that he was hitchhiking across the U.S. last month – has been receiving treatment after being admitted into a Las Vegas hospital on Tuesday, per TMZ.
The One Wish singer had also been experiencing chest pains and a source told the outlet that Ray J – whose full name is William Ray Norwood Jr. – has since undergone X-rays as well as an echocardiogram, but the results of those are not yet known.
Daily Mail has reached out to Ray J’s reps for comment, but did not immediately hear back.
However, it is not the first time the performer dealt with the lung infection – and had been diagnosed and hospitalized with pneumonia back in October 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic.
More than a week later, Ray J was released after initially needing supplemental oxygen and an inhaler in order to help him breathe.
Ray J, 44, has been hospitalized with pneumonia this week – after battling the illness a little over four years ago; seen in 2023 in Hollywood
The star has been receiving treatment after being admitted into a Las Vegas hospital on Tuesday, per TMZ; seen in 2024 in L.A.
But by the time he left the Miami hospital at the time, he was breathing on his own – and insiders had told TMZ that the star suspected his ‘busy schedule and constant travel’ caused him to be at risk for the illness.
When he initially arrived to the hospital, he was placed in the Covid wing due to doctors believing he had Covid-19 at first – which the singer explained had been terrifying.
But after undergoing five Covid tests, he was moved out of the wing two days later.
Ray J had also told TMZ while battling pneumonia, ‘I thought it was over. I started praying and knew God is good so I just kept praying.’
His latest hospitalization this week for the lung infection comes shortly after he took to Instagram to reveal that he was hitchhiking across the United States.
Last month in December, the singer uploaded a clip where he said that he was taking a journey from Florida to Los Angeles – and also asked fans for both ‘food’ and a ‘place to stay.’
He also claimed that he was hitchhiking for a reality show that he was working on titled Celebrity Hitchhiking.
While standing outside, Ray J explained in a reel, ‘I’m hitchhiking right now to try to get a place to stay tonight.
The One Wish singer had been experiencing chest pains and a source told the outlet that Ray J – whose full name is William Ray Norwood Jr. – has since undergone X-rays as well as an echocardiogram, but the results of those are not yet known; seen in 2022 in L.A.
Last month in December, the singer uploaded a clip where he said that he was taking a journey from Florida to Los Angeles – and also asked fans for both ‘food’ and a ‘place to stay’
‘Hopefully I can be the new family, and it can take me in and teach me about their rules and their goals and life, and then send me on my way to the next destination.’
The star then alleged, ‘I’m just trying to understand if this show is good, so I’m hitchhiking right now,’ and continued that he was doing a ‘Celebrity Hitchhiking scouting run.’
He also claimed that he was filming the ‘pilot’ for the show – and panned his own camera to show that there was no other film crew around him.
‘It’s real, and I’m all by myself. As you can see, nobody’s with me,’ the singer said. ‘I need some food and I need shelter. Just a lot of s*** that’s happened. And I just wanna get back home and see my kids.
‘It’s a hitchhiking show, but it’s real, though, at the same time, and I wanna make it really authentic. I just do it for real on my phone. I mean, I have a camera in there too, but it’s just me.’
And in the caption of the post, the star had penned to his 2.9 million followers, ‘Things got bad for me. I just need shelter and a little help. I know there is still good people out in this world. I promise I will repay you.
Ray J further wrote he was in Tampa and added he was, ‘Trying to get back to Los Angeles before Xmas to spend time with my family and kids.
‘I’m in a cream jump suit with a red backpack. I’m at the hard rock hotel at the moment. Can some one help me pls.’
The star then alleged, ‘I’m just trying to understand if this show is good, so I’m hitchhiking right now,’ and continued that he was doing a ‘Celebrity Hitchhiking scouting run’
And in the caption of the post, the star had penned to his 2.9 million followers, ‘Things got bad for me. I just need shelter and a little help. I know there is still good people out in this world. I promise I will repay you’
In a separate clip, Ray J could be seen at a casino with a woman – and claimed that he had only $800 left to his name.
The videos also were uploaded not long after his arrest on Thanksgiving after allegedly pulling a gun on his estranged wife Princess Love and issuing violent threats.
According to records obtained by the Daily Mail at the time, the singer was arrested around 4:00am and booked on a felony charge of making criminal threats, described as ‘terrorizing causing fear.’
Law enforcement also told TMZ that the incident had occurred at a residence in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Porter Ranch.
Police had responded to a call regarding a possible domestic disturbance involving threats.
Ray J was taken into custody and spent a few hours in jail before being released on a $50,000 bail.
The star had jumped into a Twitch livestream where he claimed he was having ‘the worst Thanksgiving.’ He went on to further claim that a person was attempting to take his children and that he was also being threatened.
During the stream, Ray J reportedly reached for a handgun which he seemingly loaded – with Princess Love later appearing in the clip while holding one of their kids.
The videos also were uploaded not long after his arrest on Thanksgiving after allegedly pulling a gun on his estranged wife Princess Love and issuing violent threats
Shortly before Thanksgiving, he filed a lawsuit against Kim Kardashian and her mother Kris Jenner with claims that they were all in on the infamous sex tape which was leaked; Ray J and Kardashian seen in 2006
She then accused the singer of pointing the gun at her and their daughter – which Ray J denied. A man would appear in the stream as well, which seemed to further escalate the incident.
Ray J previously dated Kim Kardashian from 2003 until their split in 2006. The former couple filmed a notorious sex tape which was leaked in 2007.
Shortly before Thanksgiving, he filed a lawsuit against Kardashian and her mother Kris Jenner with claims that they were all in on the infamous tape which was leaked.
But Kardashian and Jenner’s lawyer lawyer Alex Spiro said in a statement to the Daily Mail: ‘After realizing he is losing the case and losing his way, this disjointed rambling distraction is not intimidating anyone. Ray J will lose this frivolous case too.’
